I am looking to buy a Circuit & Wire Tracer

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gilamor

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Santa monica CA
My name is Gil
I am an electrical contractor c-10 located in Venice CA
Recently I had few jobs where I had to trace wires find junction boxes etc
I have the 200 IntelliToneProus but this nice toy doesn’t work on line voltage.
So I am looking to buy a wire tracer for high voltage. After couple of day of research
I came up with these 3 testers below. The speck and fetchers are almost the same.
The price is about Amprobe=$461 greenlee=$539 and ideal=$599
The greenlee looks like an old instrument that was never upgraded I also read some bad comments about it in this forum. But greenlee is a good name in the electrical business
I wondered if anyone had any experiences with these testers.
Reliability? Ease to use? And if they really works as stated ?
Thank you very much
Gil Amor




Ideal SureTest Open/Closed Circuit Tracers
ideal.jpg

• Numeric value and audible signal provide quick and easy-to-understand tracing feedback
• Receiver display rotates automatically for easy viewing
• Identifies breakers and fuses
• Pinpoints opens and shorts
• Traces wires behind walls and under ground
• Can be used on circuits 0-600V AC/DC


Greenlee 2011 Power Finder Circuit Seeker Microprocessor-Based Circuit
greenlee.jpg

•Traces concealed wiring, locates junction boxes, and finds breakers for live or dead circuits?no need for power interruption.
•Finds breaks in wires and shorts to ground.
•Incorporates auto gain circuitry for enhanced accuracy.
•Locates and identifies blown fuses.
•Supports transmitter-to-receiver distances up to 4 miles (6.5 km) for closed circuit tracing.
•Accessories included: Adapter lead, (2) 9V batteries, AC blades, instruction video, extension leads, carrying case, earphone/tube.



Amprobe AT-4001 Advanced Wire Tracer
amprobe.jpg

• One universal transmitter- automatically switches to work with either energized or non-energized systems .
• Receiver not position sensitive- does not need to be rotated in order to provide accurate readings .
• Locates and traces wires in walls, floors, conduit, computer cables and other hidden areas.
• Traces energized and non-energized (open, broken) wires
• Does not interfere with sensitive electronic equipment.
• Pinpoints shorts, ground faults and broken wires.
• Performs tests without having to interrupt power .
• Traces live wires buried or hidden behind walls.
• Locates breakers, neutrals, and ground lines.
• Extremely easy to use.

Edit; removed email addresses
 
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I'll be tuning in to this thread, as I also am in the market for a circuit tracer. I have a Sperry (Home Cheapo special) - and it's really not that bad - once you get used to adjusting it. It works fine, as long as the circuit is a receptacle circuit - as you can plug it in. For lighting circuits, it's not quite as handy. It's only useable if you're trying to locate a breaker - no provisions for finding open/shorts, or tracing a buried wire.

One of these testers would have been invaluable on this job that I just wrapped up. Wasn't one circuit that was identified correctly. Ended up needing to figure out almost every circuit - glad this job was T&M. It was a reno, and had to break in to quite a few circuits.

Let's see what the gang recommends.

Brett
 
We have an older Amprobe model and it works well enough. It sounds like the newer model has some added features. We have found wires/junctions in walls and it locates underground cables. Ground faults (buried cables) are best found with other devices. Circuit location at panels is adequate although I have a simpler Ideal tool that works better for that.
 
Hi bjp_ne_elec

I saw the ideal 61-954 for $499.99. I was going more towards the ideal 61-956
which is $599. I believe the only difference between these models is the receiver display rotates automatically for easy viewing. You are right it is better to buy the 61-954 and save $100. Who cares abut rotating display.


I didn?t here any complains about the Amprobe in this forum and I tend to believe it is the best product. I know the Amprobe 2005 is a great product but it is expensive very big and more difficult to use.
Some peoples hate the Greenlee tester and I see it very often at eBay which indicate that some peoples want to get rid of it. Also it seams that Greenlee is not continuing to develop a newer models to replace this dinosaur.
I really like to here from someone who own the ideal 61-954 and Amprobe 4001
Thank you all
Gil
 
Tracing open circuits...

Tracing open circuits...

I've had a rash of residential service calls with bedroom and hall lights that didn't work due to open neutrals. I've been tracing these things old school...following the wire through the attic, opening junction boxes. As you know, time consuming.

So, devices like the Ideal 61-458 or what ever the number is makes easy work of these task? How?

Is it so easy, a caveman could do it?
 
I have recently purchased the ideal 954 and do not regret it. I am also just starting out as a contractor and find it extremly useful. It saves me time and lots of head scratching. I paid $485 and it works on open/closed and energized and de-energized circuits. I have used it on many jobs in a short time. It helps sort out the rats nest and trace wires behind walls. I recently had a job in a hundred year old house with wires running everywhere in the basement, I was able to solve a problem much quicker than the last electrician he hired and now has me sorting out the rest of the wiring in the house. It also helps pinpoint any open, shorted or groundfaults within inches.
 
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I bought the greenlee 2011 a couple of years ago on a low budget when I first went out on my own (about $450) and it has worked just fine for me, it took awhile to get the feel of it but now i've had good luck with it, it will trace out conduits and mc cable in walls but it wont trace out the wires in the conduits only at junction boxes and then it will tell you which wire is which. I have been able to trace out underground wires that were only 18" down but it's not really designed for that so I wouldn't put confidence in that. I heard alot of negative and positive about it on this site. The only thing I have had trouble tracing is a short circuit but have only tried that a couple of times. I am not familiar with the other tracers so I can't give an opinion.
 
Hi Dnkldorf

did you ever have to use the Clamp-On Transmitter Accessory
A2202?
Since you connecting it with no separate ground is it still give a good readings?
also i would like to know if you can trace hidden junction boxes with the AT-4005

Thank You Very much

Gil
 
Hi Dnkldorf

did you ever have to use the Clamp-On Transmitter Accessory
A2202?
Since you connecting it with no separate ground is it still give a good readings?
also i would like to know if you can trace hidden junction boxes with the AT-4005

Thank You Very much

Gil
 
I have the Ideal unit. I don't know the number, but it is the top of the line one that costs about a grand. It's great. But then again I haven't used the others mentioned, so they may be even better. I was going to buy the Amprobe, but after meeting with an Ideal rep, I went with that one. It seems to be as good of a unit if not better. And I got some perks like a free replacement of an older cat 5 tester. And some free 18" ship auger bits. But even so, I wouldn't have bought it if I didn't like it.
 
I bought the Ideal 954 at Cooper electrical supply in NJ for $485 plus tax. When shopping around I also noticed Grainger was charging $515 for the same unit. But this is the lowest cost unit without the clamp on transmitter. I think any of the ideal units shoul be able to trace a hidden j-box. As the rep explained to me all three model packeages are basically the same, except the most expensive package comes with a clamp on transmitter. try contacting Ideal technical support, I found they were really helpful, and did not try to upsell me on a more expensive unit.
 
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KMC - that's good feedback. It sounds like it might be worth the extra $100 for the clamp-on transmitter. You say "they should be able to trace JB's" - are you saying that the 61-954 has this capability?

THanks
 
Yes you can locate buried wires and junction boxes with the ideal 954. The model with the clamp on transmitter included is not 100 dollars more though, I believe the total price is closer to $1000, close to double the cost of the 954. Definitely call ideal for any specific questions though, I was really impressed that they didnt upsell me and gave me knowledgable answers. I have only had this unit for about a month now so I havent used it extensively yet, but so far it has helped many on a couple jobs that would have been a real pain w/o it.
 
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