Underwater Metal Detector

Using a metal detector to discover buried coins and jewelry is a great pastime that can provide hours of great fun and relaxation for the entire family. While searching in parks, beaches and fields for treasure are the most common locations, there are a growing number of people that are starting to search in and around the water and may require an underwater metal detector. These locations provide an area that is rich for the potential of discovery since these locations have traditionally not been searched extensively and can provide many great finds with the right metal detectors.

Avid treasure hunters will soon realize that the equipment they trust to help them find items on land may not be suited for these new locations in the water. Underwater metal detectors use a specialized type of engineering for waterproof use. These detectors are specifically built to handle the wet conditions and unique search requirements that are found there.

There are two different styles of construction for an underwater metal detector that can be used in wet conditions and they are either water resistant or waterproof. The difference between these two styles of detectors determines how far into the water you can search with the detector. Just like with standard metal detectors, an underwater metal detector can employ a variety of detection methods for finding your target. Pulse Induction (PI) style detectors are arguably the easiest to use underwater as they are not affected by the wet sand and high mineral composition found there. A PI underwater metal detector is not very good at discrimination between different types of targets but can search very deep into the sand for items. The good news is that false targets like pop tops and foil are less abundant underwater, so you can worry less about these normal distractions when using a PI style detector.

A water resistant detector is great for areas at the waterline where only the search coil and lower part of the metal detector will be submerged in the water. This type of detector allows you to search the beach or shore near the water and wade out into the water a bit to search there as well. The advantage to being able to search these locations is that most shorelines change over time and searching out into the water a little ways may reveal interesting items from an older shoreline. Most standard metal detectors either have, or can use a waterproof coil to allow you to search in shallow water as long as you keep the top section of the detector and electronics dry.

If you want to use the metal detector in deeper water where it will be completely submerged you’ll need to find a waterproof metal detector. This type of underwater metal detector can be used while snorkeling or scuba diving and help you find treasure on the bottom of a lake or ocean. They are built to handle these underwater activities and have a very specific depth that they are certified for and you need to be careful no to take them deeper than this. This type of underwater metal detector can also use a set of waterproof headphones that help to give you a better indication of when you are near a target.