cable pipe locator

[bth0mas20]

I need an all around reliable locater that I can use before I trench. I have only ever used the 3000 dollar tracers and they work great. What models does everyone reccommend?
I seem to have interest in the Greenlee 508S.

 

[Buck Parrish]

We use a service from the utilities locator services , it's free.

 

[480sparky]

I use a Rycom 8879.

We use a service from the utilities locator services , it's free.

Your POCO will happily locate a buried satellite dish line, or the feed to a customer's detached garage, even his lawn irrigation system?

 

[bth0mas20]

I think ive decided on the amprobe at2005 because of its many different uses. Inside and outside the house.

 

[mdshunk]

I seem to have interest in the Greenlee 508S.

Save your money on that one. I own one too, and I think it's a piece of garbage.

 

[220/221]

Progressive electronics makes a decent unit for onder $300.

It works well 90% of the time and VERY well 75%.

It does tend to send signals out to other things and it picks up static over some communication lines.

 

[nakulak]

We bought a used one from a rental place a couple of years ago for around $1200. Its good enough for most applications. Its what the professional locaters used up to about 5 years ago - two modes of sympathetic RF and one metal detecting mode. Very handy and well worth the money if you put stuff in the ground. The newer generation of locaters have some great features and are more advanced, but a little pricey.

 

[480sparky]

Progressive electronics makes a decent unit for onder $300.

It works well 90% of the time and VERY well 75%.

It does tend to send signals out to other things and it picks up static over some communication lines.

I've had experience with those, if you're talking about the model Tracker 501, and I personally would not recommend it. The transmitter is too weak to send a strong enough signal to locate a cable or wire of much length. IMPO, they're nothing more than glorified tone sets.

 

[benaround]

I would say get a real good one before you hit the gas line, because that is

what you will probally get after you have to repair it.

 

[220/221]

I was referring to the smaller one.

I have one of those also but I prefer the smaller one.

When we have important/big locates, we call a service.

 

[jnsane84]

Go out them there woods and find yern one of them there y shaped sticks and go to finding whateverin it is yerns is lookin fer.

 

[Cow]

I would say get a real good one before you hit the gas line, because that is

what you will probally get after you have to repair it.

Exactly.:wink:

 

[brantmacga]

not sure what the laws are in your area, but here I'm required to call for a dig permit before any type of trenching. It doesn't cost anything, and all of the utilities will send someone out to mark all of their lines on the property. If you hit something without calling for a dig permit, you face a hefty fine.

 

[ptonsparky]

We are required to utilize a "one call" for all utilities and wait for 48 hours before digging. Emergency locates generate a lot of phone calls in short order. The phone guys have not been very accurate lately, missing a large cable and a neighboring house lateral entirely. Fortunately we were hand digging when the large one was uncovered.

Private lines we have to locate ourselves. We have an Ideal unit that looks like the larger of the two pictured. It is good for 1/4 mile if you connect one lead directly to a conductor. Not good for depth. Water lines are several feet down so we usually don't have to worry about them.

Wouldn't know how to act with a Ditch Witch.