Cen-Tech Handheld Metal Detector (Harbor Freight) Review

Spechal

Junior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
31
Model 97245

After taking it out of the box, I turned it on and it constantly buzzes until you turn down the sensitivity. It has an LED light for seeing the target.

With the sensitivity below 1 o'clock, it cannot detect pennies or dimes. Above 5 o'clock and it constantly buzzes. At 1 o'clock it detects a penny and dime at 5mm away or if I tap the end of the coil with it. At 5 o'clock it detects pennies and dimes at 20mm.

I'll see how it works "in the field" and I will post back.

## edit

Air tests.
 
It works better if you open it up and make an adjustment. I don't remember the details, just search the forum. I sort of forgot about it once I got my Garrett pro-pointer, but it did work for me ok in the field. Not really alot of range for me, and not sure how rugged it is over the long term.
 
I tried one out on Saturday in the field. Truth be told, it's not really that great. Very short range (<1 in.) and very sensitive to bumps when moving it around inside the hole.

On the other hand, for the money I think it is great, and is definitely the best stud finder I've ever owned. ;)
 
I just picked up one of these,$14.99+tax, I have no experience with other pinpointers, that said, I think that this was a very good deal for the budget minded MDer, I did not have to make any adjustment, you have to be close to the target for it to sound, I would say no more than a inch witch is perfect for me since I can narrow down to a small target area with my detector, this little pinpointer has speed up my search time considerably by finding those pesky ghost signals and small rusty bits that occasionally trick you into thinking "maybe a deep merc" I dont own a pair of "kid gloves" so tools either break or work in my hands and this gadjet has spent an hour in the field with me and held up well snufflin around in the holes.:p
 
I've had mine for a while now, and it is still working. If it came with instructions, I don't know what I did with them. I just turn the knob until it beeps and then back it off until it stops. Seems to work for me.:yes:
 
They work ok, But the switch is
the weak point. My friend put a
nice toggle switch on mine.
It's better than ever. My
kid loves it now

HH
BIG JOHN
 
toss the chinese battery and blow $5 on a good one, I am getting ~ 3 inches now! total investment $20

If you're not happy with it I'll give you $5 for it and $5 for shipping, you keep the garbage battery! :lol:
 
super battery

would the $5.00 battery increase the depth on a automax pinpointer? If so what is the name and/or souce for that battery? Ed in colo.
 
it works good on mine... i'm using the battery it came with too.. i bought some energizers for it but i haven't switched them so idk if the range is better with the batteries
 
Mine gets three inches, but I don't want that much, so I set it for about an inch. Too much range defeats its purpose. "Pinpoint" means just that!

By setting my pinpointer's range at about an inch, I know I'm very close when it sounds off.
 
Some basic questions??

I am about to purchase a Cen-Tech from Harbor Freight.

1.) Does this detect off of the sides?

I have heard some people talk about side scanning as if it were a good thing. To me this would be an undesirable trait.

2.) Why would it be desirable to have more than 2 inches of range?

In my thinking it is a pinpointer, I already have a metal detector:roll:.

1 inch seems to me to be the optimal trigger distance

3.) Does anyone have any more info on the internal adjustment?

Is it a Potentiometer and if so how many turns is it? I assume this is just a wider range pre-adjustment stage that is adjusted at the factory to compensate for variances in component values.
 
Last edited:
I am about to purchase a Cen-Tech from Harbor Freight.

1.) Does this detect off of the sides?

I have heard some people talk about side scanning as if it were a good thing. To me this would be an undesirable trait.

2.) Why would it be desirable to have more than 2 inches of range?

In my thinking it is a pinpointer, I already have a metal detector:roll:.

1 inch seems to me to be the optimal trigger distance

3.) Does anyone have any more info on the internal adjustment?

Is it a Potentiometer and if so how many turns is it? I assume this is just a wider range pre-adjustment stage that is adjusted at the factory to compensate for variances in component values.

1. Yes. Too expensive to include circuitry that would "aim" it.

2. It wouldn't.

3. I don't, but mine is fine the way it is.

For sixteen bucks, this thing is the bomb. (My 62-year-old attempt at talking young).
 
i used my hf pinpointer since apr only got 1" or so switch is going bad when i opened it up i found the copper wire from pointer was laying on circ board i moved them away and now i get 3 -4"s with it now i will try toggle switch idea||
 
Back
Top Bottom