AlgoForce E1500 & E1500 Plus Firmware Update V4.0.0

Version 4.0.0 is a free update for every E1500 and E1500 Plus. The big change is Tracking Ground Balance: the detector now re-balances itself continuously as you walk, instead of holding whatever you last set.

Version	4.0.0
Released	10 September 2026
Works with	E1500 and E1500 Plus, all units
Cost	Free
You'll need	A Windows PC, your USB cable, 10 minutes

Download

Firmware V4.0.0 AlgoDownloader tool

Both are .zip files – extract them before use. The firmware archive contains the .bin file AlgoDownloader asks for. ([SIZE] / [SIZE])

Back up your settings first

The update ends with a factory reset, so your settings and coil calibration will be wiped. Photograph every settings screen before you start. There is no Mac version of the update tool yet.

Jump to: What's new | Our take | Install guide | Troubleshooting | Manuals

What's new

Tracking Ground Balance

Previously, ground balance stayed fixed at whatever you set until you balanced again. Over ground that changes every few metres, that meant stopping constantly. V4.0.0 lets the detector keep adjusting on its own.

Briefly press the Right / Auto Ground Balance button to cycle through three modes. The screen shows which one you're in:

AlgoForce E1500 Plus screen showing Fixed Ground Balance

Fixed Ground Balance
Holds whatever you set until you balance again. The screen shows Ground Drift.

AlgoForce E1500 Plus screen showing Tracking Ground Balance Speed 1

Tracking Ground Balance Speed 1
Two arrows on screen. Recommended for most variable ground.

AlgoForce E1500 Plus screen showing Tracking Ground Balance Speed 2

Tracking Ground Balance Speed 2
Four arrows on screen. Only when Speed 1 can't keep up.

Mode	When to use it
Fixed Ground Balance Ground Drift on screen	Consistent ground. Holds the value you set until you balance again – the V3.0.0 behaviour.
Tracking Ground Balance Speed 1 Auto Track, two arrows	Recommended for most variable ground. Effective tracking while reducing the risk of tracking out small targets. Choose this if Auto Ground Balance needs doing often because the ground changes over short distances.
Tracking Ground Balance Speed 2 Auto Track, four arrows	Only when Speed 1 cannot keep up with rapid ground changes. Speed 2 tracks faster, so it carries more risk of tracking out small targets.

Tracking Ground Balance applies when using the HOT soil type. In every mode you still set your starting point the same way: hold the Right / Auto Ground Balance button while pumping the coil up and down. For best results, run an Auto Ground Balance over clean, target-free ground at the start of each session, after changing mode, or whenever noticeable ground noise appears.

Refined filtering

Quieter, more stable running and a small lift in sensitivity. Subtle rather than dramatic, but it makes a long day noticeably less tiring.

Our take from the goldfields

I've had a chance to try the new Ground Tracking function on the AlgoForce E1500 Plus, and it significantly reduced the need to do a manual or forced ground balance. I tried it across the Bendigo goldfields – in highly mineralised and changeable ground, and in areas with less mineralisation and more consistent soil.

In the highly mineralised ground, or where the ground varied a lot, I moved to Tracking Speed 2 so the E1500 Plus could keep up with the changes and maintain smooth operation. Most of the time, though, I was happy running Tracking Speed 1, the slower setting.

This is an update that will significantly improve the performance of the machine, and should enable users to recover more gold nuggets. I did find some tiny gold using the tracking function together with the new Nugget Finder 5" AUzzy coil.

— Gold Digger Dave

Install guide

Roughly 10 minutes on a Windows PC. Read through before you start. Windows 7 or 8 users need the USB driver from AlgoForce's site first.

Photograph your settings screens, then download both files above and extract them.
Turn the control box off and connect it to your PC with the USB cable.
Turn the control box on. It enters upgrade mode automatically.
Open AlgoDownloader and pick your port from the dropdown. "Filter" is ticked by default so only AlgoForce ports show. The port number differs on every PC – that's normal.
Click Browse and select the extracted .bin file.
Click Update. It takes about 10 seconds. Don't unplug anything.
When "Upgrade Successful" appears, disconnect from the PC.
Connect the power bank and turn the detector on.
Perform a factory reset. This isn't optional – the upgrade isn't complete without it.
Recalibrate your coil and re-enter your settings from those photos.

Full instructions are also on page 29 of the V4.0.0 user manual. Tracking Ground Balance is covered on page 20.

Troubleshooting

No ports listed	Switch the control box on and connect it before opening AlgoDownloader. Try another cable – charge-only cables carry no data.
Upgrade error	Almost always the wrong port. Unplug the detector, note which port disappears, plug it back in and select that one.
Won't turn on afterwards	Disconnect from the PC and power it from the power bank. USB power alone won't run it normally.
Settings all gone	Expected – the factory reset is part of the process. Re-enter them and recalibrate your coil.
I only have a Mac	There's no Mac version yet. Borrow a Windows machine, or bring it into a store.

We'll do it for you, free

No Windows PC, or would rather not risk it? Bring your detector into either store and we'll update it and set it back up before you leave. No appointment, whether you bought it from us or not.

Bendigo 109 Watson Street, White Hills VIC 3550 · (03) 5448 4140
Melbourne (03) 9873 1244