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Being new to this hobby, just got my new Ace 250, and wanted to give it try in the back yard.....:grin:can't wait until spring to try it. I live in MI and it's now starting to get cold but no snow or rain so have a small window before it starts. Just wondering if there is a temperature working environment besides the obvious, I should not operate in?
Thanks for any advice.
Phil
Phil, I'm not certain how low temps affect digital electronics, hopefully someone will chime in. The only thing I've noticed is when I leave my detector out in the low teens it starts to chirp weirdly when the temps rise again. It goes back to normal in a few days. Condensation maybe? I no longer leave my detector out over night and won't detect below 25 (because I start chirping weirdly:lol:) so I don't have any problems.
Phil , each model can be a bit different as to how it handles the cold but lcd screens can and do get sluggish and slow in temps around 20 degrees and lower . some machines will also start acting a bit erratic as Drew mentioned .
Drew/Phil,
You can leave your detector in the cold no problem. They can be stored down to -65 BUT I believe all these detectors use commercial grade, not military grade electronics. If it was military grade you can use it down to -55 C. Commercial grade is 0C (just around your 25F drew). Most failures with electronics happen when they are cold but just warming up, but that means there has to be a faulty component to fail within it's specified operating temp.
Another newb here, also from Michigan.
Phil, I've detected in my backyard every day since Christmas. No ill effects so far.
I've really seen no terrible performance problem when it gets on the chilly side, but I admit I don't really enjoy getting out in temperatures much below freezing. Plus typically you start running into frozen ground issues by that point.
Jon
I detect all winter if it's freezing or above in the woods but ya can't dig anywhere else, a woods with a good canopy and thick layer of leaves keeps the dirt from freezing. Some woods ya can't hunt though, especially the pine parts of a woods, they freeze rock solid.
Yeah, we haven't had enough cold weather to even begin seeing frost.
One note though, everything is damp. Some of those strap-on gardener's knee pads will help keep your knees dry.
thanks everyone for your responses, very much appreciated...now on to the backyard :)