A better rechargeable setup with the Ace 250

[historyhunter1]

See this YouTube link to add 5 rechargeables to get the same voltage you would get with 4 alkalines in the Garrett Ace 250...

http://www.youtube.com/user/MrHistor.../0/SoM52h3-iSI

and this link...

http://historyhunterpush1.picturepus...cture-Box.html

to see how it looks on the detector & the wiring diagram.

Click on the photos at picturepush to get an enlarged view.

[~Alan~]

A simple idea.

My main concern would be weather proofing. A better idea might be to fit a 6v rechargable battery.

Saying that, with the price of alkaline batteries nowadays, and the 250 being excellent on battery life, is it worth the effort ?

[hobbes_lives]

I guess I'm missing the point of this modification. I use rechargeable batteries in my Ace 250 and don't see any issue with a low battery meter. I agree with what he says about the voltage, 1.5v for alkaline vs 1.2v for NiMH, but unless there's circuitry that is not regulated and is driven directly from the battery voltage, it really doesn't make any difference. In other words, unless there's an improvement in the performance of the detector, this modification doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Perhaps I'll compare the performance of the detector with four alkaline batteries vs four NiMH batteries to see for myself, but I bet there's not going to be any difference in performance.

[woodstock]

I always seem to get the best performance over all with fresh battery's on very detector I've owned, and that's a lot.
Fresh Quality batter'ys read from 1.52 volts up to 1.56 right out of the package and go down hill from there. Some faster than others depending on the draw from the electronic's and engineering design. The more stuff the more draw equals less battery life.
I feel to get the preformance you must keep those circuts with the most voltage draw fed well.
Years back I learned from the old timers to turn on your detector for about 5 minutes and let the circuts warm up. And then turn it off and back on and ground tune it. I don't know if it did anything and back then the electronics inside where a lot bigger and sucked up battrey's like beer threw a thin horn.
But now a days I change my battery's at 1.2 volts or the top voltage for rechargables. Rechargables degrade faster so you loose a volt faster and I don't like that feeling. The Low Battery Indicator is to me like a dipstick in your car. Low Oil pressure is bad for top preformance in cars so why would it be healthy for detectors? At least that's my opinion. Happy Trails!
Woodstock

[Vito]

Low oil has nothing to do with low fuel. And that's what we're talking about.

As long as there is voltage regulation nothing is wrong with both solutions, and if the voltage becomes to low, the detector shut off.

In times of the 1600 mAh batteries you could only run lets say 4 hrs. with one load. The 5th cell could help here to get at least 1-2 hrs. more. But in times with 2850mAh...I won't use this.

Originally Posted by woodstock

I always seem to get the best performance over all with fresh battery's on very detector I've owned, and that's a lot.
Fresh Quality batter'ys read from 1.52 volts up to 1.56 right out of the package and go down hill from there. Some faster than others depending on the draw from the electronic's and engineering design. The more stuff the more draw equals less battery life.
I feel to get the preformance you must keep those circuts with the most voltage draw fed well.
Years back I learned from the old timers to turn on your detector for about 5 minutes and let the circuts warm up. And then turn it off and back on and ground tune it. I don't know if it did anything and back then the electronics inside where a lot bigger and sucked up battrey's like beer threw a thin horn.
But now a days I change my battery's at 1.2 volts or the top voltage for rechargables. Rechargables degrade faster so you loose a volt faster and I don't like that feeling. The Low Battery Indicator is to me like a dipstick in your car. Low Oil pressure is bad for top preformance in cars so why would it be healthy for detectors? At least that's my opinion. Happy Trails!
Woodstock

[woodstock]

Means the same thing to me. Lacking the fuel or voltage abilty to maintain top preformance.
Those chips that do the work have a high voltage ratings and low voltage ratings in which the at highest voltage they preform at there optimun and continue to work until the voltage reaches there lowest working range and then shut themselfs down. And as they get lower so would there ability to maintain at there optimum. And the low battery goes on just before the detector will shut off due to it reaching the lowest working voltage. I've had many detectors with fresh battery's and they run smooth, respond quickly and the lower the batterys got the poorer the detector preformed. But I suppose you never had notice or experenced that yourself in the past. I hope you can understand what I mean. I'm not a electronic wizard by any means and I don't want to split hairs with you Vito. This is only my opion and the way I feel about Fresh Batterys in a detector and why I feel that way. I may have used oil in a engine but only as a colorful example of what I was getting at. Like saying the more fuel the hotter the fire. It was only met as a example of power of any kind...like voltages. WoodstockVito;502580]Low oil has nothing to do with low fuel. And that's what we're talking about.

As long as there is voltage regulation nothing is wrong with both solutions, and if the voltage becomes to low, the detector shut off.

In times of the 1600 mAh batteries you could only run lets say 4 hrs. with one load. The 5th cell could help here to get at least 1-2 hrs. more. But in times with 2850mAh...I won't use this.[/QUOTE]

[Vito]

You're welcome.

