Aldis adventure ridge STARTERS & recharging batts, r they only 8.4 v?

[SandPiper]

Ok so went to get rechargables for the adventureridge machine I am starting out with, unfortunately NO I CANNOT AFFORD THE GPX, so gotta learn somehow. Aldi's offer of a cheapie that DOES function well, was too much to let slide, so I have jumped in with this.
For the skeptics it does function surprisingly well in several city side tests beach parks back yard, and air tests to learn the discrimination and STILL baffling "notches", and a good start point for sure, I will graduate to gpx as soon as I am sure the hobby is safe enough.
On the first day I have already found a few coins and now this morning a couple of rings, so it will pay for the gpx eventually, especially if the patch I have found is what I think it is....anyone interested Near AVOCA, going back and forth almost daily now, then let me know to come with me. I want someone with me coz the BROWNSNAKES do concern me greatly, shhheeeeeezzz they do look scary up close in pictures, BUT well out there the first one I encountered im still fricken shakin every now and again, it was MASSIVE well Im not gonna chance that 1 on my own again So the offer is there the samples of quartz I returned with showed several vent like holes with what I believe to be sulphur, so my guess is somewhere nearby I may find more and I am willing to share the location as well its any ones to get to anyway, its in the diggings and allowable areas. The more PEOPLE I can have with me the LESS SNAKES. well maybe???

Anyways, the sales man at Jaycar, has explained the rechargeables are only about 8.4 volts in reality, so my trouble.
If the batteries which are used are not powering the device sufficiently, the device cannot be working ALL THE TIME at its optimum,
ANY IDEAS on a way to manage this, at present I am going through a small fortune in energizers, and this is not gonna happen much more I need a solution, I thought maybe solar charger and 12 v batts with inverters or whatever else but that is very expensive a bit expensive for a hobby.
Is there a reason why I couldn't use the 18 v model aeroplane rechargeable, and IS the 18 v true 18 v. But no matter in the end the batteries can ONLY supply ALMOST enough, this is not acceptable if the salesmans statement on 9 volt batts real available max power being 8. 2-4 at BEST is true.
I have heard there may be a guy whom can modify this machines abilities so any ideas on this are welcome. At $100 I am willing to open her up and increase the capabilities if possible.
To the people whom are taking this forum seriously, I thank you for the guidance I have already received from reading all sorts of threads located here some real gems amongst the information, real gems.
Nugget, greetings and great place to relax sit back and learn from EXPERTS, thanks mate, I was hoping to get a thread going specifically for the noobs, it seems these machines sold like hot cakes fair dinkum flew out the door, so theres gonna be a few people willing to seek guidance from the mental giants located within in these confines It may help to keep me and other NOOBS safe when WE do go deep forest..... Hope to meet ya "OUT THERE"
SandPiper

 

[Goldpick]

I wouldn't worry about issues running rechargeables, most detectors regulate the voltage to supply enough power for optimum performance, regardless of what batteries are used.

 

[Guest]

8.4 is just fine for a 5000

 

[SandPiper]

Thank you,
been air testing it with all sorts of junk metals, as I haven't any quality good stuff..yet, and it isn't picking stuff up as deep as I thought...? and is not picking it up at all with brand new batteries maybe seven out of ten swipes. Must have chanced it with the rings so anyone be warned it isn't as strong as the real nice machines but it does sometimes work, this is not a positive thing, maybe too hit and miss.

I will still be trying it out anyway as it has some use, but on all metal it should be picking up a handful of different copper and silver coins, several cheap metal brooches and some pewter badges and also a little silver. but it doesn't signal at all. maybe it IS the way I am using it. more testing required.

just my thoughts I still think if I operated it properly it CAN work a little, but my confidence is waining.

A WARNING IF YOU READ MY INPUT IN THIS, now I would still recommend it for basic learning and training with the REAL youngsters, and AIM to get the REAL DEAl instead it is cheap for a very good reason....

My initial enthusiasm seems to be misplaced , its not lookin good.
I will find a way to get my hands on a gpx, 20c at a time, may take a while but the rings add up eventually.

 

[Goldpick]

What rings did you fund, were they just junk ones or silver/gold, and what do you have the discrimination set at, or are you just running in all metal?

 

[SandPiper]

Think silver, with some stones in some missing, not a bad start, especially with inexperience.

went again last night and did a playground found so many pieces of wire, its not funny, the installer didn't care the kiddies could hurt themselves its pathetic.
Anyway I found another twenty c coin, and several caps again, but the AMAZING thing is..

IT FOUND THE SMALLEST BIT OF WIRE, its really tiny 12- 13 mm and thin as a pin.
So does it work Im convinced, maybe highly mineralised ground will challenge it but it does pick TINY bits of metal, at about 4- 5 cm, I wasn't expecting this I am only asking to find LARGER metal pieces, so if it can LOCATE stuff this tiny the machine does what I need, at the moment anyway.

I would love the power of an xterra or gpx, but this seems to function as the makers claim, so my confidence is building again.

 

[SandPiper]

Will post pictures when I get a good enough camera, the phone camera I got doesn't pick tiny stuff up.

 

[SandPiper]

Sticking to all metal, for now I don't understand properly the discrimination and have all the time to dig necessary, so ALL METAL until I learn it.

 

[Goldpick]

Using some minimal discrimination to just knock out iron will save you a lot of time digging unnecessary junk like wire & nails, and more time to concentrate on goodies like coins and jewellery. Just do some air testing with some iron junk, and wind up the discrimination until the coil no longer picks them up, then you are set to go.