Ringing Out A New Electrical Installation

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macmikeman said:
It's time for your macmiketip of the day! This will not have any bearing on the question of wire defects, like meggering will , but rather to ensure all cables were installed properly and you didn't miss any. Get a hold of a tone generator and a testing wand, one like this: View attachment 8562

Do not hook up the service feeders at the panel, but land all grounds and neutrals. For this to work right, the grounds and neutral connections should also be made at the outlets, switches, and lights, unless only one cable is entering the box. Clip one lead to the ground bar, and one to the neutral bus at the panel, and turn on the tone generator. Now go around to every outlet and switch box, and light fixture, and if you got all the wiring in right, you will loudly hear the tone wand when you either touch or hold it close to the neutral or ground wires in the box. If you missed a cable run, the volume on the probe wand will be significantly less than a similar box which has its path back to the panel. Side note- if there is any crossing of the neutrals and grounds,(as in shorted) the tone will not warble, but instead sound like fuzz. So this method also helps finding a spot where a neutral and ground wire are touching together, but of course a continuity tester would also work fine for that. The nice thing about the wand is you really don't have to skin any wires to get it to work, unlike using a continuity tester.
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Thanks Macmikeman!
We do have one of these to help with phone wires. Sounds like a good idea and relatively simple and not too time consuming.
 
The ring out does sound like an extra to the GC but I would agree verifying the system prior to cover could save you $ if it is damaged by another trade. Really depends on the size of the project. If you pigtailed all of you device ready make up(you are ahead of the process), all circuit conductors will have continuity to end of line. Tie the end of line ungrounded to the grounded conductor test for continuity( which should be achieved) in the panel. Hopefully your panel makeup is only with the grounds which are pigtail at every j box. There should be no continuity to the ground. Make sure you disconnect the end of line after testing. If you want to verify the ground, makeup the grounded conductors in the panel, jumper to the grounds & test at the end of line. Radio headsets & sounding buzzers will allow a single electricain to be more effecient. No matter how you test it will be time consuming -- Good luck.
 
mwm1752 said:
The ring out does sound like an extra to the GC but I would agree verifying the system prior to cover could save you $ if it is damaged by another trade. Really depends on the size of the project. If you pigtailed all of you device ready make up(you are ahead of the process), all circuit conductors will have continuity to end of line. Tie the end of line ungrounded to the grounded conductor test for continuity( which should be achieved) in the panel. Hopefully your panel makeup is only with the grounds which are pigtail at every j box. There should be no continuity to the ground. Make sure you disconnect the end of line after testing. If you want to verify the ground, makeup the grounded conductors in the panel, jumper to the grounds & test at the end of line. Radio headsets & sounding buzzers will allow a single electricain to be more effecient. No matter how you test it will be time consuming -- Good luck.
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To call electrical construction, especially residential competitive would be understating in today's world. If my scope of work, I.E, plan notes, specifications or contract, don't require this, then I wouldn't do it without a signed change order for the GC. I am curious why you and/or Petersonra feel like we should. If wiring is potentially damaged by another trade, I may actually do it for nothing because, as a rule I don't back charge other sub-contractors except for intentional or negligent actions. Otherwise, a repair of damage later isn't on me, so there is no cost to me.
 
Strathead,
All projects have different circumstances, The OP asked for a method, If it all pays the same (change Order) & the customer wants it, whats your concern. I personally never had this request but there may be more to the story with the GC requesting this action. There is no requirements per code which is minimum, and most EC's will bid to. If the EC refuses and wiring is damaged all sorts of problems could occur. My advise was to be prudent with the circumstance for the contracting world is tight. I never said to do it for free.
 
Wire Runner said:
Can you give me a simple electrical one line diagram of your bell tester inserted into the wires to be tested. Thanks.
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Nothing simple, just depends on whats you need. Here is some gizmo's and diagrams.

All mine is - 4 aligator clips for the ends of two telephones and a 9 V battery between the the speaker and the comm. on one phone, I didn't study for it in literature, and this application is only good to qualify that your ringing for Color/Phasing.
 
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