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Yes, cable tracers are very handy, I have 4 of them in one form or another. I=
=E2=80=99ve found that there are two classes of tracers, cheap & not so chea=
p. Units under about $50 will work for most jobs, but the more expensive one=
s generally have greater sensitivity. 2 of mine are cheap, one is Fluke & on=
e is part of a high dollar instrument for actually measuring the specificati=
ons of cables.=20
One helpful way to increase the sensitivity of the tracer when tracing a pai=
r of wired is to connect the signal generator to one of the conductors & the=
other test lead to ground rather than to both of the wires in the pair.=20
This also helps when you have a short between the wires you are tracing.=20
None of them work for finding cables in buried PVC conduit, even when right a=
gainst the conduit.=20
Fluke & Greenlee seem to be the best bang for the buck if you are going to u=
se more than a few times.=20
Peace,
Pat
Pat Horne=20
We support Habitat for Humanity
On Nov 12, 2021, at 12:24 PM, Brian Kemp <bk13@earthlink.net> wrote:
=EF=BB=BF Saw this problem was solved, but wanted to add my feedback on a ca=
ble tracker that others have mentioned. I have a 5+ year old version from H=
arbor Freight, but it is no longer on their site. This appears to be the c=
urrent version:
https://www.harborfreight.com/cable-tracker-94181.html
I was doing some renovations and had wires in electrical outlook boxes that I=
couldn't identify. With the power off, I connected the signal generator an=
d was able to trace the signal with the wand through the plaster walls. Bot=
h went to locations in the wall with no exposed box - bad work by someone de=
cades ago. The plaster walls were a challenge and I only got a weak signal,=
but was able to know it was ok to cap the wires.
I also have about 10 phone jacks in my house, with some shorts in some of th=
em. The phone company installer initially just disconnected everything and r=
econnected only the two I was going to connect. A few years later, I needed=
to move my DSL modem, so needed to activate a different jack. Connected th=
e signal generator and ran the wand over the disconnected wires at the centr=
al phone termination to find the one I needed to connect.
Brian
On 11/10/2021 4:15 PM, Eric Russell wrote:
> Oh wise & beneficent Shop Talkers - I've run into a situation that has me s=
tymied. I need help locating a blown fuse in a motorhome.=20
>=20
> We recently bought a new (to us) motorhome. When installing the signal boo=
ster for a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) I accidentally shorted a 1=
2V wire in the cargo bay lights. There was a small spark (followed by a few s=
wear words). I then went on a hunt for the blown fuse. There are three fuse p=
anels in this motorhome. Two in the Ford chassis (F-53) - one under the hood=
and the other inside near the parking brake - plus one in the motorhome's 1=
20V - 12V power converter. I could not find a blown fuse anywhere.=20
>=20
> I contacted the manufacturer (Thor) who has actually been quite responsive=
& has tried to help. After asking for my vehicle's VIN they emailed me some=
schematics (not actual wire diagrams but more a map showing the general loc=
ation of outlets, switches, etc with indications of which circuit they belon=
g to). There are two schematics that appear to apply to my motorhome - one i=
ndicates the cargo lights are connected to the Ford panel by the parking bra=
ke, another indicates they are in circuit #6 of the converter's 12V panel. N=
either of those fuses are blown. While there I checked all the fuses I could=
locate - none were blown. I've also signed up to a couple of motorhome foru=
ms but have not been able to find an answer there.=20
>=20
> Finally - my plea for help - is there any device one can use to trace wher=
e a circuit originates? I've seen an electrician use a device to find out wh=
at outlet goes to which breaker in our house.