Originally Posted by woodstock

Means the same thing to me. Lacking the fuel or voltage abilty to maintain top preformance.
Those chips that do the work have a high voltage ratings and low voltage ratings in which the at highest voltage they preform at there optimun and continue to work until the voltage reaches there lowest working range and then shut themselfs down. And as they get lower so would there ability to maintain at there optimum. And the low battery goes on just before the detector will shut off due to it reaching the lowest working voltage. I've had many detectors with fresh battery's and they run smooth, respond quickly and the lower the batterys got the poorer the detector preformed. But I suppose you never had notice or experenced that yourself in the past. I hope you can understand what I mean. I'm not a electronic wizard by any means and I don't want to split hairs with you Vito. This is only my opion and the way I feel about Fresh Batterys in a detector and why I feel that way. I may have used oil in a engine but only as a colorful example of what I was getting at. Like saying the more fuel the hotter the fire. It was only met as a example of power of any kind...like voltages. Woodstock

[woodstock]

Man your slick and that's why you don't see me on this forum to often. Basicly cause it's full of closed minded members like you who would rather BLUE Highlight than keep this as it was, a discusion about battery's.
I think everyone here can read and comprehend that this was my opinion
and I have no degree in electronic's but 30 years of Detector experence.
And I guess you do have a degree. Seeing you had to Blue Highlight that I wasn't one why not tell us all your backround in Eletronic's and please make it in Blue Highlight so we all can admire your professional skills!
And while you doing that explain everything you can tell us about voltage and battery's as well so we all can learn as well. And knowone who read this said there detectors preformed top notch on almost dead battery's. Maybe they've experenced the same thing I did on rechargable or low voltage battery's and maybe not.
I hope someday they can make a better rechargable battery in all sizes. I'd hate to see them pull our standard battery's from the shelves and replace them with all rechargables. The World is going to Green Technoligy as we all know. Maybe you can be a head the pack and use GREEN Highlight as well.
Woodstock

[Vito]

Sorry, no offens there. Just wanna turn out the electronics works today in that way as described. That's why rising up the voltage will also will have no effect to the strength of a detector. Except the regulator can burn up.

So if you feel there is a difference in response and sensitivity, it's all right. I never would say dowsing is a fraud. Sometime it works well.

Originally Posted by woodstock

Man your slick and that's why you don't see me on this forum to often. Basicly cause it's full of closed minded members like you who would rather BLUE Highlight than keep this as it was, a discusion about battery's.
I think everyone here can read and comprehend that this was my opinion
and I have no degree in electronic's but 30 years of Detector experence.
And I guess you do have a degree. Seeing you had to Blue Highlight that I wasn't one why not tell us all your backround in Eletronic's and please make it in Blue Highlight so we all can admire your professional skills!
And while you doing that explain everything you can tell us about voltage and battery's as well so we all can learn as well. And knowone who read this said there detectors preformed top notch on almost dead battery's. Maybe they've experenced the same thing I did on rechargable or low voltage battery's and maybe not.
I hope someday they can make a better rechargable battery in all sizes. I'd hate to see them pull our standard battery's from the shelves and replace them with all rechargables. The World is going to Green Technoligy as we all know. Maybe you can be a head the pack and use GREEN Highlight as well.
Woodstock

[woodstock]

No offence is taken against you. I never said anything about raising the voltage up enough to burn up the detector. What I said was fresh battery's will make the detector a better detector all around. I also said that 4 batteries at a voltage of a fresh voltage average of 1.54 would equal 5.16 volts of power making all the electronic's run at peak levels. And rechargables at 1.2 volts equal 4.8 volts and will still work properly but not at peak levels. It's just common sence to me.
And dowing is a fraud because just about anywhere you dig deep enough you should find a water table to tap from, even in the desert.
And where is a regulator in a detector? If there's one inside it goes by a different name in eletronic's.
I'm glad you believe in yourself and your idea's about voltages and how they do not effect your detectors all in all preformance. I myself do believe they do and will continue using fresh battery's with all the power the detector needs to work at peak levels. And you can go on using low power battery's and trying to get the best preformance from them.
And I wonder why your doing this on a detector that sips batteries and gets at least 40 hours from a Freash set of Alkalines anyways. But to each there own and you do what you gotta do and think the way you choose.
Woodstock

Originally Posted by Vito

Sorry, no offens there. Just wanna turn out the electronics works today in that way as described. That's why rising up the voltage will also will have no effect to the strength of a detector. Except the regulator can burn up.

So if you feel there is a difference in response and sensitivity, it's all right. I never would say dowsing is a fraud. Sometime it works well.

[Willieboy]

Originally Posted by woodstock

No offence is taken against you. I never said anything about raising the voltage up enough to burn up the detector. What I said was fresh battery's will make the detector a better detector all around. I also said that 4 batteries at a voltage of a fresh voltage average of 1.54 would equal 5.16 volts of power making all the electronic's run at peak levels. And rechargables at 1.2 volts equal 4.8 volts and will still work properly but not at peak levels. It's just common sence to me.
And dowing is a fraud because just about anywhere you dig deep enough you should find a water table to tap from, even in the desert. And where is a regulator in a detector? If there's one inside it goes by a different name in eletronic's.I'm glad you believe in yourself and your idea's about voltages and how they do not effect your detectors all in all preformance. I myself do believe they do and will continue using fresh battery's with all the power the detector needs to work at peak levels. And you can go on using low power battery's and trying to get the best preformance from them.
And I wonder why your doing this on a detector that sips batteries and gets at least 40 hours from a Freash set of Alkalines anyways. But to each there own and you do what you gotta do and think the way you choose.
Woodstock

Blue above: Good Lord, you guys are feisty. I do have a degree in electronics and there is such a thing as a voltage regulator. They're almost a necessity in battery driven circuits, since they stabilize the voltages involved.

