Amprobe circuit tracers - Recommendations

[mtfallsmikey]

Looking at buying a circuit tracer for my buildings, general use, mostly for tracing 120/277v. circuits to unidentified breakers, etc. Looking at Amprobe AT-4001A / At-1000, those two fit my budget. Opinions?

 

[The Great Sarducci]

Unfortunately, I've never used the model you are looking at. I'd imagine that in the price range that it lists for, it would probably be pretty robust & accurate. I'd read some reviews first as circuit tracers can often be highly unreliable, and in some cases so unreliable that it becomes a futile and wasteful effort to even use them. I can't say for sure which brands I've had bad luck with, as it's been a pretty long time since I tried to use one. However I know that it was definitely a good price tier or two below the Amprobe you referenced. Personally, my experiences with anything Amprobe have been generally positive. It's definitely one of the leading names in the electrical test equip. industry. So as far as circuit tracers go, I'd say that it's probably a pretty safe bet. But if you decide against it for something cheaper, just be wary that too much cheaper and you may as well save some time and get a nice, fancy looking paper weight instead (serve about the same function).

But anyway good luck with your purchases. If this thread happens to remain open long enough for you to get one and try it out; you should let us know how it turned out. I'm always interested in hearing about good quality circuit tracers to possibly add to my future list of "things I gotta have in my toolbox".

 

[gadfly56]

I think if you do a forum search with "Amprobe" you'll find a number of discussions, one or two may cover the models of interest to you.

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Unfortunately, I've never used the model you are looking at. I'd imagine that in the price range that it lists for, it would probably be pretty robust & accurate. I'd read some reviews first as circuit tracers can often be highly unreliable, and in some cases so unreliable that it becomes a futile and wasteful effort to even use them. I can't say for sure which brands I've had bad luck with, as it's been a pretty long time since I tried to use one. However I know that it was definitely a good price tier or two below the Amprobe you referenced. Personally, my experiences with anything Amprobe have been generally positive. It's definitely one of the leading names in the electrical test equip. industry. So as far as circuit tracers go, I'd say that it's probably a pretty safe bet. But if you decide against it for something cheaper, just be wary that too much cheaper and you may as well save some time and get a nice, fancy looking paper weight instead (serve about the same function).

But anyway good luck with your purchases. If this thread happens to remain open long enough for you to get one and try it out; you should let us know how it turned out. I'm always interested in hearing about good quality circuit tracers to possibly add to my future list of "things I gotta have in my toolbox".

Thanks for your input!

I think if you do a forum search with "Amprobe" you'll find a number of discussions, one or two may cover the models of interest to you.

I believe there was only one, on the AT-1000, those two models I listed are the only ones that fit with my purchasing abilities and budget.

 

[gar]

170101-1514 EST

mtfallsmikey:

An qpproach that might work for you.

This approach uses an oscillating load on the circuit that you want to find the wires and/or circuit breaker that is associated with that circuit.

If on the circuit to be traced about a 10 A load is oscillated ON and OFF for about 5 seconds On, and 5 seconds OFF, then with a magnetic pickup coil and a mV digital meter a moderate change in reading can probably be seen with the pickup coil on the face of the breaker the current is flowing thru. By about two breakers away you should see virtualy no signal from the oscillating load.

The 10 second cycle period is required because of the long time constant within a typical DVM

Using a test coil I have, likely has several thousand turns, on a QO breaker panel I saw a change from 2.5 mV to 7.5 mV on the face of the breaker serving the cycling 1500 W heater. This heater, typical hardware store cheap unit with an internal fan, is not a good test load because internally the fan keeps the case moderately cool although the primazry purpose is to move heat into the room.

If you remove the panel cover, then a clamp-on ammeter can be used, and a smaller load would work. But this is not as quick a test as using a pickup coil or Hall magnetic probe.

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