Testing MC cable for voltage

[dmanda24]

I had a service call where the GC had cut the wall for a new door and there were 4 MC cables that needed to be re routed, how would you trace this MC cables, the Non- contact fluke voltage stick does not work on the outside of the mc cable, so there was no way to check if you had found the right circuit by turning off breakers, since the wires had to be cut to be re routed I ended up using an MC cutter to expose the wires and test that way. how would you do it if you didn't want to cut the cables. Is there a particular tester good for this?
Thanks

 

[Tom the lectrician]

Lock out, tag out bro. When indoubt, turn whatever you have to off to remain safe. If you can't read it with a no contact voltage detector, then you have to test with meter leads. Do what you have to and lock it all out, strip them back, safe them out and test one by one until theyre all identified.

 

[gadfly56]

Lock out, tag out bro. When indoubt, turn whatever you have to off to remain safe. If you can't read it with a no contact voltage detector, then you have to test with meter leads. Do what you have to and lock it all out, strip them back, safe them out and test one by one until theyre all identified.

IIRC, Ideal's low voltage toner clips to the conductor of interest and you use the probe at the remote location to find out which one it is. Clip it to the MC and do the same thing?

 

[Smart $]

IIRC, Ideal's low voltage toner clips to the conductor of interest and you use the probe at the remote location to find out which one it is. Clip it to the MC and do the same thing?

If you're suggesting to clip it to the armor, experience tells me the probability of that working is mighty low in a building with metal studs and structural steel framework. Probability increases as contact metal is lessened.

 

[gadfly56]

If you're suggesting to clip it to the armor, experience tells me the probability of that working is mighty low in a building with metal studs and structural steel framework. Probability increases as contact metal is lessened.

Yes, that was my thought, but you raise some good points. On the other hand, it won't hurt for the OP to give it a whirl. He'll know in 10 minutes if it might work or not.