Red above: This appears to be about dowsing. I personally believe in it, but not everyone can do it. It's an ability that appears to be stronger in some folks than in others. Picture it as color vision, no pun intended. In tests there is a very wide variance in the ability to see colors, Also some people can't see certain colors and others can see colors invisible to everyone else.

Yes, I also use highlighting. It was in English 101 and was a non-elective years ago when I got my degree.

Bill

[woodstock]

O.K. you say there's a voltage regulator and your schooled in Eletronic's. I know there's one in every car built today because of the battery. But where is it in a detector and what is there name on the circut board, that what I was asking. And everyone can that believes in dowsing has there right too.
I just think that if it were a fact that some people were noted for that ability
they could find the Egypt "Hall of Records" and even the sorce of the "Mother Load" that started the gold rush in 1849. Woodstock

Originally Posted by Willieboy

Blue above: Good Lord, you guys are feisty. I do have a degree in electronics and there is such a thing as a voltage regulator. They're almost a necessity in battery driven circuits, since they stabilize the voltages involved.

Red above: This appears to be about dowsing. I personally believe in it, but not everyone can do it. It's an ability that appears to be stronger in some folks than in others. Picture it as color vision, no pun intended. In tests there is a very wide variance in the ability to see colors, Also some people can't see certain colors and others can see colors invisible to everyone else.

Yes, I also use highlighting. It was in English 101 and was a non-elective years ago when I got my degree.

Bill

[Vito]

You do believe, I KNOW. That's a difference. And yes, I know what for the oil inside the engine is, the water and the gas. (do you really think the oil pressure differes while the fluid level is between the min. and max. marks?)

Whatever, sorry for hijacking this thread. I'm off here and out detecting.

-Vito

Originally Posted by woodstock

No offence is taken against you. I never said anything about raising the voltage up enough to burn up the detector. What I said was fresh battery's will make the detector a better detector all around. I also said that 4 batteries at a voltage of a fresh voltage average of 1.54 would equal 5.16 volts of power making all the electronic's run at peak levels. And rechargables at 1.2 volts equal 4.8 volts and will still work properly but not at peak levels. It's just common sence to me.
And dowing is a fraud because just about anywhere you dig deep enough you should find a water table to tap from, even in the desert.
And where is a regulator in a detector? If there's one inside it goes by a different name in eletronic's.
I'm glad you believe in yourself and your idea's about voltages and how they do not effect your detectors all in all preformance. I myself do believe they do and will continue using fresh battery's with all the power the detector needs to work at peak levels. And you can go on using low power battery's and trying to get the best preformance from them.
And I wonder why your doing this on a detector that sips batteries and gets at least 40 hours from a Freash set of Alkalines anyways. But to each there own and you do what you gotta do and think the way you choose.
Woodstock

[mooncalfmetal]

well that was a waste

[zeemang]

Nice wheats!.....

[hawkinlugies]

The voltage regulator is probably buried in one of the many IC chips on the board.

[TopPop]

Originally Posted by woodstock

O.K. you say there's a voltage regulator and your schooled in Eletronic's. I know there's one in every car built today because of the battery. But where is it in a detector and what is there name on the circut board, that what I was asking.

Its the big red chip in the middle that says don't touch!!!

Its red because red means BAD and the company's got tired of getting sued every time sombody went went poking around the insides of there machine and got an itta bitti bobo

Sorry just having fun

With today's IC boards you would need a schematic and degree to find it
but don't worry its there along with a host of other goodies. If fresh batteries do it for you go for it. However I'd check the manufactures specs some specifically state not to use rechargeables others say either is fine

[donnyjaguar]

Old thread but I'm looking at the schematic now and there's no benefit to adding another battery because the whole rig is regulated. The first thing the 4AA cells hit is a boost convertor. Then its onto an 8V regulator and from that another 4V regulator. There shouldn't be any different in performance between fresh batteries and nearly dead ones.

The biggest current draw in the whole circuit is the speaker.

[robby4570]

OH WOW!! Here I've doing wrong by my ACE 250 all year long and didn't know it!

I use rechargeable batteries exclusively, had not seen any literature that said not to, and have had NO PROBLEMS...

The batteries I use are 2500mAh brand named NUON that I got at Wallyworld. Even though I find stuff every time I go out I guess I have ruined my beloved ACE 250 and now must get a new MD!



pssssst, think my wife'll buy that??

[donnyjaguar]

I guess if you can get past the battery meter dropping down a little sooner than alkaline batteries you should cope.

Yes, your machine is completely whipped. Better upgrade to a GTI2500 Pro immediately before others "scoop" your finds...