Circuit Tracers

[farmantenna]

I just bought the tasco cmd42ds circuit mapper. I used it on a pretty large house and can say it worked well. I got a few false readings which was disappointing but overall helped make the panel schedule a lot quicker once set up. One downside is it takes a good minute to set up and you've got to clamp each wire coming off each circuit breaker with a clamp.

Wow, that's expensive.

 

[kwired]

I saw the Zircon on Grainger's website. It specs that it works in walls, floors and nonmetallic conduit. Seriously won't work in metal conduit?? That would make it virtually useless in our plant.

Any the ones you connect to a live circuit won't trace conductors/cables with non metallic covering in a wall unless you make a separate return path routed away from what you are tracing. With simple 2 wire circuit and both conductors right next to one another the signal you are tracing cancels itself. Just like clamping ammeter on the cable would give you net of zero for current reading. Works fine as a "breaker finder" because your two conductors are separated at that point in the circuit.

 

[jmellc]

Any the ones you connect to a live circuit won't trace conductors/cables with non metallic covering in a wall unless you make a separate return path routed away from what you are tracing. With simple 2 wire circuit and both conductors right next to one another the signal you are tracing cancels itself. Just like clamping ammeter on the cable would give you net of zero for current reading. Works fine as a "breaker finder" because your two conductors are separated at that point in the circuit.

Actually, I realized that shortly after making the post. I generally don't need to trace in walls, etc. Just need to find the breaker.

 

[2Broke2Sleep]

Wow, that's expensive.

Yeah it is, probably too expensive. But if you've got a client that needs their panel labeled AND shutting off power isn't realistic, it's the go to tool.

 

[kwired]

Actually, I realized that shortly after making the post. I generally don't need to trace in walls, etc. Just need to find the breaker.

I seldom trace in walls either, but when I do I connect one lead of transmitter to one conductor being traced and usually the other to an extension cord routed to the panel and attempt to keep it somewhat away from the anticipated path of what I would be tracing. If the traced conductor does get close to the extension cord, it needs moved to keep from interfering with the signal from the one being traced.