cant find the wire in the wall

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danickstr

Senior Member
I guess I need another tool. I have a dead box in a finished home and they want me to make it work. I have no idea where the single run of 12-2 (fully made up) are terminating. I of course tried all the nearby boxes.

Then I tried taking the receptacle apart and attaching a fox and hound, but it seems to read in multiple directions and stop in the middle of nowhere. I need something more accurate if I am to confidently tear a hole in the ceiling/wall. Anyone have a suggestion as to which tool will accurately locate the end of this run through the drywall (it may go off into a tiny cripple wall)?
 
mcclary's electrical

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
A fluke toner works good for a rough idea, I've also got a 600 dollar greenlee that will get you to the exact area. You're probably gonna find a buried box, or a backstab you missed has failed, or a buried wirenut joint.
 
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danickstr

Senior Member
i hate to spend 600 bucks but I do like the idea of finding the exact location. I may have to look at the Greenlee whooptie.

is that the 2011 2007 or 2008?
 
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macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
danickstr said:
I have a dead box in a finished home and they want me to make it work.
Click to expand...

1romexrollofwire_Full.jpg
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26075410-300x300-0-0_Dewalt_DeWalt_1_2_Drill_DW236.jpg
>>>>>
Panels.jpg
=
stack-o-money.jpg
 
quogueelectric

quogueelectric

Senior Member
Location
new york
danickstr said:
I guess I need another tool. I have a dead box in a finished home and they want me to make it work. I have no idea where the single run of 12-2 (fully made up) are terminating. I of course tried all the nearby boxes.

Then I tried taking the receptacle apart and attaching a fox and hound, but it seems to read in multiple directions and stop in the middle of nowhere. I need something more accurate if I am to confidently tear a hole in the ceiling/wall. Anyone have a suggestion as to which tool will accurately locate the end of this run through the drywall (it may go off into a tiny cripple wall)?
Click to expand...

Either buy an amprobe 2005 used on ebay OR.............. Learn how to spackle..............
 
e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
Did I mention a time domain reflectometer the last time? Tone the path and measure....

Either way - to make an omlet - you need to break a few eggs.... Start popping some small holes - and expand.....

That is - IF it was ever fed in the first place....
 
growler

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
danickstr said:
I guess I need another tool. I have a dead box in a finished home and they want me to make it work. I have no idea where the single run of 12-2 (fully made up) are terminating. I of course tried all the nearby boxes.
Click to expand...

When you say finished home are talking about new construction or a remodel job? With new contruction you normally have one of two things, either a buried box or it was never fed in the first place.

With a remodeling project it can be almost anything, there may not even be a box, great big flying splice in a wall or ceiling or just old boxes that are shoved back into the wall or ceiling.

I would start by seeing if anything is connected to the home run. The grounds are normally made up at the rough-in so get an extinsion cord and see if the gound is good ( check gound to ground) . If the ground is going home then check to see if neutral is going home You may just have a break in the hot. The more information you have the better off you are when trouble shooting and this can be done in less than 5 minutes. if it is just an open hot it may be nothing more than a bad back stab in one of the receptacles you have already checked.
 
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danickstr

Senior Member
the O'Jays. great tune. I am going to get the tool, I guess. It is a remodel with questionable quality. I don't mind spending money on a tool that can make me look like I am a magic wire finder guy. Should mean more business.
 
Mongo1953

Mongo1953

Member
Location
Didsbury, Alberta
I bought a used Amprobe AT 2005 on Ebay this spring for about half of list and it has been well worth the $. Good investment. Paid for itself in a few months. I like Growler's tip using the extension cord for continuity checking ground and neutral. If you have continuity, you can use process of elimination to at least determine where it's fed from.

If it don't hit the panel at all and is reading open/clear with a multimeter, maybe try backfeeding it and use an ac sensing studfinder to trace it back. I think I'd turn everything off but the source for that.
 
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danickstr

Senior Member
I looked into the Amprobe line. So many models, but I would like to know if anyone can comment on the differences of the 4000 line and the 2000 line.

Thanks
 
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macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
Many times instead of trying to find a box/splice buried into a wall, I just locate the last good connection out to it, and abandon that connection. I run a new cable to the box I want to pick up the circuit again, abandoning the incomming cable at that box as well. It is not as fancy as the AT-2005, but it beats cutting random holes in walls. And I charge large for it, the customer sees me working hard and is all happy with the results. That is what my silly montage was attempting to show.
 
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