>=20
> I've followed the hot wire from the cargo bay light back to where it enter=
s a wire harness along the motorhome's frame rail. I'm loath to rip open the=
wire harness trying to chase the wire further upstream. As far as I can tel=
l there is nothing else in this circuit - everything else is working properl=
y. Of course I can live without cargo bay lights but it bothers my OCD to ha=
ve it not working (when I know it did before my screw up).=20
>=20
> --=20
> Eric Russell
> Mebane, NC
>=20
>=20
> _______________________________________________
>=20
> Shop-talk@autox.team.net
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation $12.96
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk http://autox.team.net/arc=
hive
>=20
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/bk13@e=
arthlink.net
>=20
_______________________________________________
Shop-talk@autox.team.net
Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk http://autox.team.net/archi=
ve
as@icloud.com
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charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
utf-8"></head><body dir=3D"auto">Yes, cable tracers are very handy, I have 4=
of them in one form or another. I=E2=80=99ve found that there are two class=
es of tracers, cheap & not so cheap. Units under about $50 will work for=
most jobs, but the more expensive ones generally have greater sensitivity. 2=
of mine are cheap, one is Fluke & one is part of a high dollar instrume=
nt for actually measuring the specifications of cables. <div><br></div>=
<div>One helpful way to increase the sensitivity of the tracer when tracing a=
pair of wired is to connect the signal generator to one of the conductors &=
amp; the other test lead to ground rather than to both of the wires in the p=
air. </div><div>This also helps when you have a short between the wires=
you are tracing. </div><div><br></div><div>None of them work for findi=
ng cables in buried PVC conduit, even when right against the conduit. <=
br><div><br></div><div>Fluke & Greenlee seem to be the best bang for the=
buck if you are going to use more than a few times. <br><br>Peace,</di=
v><div>Pat</div><div><br><div dir=3D"ltr">Pat Horne <div>We support Hab=
itat for Humanity</div><div><br></div></div><div dir=3D"ltr"><br>On Nov 12, 2=
021, at 12:24 PM, Brian Kemp <bk13@earthlink.net> wrote:<br><br></div>=
<div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF
=20
<meta http-equiv=3D"Content-Type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3DUTF-8"=
>
=20
=20
Saw this problem was solved, but wanted to add my feedback on a
cable tracker that others have mentioned. I have a 5+ year old
version from Harbor Freight, but it is no longer on their site. &nb=
sp;
This appears to be the current version:<br>
<br>
<a class=3D"moz-txt-link-freetext" href=3D"https://www.harborfreight.com=
/cable-tracker-94181.html">https://www.harborfreight.com/cable-tracker-94181=
.html</a><br>
<br>
I was doing some renovations and had wires in electrical outlook
boxes that I couldn't identify. With the power off, I connected th=
e
signal generator and was able to trace the signal with the wand
through the plaster walls. Both went to locations in the wall with=
no exposed box - bad work by someone decades ago. The plaster wall=
s
were a challenge and I only got a weak signal, but was able to know
it was ok to cap the wires.<br>
<br>
I also have about 10 phone jacks in my house, with some shorts in
some of them. The phone company installer initially just
disconnected everything and reconnected only the two I was going to
connect. A few years later, I needed to move my DSL modem, so
needed to activate a different jack. Connected the signal generato=
r
and ran the wand over the disconnected wires at the central phone
termination to find the one I needed to connect.<br>
<br>
Brian<br>
<br>
<div class=3D"moz-cite-prefix">On 11/10/2021 4:15 PM, Eric Russell
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type=3D"cite" cite=3D"mid:CAP7dBXAUkTD2CXpZES70onWfajOE3XgaU=
xhfUH2xjqkWwoPfYA@mail.gmail.com">
<meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3DUTF-=
8">
<div dir=3D"ltr">Oh wise & beneficent Shop Talkers - I've run
into a situation that has me stymied. I need help locating a
blown fuse in a motorhome.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>We recently bought a new (to us) motorhome. When installing
the signal booster for a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring
System) I accidentally shorted a 12V wire in the cargo bay
lights. There was a small spark (followed by a few swear
words). I then went on a hunt for the blown fuse. There are
three fuse panels in this motorhome. Two in the Ford chassis
(F-53) - one under the hood and the other inside near the
parking brake - plus one in the motorhome's 120V - 12V power
converter. I could not find a blown fuse anywhere.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I contacted the manufacturer (Thor) who has actually been
quite responsive & has tried to help. After asking for
my vehicle's VIN they emailed me some schematics (not actual
wire diagrams but more a map showing the general location of
outlets, switches, etc with indications of which circuit
they belong to). There are two schematics that appear to
apply to my motorhome - one indicates the cargo lights are
connected to the Ford panel by the parking brake, another
indicates they are in circuit #6 of the converter's 12V
panel. Neither of those fuses are blown. While there I
checked all the fuses I could locate - none were blown. I've
also signed up to a couple of motorhome forums but have not
been able to find an answer there. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Finally - my plea for help - is there any device one can
use to trace where a circuit originates? I've seen an
electrician use a device to find out what outlet goes to
which breaker in our house.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I've followed the hot wire from the cargo bay light back
to where it enters a wire harness along the motorhome's
frame rail. I'm loath to rip open the wire harness trying to
chase the wire further upstream. As far as I can tell there
is nothing else in this circuit - everything else is working
properly. Of course I can live without cargo bay lights but
it bothers my OCD to have it not working (when I know it did
before my screw up). <br clear=3D"all">
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
<div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmail=3D"gma=
il_signature">
<div dir=3D"ltr">Eric Russell
<div>Mebane, NC</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset class=3D"mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
<pre class=3D"moz-quote-pre" wrap=3D"">_______________________________=
________________
<a class=3D"moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href=3D"mailto:Shop-talk@autox.team.ne=
t">Shop-talk@autox.team.net</a>
e.html">http://www.team.net/donate.html</a>
Archive: <a class=3D"moz-txt-link-freetext" href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipe=
rmail/shop-talk">http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk</a> <a class=3D"moz=
-txt-link-freetext" href=3D"http://autox.team.net/archive";>http://autox.team=
.net/archive</a>
team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/bk13@earthlink.net">http://autox.team.net=
/mailman/options/shop-talk/bk13@earthlink.net</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
=20
<span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span></span=
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