Something like that works off of radiated emissions from the line, which requires AC. It may work in a car if the engine is running, but don't expect it to work with just a battery and no motors or noisy electronics on the line.
My electrician friend came last weekend to do some work. He had this device that looked like a large black crayon with a green conical end. About six inches long, and as big around as a quarter.
He would put it close to a wire or a socket, and if it was hot, the green light would come on, and a beep.
He said he thought they made them for 12v. automotive use. Anyone seen or used these 12v. models?
Steve
Indeed. I use them all the time, and they DONT work on DC
Gunner
"Gunner" wrote: Indeed. I use them all the time, and they DONT work on DC ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I have been using those for years. It's one of the handiest tools you can put in your shirt pocket. But, around the car, no. You need about 60 volts AC to trigger it. However, you can buy a gizmo that clips onto the wiring in a car, which injects pulses. You can then trace those pules around the car using a hand-held receiver.
Incidentally, the little AC probe the OP is talking about can mislead you. If the break is in the common side of the circuit, it will indicate you have power. Say your pistol drill won't run, and the "chirper" says it should. Don't immediately start pulling the drill apart.
They make some that do, but they are two seperate pieces. One generates noise on the wire, and the other tracks it. It is sold for telco, security system, and network troubleshooting.
Ask on news:comp.dcom.cabling
Tim Sez: " . . .and no motors or noisy electronics on the line. . . ."
How's about leaning on the horn while the tech has it up to his ear ?
Bob (don't know AC from DC) Swinney
Something like that works off of radiated emissions from the line, which requires AC. It may work in a car if the engine is running, but don't expect it to work with just a battery
Robert Swinney wrote: (top posting fixed)
I meant electrically noisy. An old-style vibrator horn would dump plenty of electrical noise on the wire, but somehow I dunno if things would work, even so...
They were called "fox and hound" when I was engineering telco stuff.
I couldn't remember the name. I used an RF generator on CH 3 and a Sadelco TV FSM the few times I needed one. I had a really bad habit of numbering both ends of every com cable. It ticked of a lot of other people, till something went down and they could yell numbers at each other. :)
For DC or non powered wire tracing, yes, a telephone toner tracker is a good tool. I've seen that type of thing at Home Depot, and also Harbor Fright.
Actually it would be possible to build one that detects DC using a hall sensor, thats what DC current clamps use, but I have to admit I've never seen one for sale anywhere.
H.
"Howard Eisenhauer" wrote: Actually it would be possible to build one that detects DC using a
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ That would work, but it wouldn't be the same as the voltage detector that chirps when placed next to a live AC wire. Hall effect detects current flow, not voltage.
Correct. I have a couple sets of the old Progressive Electronics line chasers for DC or cold wire work
Gunner
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