garrett treasure ace 300 need HELP!

[hillbilly]

Hi folks
I've got a real problem My 300 got dunked in saltwater.
Garrett says it is shot(over the phone) and made me a GREAT offer on an ace 250 but I really really like this machine
It was on when it went in the water and was under for maybe 3 minutes
first thing I did was turn it off and pull the batteries.
then I pulled it apart and dried it out
now it will power up,I get the initial beep and my line graph appears
I can set the disc and the graph responds
how ever it will not register any objects even when touched directly to the coil no beep no cursor no pinpoint
the controls for disc and sens started to turn green within an hour but other components look good
I am electronically ignorant but can use tools and follow instructions
is there any hope for my machine?
thanks alot
David

[kt315]

David, sell it on parts. can here http://www.thetreasuredepot.com/cgi-...pl?read=126557

good luck.

[UWLocator]

It may be too little too late, but Here are some tips that I put together on what to do when electronics get wet.

Might help next time,
Rip

[Carl-NC]

Rip's help page is good... since you've allowed the saltwater to dry out (bad news), you need to flush the whole thing repeatedly to get the salts out, otherwise everything will quickly corrode. Use nearly-hot distilled water for this. Let it dry out thoroughly for several days.

- Carl

[UWLocator]

Carl brings up a good point. The fact that it dried with the residue in it adds to the problem. You will have to take it apart to get all of that out now. You may also have to replace some of the controls and switches because they may have been damaged by arcing since it was on when it went under.

Also check and clean the connectors for things like the cable to the coil. It does not take long for saltwater to cause bad connections.

Good luck,
Rip

[hillbilly]

thanks

thanks fpr the help guys
I can see salt residue on the board so I figured I cant hurt it any worse and am soaking it overnight in distilled water to try to soften it up
I also added 1 teaspoon of baking soda to try to loosen up the corrosion
tomorrow at some point I will follow the procedures on that help page
then let it sit and air dry for several days
wish me luck

[UWLocator]

No Baking

Baking soda is a real bad idea. It can react very badly with several chemicals and cause more damage than it will fix. Rinse fast and completely. Make sure to rinse out the controls and switches. Then if you want to soak, do it only in clean water. Distilled is better but don't add anything to the soak.

[UWLocator]

Why Baking Soda is Bad For Electronics

Just to expand a little on my last post. Baking soda is also known as Sodium Bicarbonate. It can do several bad things on circuit boards.

First, many circuit boards contain Chlorine, which combines with baking soda to form a salt. I have seen circuit boards turned into jelly because of this reaction.

Also, baking soda, salt and water form an isotonic saline solution that is very conductive and very hard to remove. This is why I suggest that it is best not to add anything to the water you are using to clean electronics.

The only things that I use are what my blog post shows. I use only Dawn Ultra soap and in a very weak solution. I do not substitute any other brand. Use it where you need to and rinse with warm water to remove all traces of it. Use it only when you are ready to rinse it off. Do not soak any parts in it for any period of time.

I hope these got to you in time and wish you success in your project,
Rip

[UWLocator]

So, did you have any luck with it?

Rip

[hillbilly]

looks hopeful

Hi Rip I just put it back together and I think it will function
I dont know if its electrical interference or the fact that I live under 5 signal towers but I have never found a metal detector that will work at my house
my home electronics dont even function right
After reassembley I powered it up and imediatley started getting overload signals(actually that is a real good sign)
Ive got a full plate this weekend but will try to sneak off to a park and check it out
David

[hillbilly]

SUCCESS!!!!!!

took the 300 out to a park dug 48 targets got 29 coins(all clad) 13 pull tabs and 3 foil tops and 3 tokens
only thing I can see different is quarters are registering as dollar coins
I can get used to it though anything rings as a dollar coin will get dug anyway
thanks for all the help
David

[UWLocator]

Well Done, Next Step

That is great news. Thanks for letting us know it worked out.

Now, I would open it up again in a couple of weeks just to be sure no signs of corrosion are showing up on the metal parts. If you see any, just use soft brushes and then wipe with a rag soaked in light machine oil.

I hope it serves you well for a long time yet to come.

Rip

[hillbilly]

thanks agian

thanks agian and I wanted to ask if it is ok to post links to this forum and that help blog on another forum I am a member of www.treasurehunterforum.com
I think alot of folks over there would enjoy this site
David

[UWLocator]

You would need to check with Carl-NC on linking to the forum, but I doubt he will have a problem with it.

You are welcome to link to my blog post. I put it up with hopes that it would help out folks who have that issue. I have seen a lot of good equipment destroyed by people doing the wrong things after it got wet.

Best wishes and HH,
Rip