Branch Circuit Tracing

[natfuelbill]

What have you found to be the best method, and equipment for identifying and locating branch circuits feeding receptacles and lights?

 

[barbeer]

personally- turning breakers off and either visual or meter test. Have used some tracers and never had alot of luck with them, maybe I didn't spend enough money on them?

 

[FrancisDoody]

Ideal

Ideal

I have an Ideal Circuit Tracer that works great. I believe it is the 1502 model. Not the basic model but the next one up.

 

[Rockyd]

If you do much phone work, then you prbably have a Progressive model phone toner and reader. Copper is copper, Take the wire off the breaker, attach the signal generator, and your good to go! Works through sheet rock and wall board for romex. For pipe it's a little pickier, but being directly in front of the box works. It goes wild inside the box. Not bad for less than $200.

 

[natfuelbill]

The specific circuits that I am trying to locate receptacles are fed by a UPS. The office manager requests that the investigation occur without turning off the UPS power. If I can figure a way to do it without turning off any power then the work can be done during normal business hours.

The wiring is in EMT and greenfield, no Romex.

The location is a five story office building....

 

[LarryFine]

When alone, a radio plugged in and turned loud. With a helper, a wiggy and walkie-talkies.

 

[celtic]

Ideal 61-532

Costs about $50 ....and beats walking up and down stairs, trying to hear a radio go on/off, no helper required...etc.
Works with the power ON ~ no interuptions.

Ideal 61-534

Pretty much the same as above, but with GFCI tester (woo -hoo).

 

[iwire]

Randomly switching breakers on and off in an office environment is no way to keep a customer.

The Amprobe tracer kits that the company provides us are about a $1,000. With practice you can find the circuits most of the time.

 

[Fault Finder]

If I can't find it with my circuit tracer I take amp readings of everything thats on. Then I plug in a hair dryer or a drill to the circuit in question and go back to the panel and find the circuit that is 5 or more amps than the first time I took amp readings. Its a little crude but sometimes the less technology involved makes things easier.

 

[bjp_ne_elec]

I've used the Sperry circuit tracer - and I think both big box stores carry them. With a little practice, I've found they worked out great. The trick is to adjust the sensitivity correctly - but like I say, with a little practice, I traced out 24 circuits in a two story office building in about 15 minutes with a helper with a cell phone. He walked around plugging the unit in, and I stayed at the panel.

For lighting circuits, just pig-tailed a light socket with receptacle screwed in.