Underground Circuit Tracer

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jm1470

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I recently got call to troubleshoot underground wiring that feeds light poles. They have no plans and no one knows how the pipes were run. I need to invest in a circuit tracer, but am not sure which one to purchase. If you have use one and can recommened one thanks
 
jm1470 said:
I recently got call to troubleshoot underground wiring that feeds light poles. They have no plans and no one knows how the pipes were run. I need to invest in a circuit tracer, but am not sure which one to purchase. If you have use one and can recommened one thanks
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What I do is split the circuit and isolate the problem between two poles.

I then call a professional underground locating contractor. The one we use is spot on. :cool:
 
jm1470 said:
I recently got call to troubleshoot underground wiring that feeds light poles. They have no plans and no one knows how the pipes were run. I need to invest in a circuit tracer, but am not sure which one to purchase. If you have use one and can recommened one thanks
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Search Engines are one of the modern worlds great inventions.

Yea internet! :cool:

Look here
 
Found another one fur ya

:smile:

On another note, I did ask our locator about how hard it would be to purchase my own gear to do this, and he discouraged me. Job security? :roll:

After watching him work his majic, I'm not sure it's a technique that could be mastered by doing it once in awhile.

I watched some of his empoyess muck it all up and they were doing it every day. Although, those guys didn't last long with him because he had a reputation to uphold.

Keep in mind, this guy was a private locator and very skilled. In contrast to the one call locating services who miss the mark quite often.
 
Or you could make your own Butt Set for a few dollars; old phones with a 9-volt battery and aligator clips.
 
If you mean locating, we have a Rycom rig that works sweet. It has three modes for tracing. 815Hz, 82KHz, and 60Hz. The first two are induced signal and the 60Hz mode is stand alone. It will tell you depth as well. Sweet rig but $$$$$$$.
 
jm1470 said:
I recently got call to troubleshoot underground wiring that feeds light poles. They have no plans and no one knows how the pipes were run. I need to invest in a circuit tracer, but am not sure which one to purchase. If you have use one and can recommened one thanks
Click to expand...

Commercial or residential property?
 
jm1470 said:
I recently got call to troubleshoot underground wiring that feeds light poles. They have no plans and no one knows how the pipes were run. I need to invest in a circuit tracer, but am not sure which one to purchase. If you have use one and can recommened one thanks
Click to expand...

I'd recommend Rycom 8879.
 
ramsy said:
Or you could make your own Butt Set for a few dollars; old phones with a 9-volt battery and aligator clips.
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Please provide schematics and instructions for those of us with better things to do with our time. :smile:

Thank you in advance.....
 
frizbeedog said:
Please provide schematics and instructions for those of us with better things to do with our time.
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That's easy enough: place a handset's mic and speaker in series, add a 9v battery in series with that, and add a 2-conductor wire with clips. The second handset gets wired the same way, except for no battery. They'll be able to communicate on a single pair of wires. For miles of wire, add some more voltage.

Note: this is for the old style carbon mic handset.
 
Keep your eyes out for the old style phones. Rubber ends. Not the modern RJ-series, there just more robust...
 
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