Using Green Lee 501 Cable Tracker II

[milemaker13]

My boss is looking at getting a very large punch press. In preparation he purchased the GL cable tracker. (model 501) He has asked me to "sweep the area" looking for buried conduit. I know he thinks it simply picks up 'electrical signals' from below, but reading the instructions it is a little more involved.

Basically, you need 2 conductors of some kind. 2 wires in a cable, or you can use one conductor and 'earth ground via screwdriver'. Basically clip one lead to the conduit and clip the other to a screwdriver jammed into the ground. My problem with that method is the concrete floor.

Has anyone used this type of locator before? Any tips on using it inside the building? I hope I can use the inductor clamp around 1 wire in a pipe.... Not sure yet.

Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[John120/240]

I have no experience with your Greenlee Cable Tracker, tho I might suggest you X-Ray the

floor area in question. Maybe more experienced hands will chime in.

 

[K8MHZ]

My boss is looking at getting a very large punch press. In preparation he purchased the GL cable tracker. (model 501) He has asked me to "sweep the area" looking for buried conduit. I know he thinks it simply picks up 'electrical signals' from below, but reading the instructions it is a little more involved.

Basically, you need 2 conductors of some kind. 2 wires in a cable, or you can use one conductor and 'earth ground via screwdriver'. Basically clip one lead to the conduit and clip the other to a screwdriver jammed into the ground. My problem with that method is the concrete floor.

Has anyone used this type of locator before? Any tips on using it inside the building? I hope I can use the inductor clamp around 1 wire in a pipe.... Not sure yet.

Any advice is much appreciated!

For the ground connection, try a copper or maybe even steel or aluminum plate lying on a part of the concrete that has been wet down. A square foot of plate on wet concrete is a far better ground connection than a screwdriver mashed into the dirt.

If you can't get the 501 to work, you may need ground penetrating radar.

 

[K8MHZ]

I have no experience with your Greenlee Cable Tracker, tho I might suggest you X-Ray the

floor area in question. Maybe more experienced hands will chime in.

I am pretty sure that GPR is cheaper and probably safer, too.

 

[Flex]

Used something similar, just different brand. Had to locate underground pole light conduit. It worked extremely well.

 

[milemaker13]

We had luck using 2 copper wires in the conduit. Un hooked them from the breakers and attached the tracker's wire leads. Was able to trace it all thru the building.

 

[Open Neutral]

I have no experience with your Greenlee Cable Tracker, tho I might suggest you X-Ray the

floor area in question. Maybe more experienced hands will chime in.

X-Ray's don't do well through concrete. What you need is a hot source such as Cesium. I know a CATV company that used such in NYC to avoid holing anything buried in the floor slabs.

This implies you can get under the slab, of course. As someone else mentioned, Ground Penetrating Radar is likely a better bet.