Detecting liquids using a Metal Detector would be a great thing! Isn’t it?
This will allow you to detect water and build a well to extract it for example …
… But, can metal detectors detect liquid? No, it is not possible to detect liquids including water using conventional metal detectors. They are rather used for metals and elements that can conduct electricity. Water in its pure form doesn’t conduct electricity by any means; this applies also for most kinds of liquids that you can find underground like oil.
Sorry for disappointing you, but that’s just the way it is!
I would like to discuss other aspects of this subject as there are other ways you can implement to detect liquid.
Also, I am sure you will be interested in the items that your detctor can’t detect! You will learn some helpful info …
Key Takeaways:
- Traditional hobby metal detectors cannot detect liquids. They target conductive metals only.
- Dowsing (a separate practice) is used to locate groundwater by employing tools like L-rods or forked sticks.
- Detecting metals in water on the other hand, requires specific machines called underwater metal detecting.
A Detector that operates well on water! Maybe!!
After you’ve understood that detectors can’t actually pick up water (I will give you ways to do so a bit later), maybe what you actually need is a machine that can operate well on water …
… Better yet, that you can dive with it and detect actually valuable stuff using it!
For that I’ve put together this short list of waterproof detectors that you can check for more ideas in which also I talk about why you should opt for such machines …
… However, if this sounds cool, you can have a quick check at my favorite waterproof device directly in Amazon! It is by far the one I’ve loved the most …
Detecting liquids like water differently! (Dowsing)
You hear it, it is called dowsing! It is known by other names like doodle bugging, divining or even water witching!
This practice consists of trying to locate as precisely as possible ground water. It is done by holding a tool (aluminum rod in form of L or a forked stick) and walking the surface in question.
The environment needs to be quiet and far from any source of noise if you want this to be working! Each time you are close to possible water source, the rods will gradually point to the ground … Sounds pretty magical, but it seems to be working!
This method consists also of asking questions, it is weird, but it is probably worth a try!
This video below introduces you to dowsing; it is a little bit of fun too:
What I want to add (in order to be fair) is that this technique was not confirmed scientifically! It has yet to be proved the rational way …
Indicators that liquid or water exists nearby
There are some indicators that could tell you if liquids like water exist underneath! One of them is the weather. That is, if the region you are intending to dig in holds usually rainy climate, this means that the underground would hold water.
Also, if the area is pretty green and holds many trees, flowers and plants. This would also be a strong indicator for underground water.
Another tip is how many wells are built nearby. Having numerous wells rich in water indicates strongly a close presence of water in any close area you want to dig in.
Is detecting through a liquid like water possible?
Of course, it is totally possible! This is a different approach practicing this hobby and this is called Underwater Metal Detecting …
… For that you need obviously whether a waterproof metal detector or a metal detector dedicated for underwater usage.
Expert Tip:
To maximize your results when it comes to underwater detecting, you should use a pulse induction (PI) metal detector. Unlike VLF models, PI detectors have an amazing ability to ignore mineralized sand and saltwater, thus, focusing on deeper & eventually more valuable targets.
You may also need other tools, like waterproof headphones or even a complete gear to dive underwater.
Underwater Metal Detecting is probably a less frequent way of doing it! But this leaves a high potential for some great and really valuable finds …
… There are several examples of detector underwater that you can aim for like:
- Tesoro Tiger Shark: That can handle low frequency detectable items.
- Garett ATX: It is very popular, professional but remains pretty expensive.
- Whites MX: It is not that pricy and pretty adapted for beginners.
Underwater metal detecting is fairly a big subject that I discuss in other dedicated articles.
What about Airport Metal Detectors?
Many people are asking whether an airport detector would detect liquid or not! Indeed, it is definitely possible and could be performed in some few different ways.
This device is called EMA and it is designed for security purposes, in order to detect liquids and their containers. By doing so, this device could identify whether there are explosive liquids or not.
Generally this device doesn’t take much time to completely detect the liquid, just about 5 seconds!
Just FYI there are some Metal Detection Systems for Liquids and Pastes
In the industry there are some systems to detect metal leakage in liquids and pastes. This becomes more and more required especially in food producing industries in order to meet the highest standards out there.
These detector systems are made to be integrated with existing piping systems! They just don’t detect the metals; they also work on removing these metallic contaminants!
You can learn more about these systems right here.
Conclusion
In this short article, I’ve tried to give you a clear and complete idea about possibilities of detecting liquid not only with a regular detector, but also with other techniques and for different purposes (reaching underground water, detecting through water, removing metal from liquids and pastes and finally to get around any kind of liquid explosives).
I really hope you’ve learnt something new! If so, don’t hesitate to share this article with other people to spread value.
Finally, I think that you should definitely have a check at all what detectors can find! So, you will start focusing on the most valuable targets that matter the most
