EMT Tracer

[hurk27]

At one time I made a little device that would rap on the pipe for me, it went into my drill and once I taped the drill to the side of the pipe, push the trigger hold it would sit there rotating a small rod beating on the pipe, you could follow the pipe all the way through the building.

 

[hurk27]

used a radio connected to a small PA horn type speaker once, on a 4"

 

[LEO2854]

Is a fishtape too obvious? Fiberglass fishtape if possibly energized?

Or instead of LP air, try drawing a vacuum with a shop vac if that is easier to come by.

Thats probly the best way to start.

 

[bpk]

Can you tape a piece of THHN to a fiberglass fish tape, then locate the thhn

 

[masterinbama]

I have use canned smoke with success, just be sure to tell the occupants what you are doing.

 

[Ravenvalor]

I've traced empty pipes by using two people and a piece of PVC pipe. Cut the PVC long enough to reach from your mouth to the pipe in question. "Play" it like a brass music instrument, and have the other person go around listening for your 'toot'. Sounds corny, and looks really stupid, but it works.[/QUOTE]

This PVC fart pipe is not a bad idea. You have both an audible and a scent signal. The scent signal would probably work the best, who's ever office the pipe terminates into will immediately vacate the said office and complain about the smell. I will ask my wife to serve beans tonight.

Thanks

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

That may find the other end of it, but the OP wants to trace the path behind walls and above ceilings.

In that case, I say run water through the EMT. I would be willing to bet that it would not take long to see where this EMT is behind sheetrock walls...

 

[Article 90.1]

Pour some mint extract into the open end, then use the compressed air. I watched a Sprinkler fitter do this on a job to find some leaks that were giving him trouble. Just walk around and follow your nose. Of course, you may not find the pipe behind walls, but you might find the other end this way.

 

[Ravenvalor]

Pour some mint extract into the open end, then use the compressed air. I watched a Sprinkler fitter do this on a job to find some leaks that were giving him trouble. Just walk around and follow your nose. Of course, you may not find the pipe behind walls, but you might find the other end this way.

The office personnel thank you in advance for this pleasant alternative to the other scent.

 

[shermansfather]

Compressed air is the way to go, I don't keep a compressor in the truck but have the Kobalt CO2 tank and regulator. I use a blow gun packed in the conduit end with duct seal and have the helper pulse the trigger works even better with RMC.

 

[MikeyinLA]

And will eventually run out of gas.

In my case, never

Fiber glass fish tape and someone to help with good ears, then pull a pair of wires to send your tracer signal through to trace it in the wall

 

[hurk27]

In my case, never

Fiber glass fish tape and someone to help with good ears, then pull a pair of wires to send your tracer signal through to trace it in the wall

If you can pull in a pair of wires wouldn't you already know where the end of the pipe is?

The problem with RF tracers, is the pipe acts as a shield and can't follow it, you can hook onto the pipe if it is well isolated from other metal, but as the OP said, it's not, so smoke, noise, or other methods would have to be employed.

You could push a fish tape in it and possibly find the other end but then you stand the chance of pushing into some live conductors or panels.

 

[glene77is]

Does anyone know of a way to trace empty emt that is behind walls and ceilings?

Raven,

Can you pull a single insulated conductor into this conduit ?
Then use something like the Amprobe AT4001.
Just a thought. Should work in a magnetic mode, right through the steel EMT..

 

[glene77is]

used a radio connected to a small PA horn type speaker once, on a 4"

Hurk,
Two really good 'mechanical' ideas .

 

[glene77is]

Fiber glass fish tape and someone to help with good ears,
then pull a pair of wires to send your tracer signal through to trace it in the wall

Raven,
Building on idea from Mickey,

How about using a fiberglass tape with telephone conductors taped to the end.
Then push the tape through the conduit,
which will pull the wire along.

wire -----------------------------------///----X
tape ===================///=====X

Then use a 32KHz signal tracer like the Amprobe AT4001
for a magnetic tracing as far as it goes.
If you hit a junction box, then re-feed it and keep pushing.

 

[BJ Conner]

Tie a string of jingle bells on the end of the fish tape. You can get them as small as 1/4" and they are in season.
IF you want to get electronic use an electronic stetascope other wise use a stetascope, waterglass against the wall or piece of 2" PVC and listen as pul the bells alont the path.
You cans sing as you do it "sleigh bells ring are you listening ........."

 

[hurk27]

Tie a string of jingle bells on the end of the fish tape. You can get them as small as 1/4" and they are in season.
IF you want to get electronic use an electronic stetascope other wise use a stetascope, waterglass against the wall or piece of 2" PVC and listen as pul the bells alont the path.
You cans sing as you do it "sleigh bells ring are you listening ........."

"Sleigh bells ringing in my pipe"

Now thats just wrong

 

[LEO2854]

"Sleigh bells ringing in my pipe"

Now thats just wrong

thats why they make those big battery radio's:grin: