Finding Water lines
- Thread starter supracave
- Start date
LEVE
Well-known member
Have you tried "Water Witching" yet?
LEVE
Well-known member
I've never done it... but I've seen others do it with both sticks and hangers. I figure if I did it I'd use hangers, they're easy to come by... The times I've seen it done the dowsers were 100% accurate. I was an "unbeliever" till then...
peterbilt89
Active member
use to welding rods works for me
BigGMC
Well-known member
is that a joke?!?!
Anyway,
Not drill all the way through???
How do you know how deep the tubing is?Is the heating system operational? If so, can you get your hands on a thermal imager - infrared thermo gun might work too.
These tools would pick up on the hottest part of the concrete (where the tubing is)
The IR gun would probably be the easiest to find, hell you can buy 'em now for less than $100.
The thermal imager would be more accurate, shows you an actual picture of the heat. Many fire depts use them for locating people in fires (heavy smoke = zero visibility), perhaps they would stop by with it for small donation. I have one at work (used to locate hot spots on high voltage equip) that is sensitive enough to show the footprints of where a person was standing minutes after they've left.
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tncatadjuster
Well-known member
We are talking about the back and forth hot water lines right?
I've water witched after an older neighbor taught me how, but I think it would not work with other water lines in such close proximity.
I've water witched after an older neighbor taught me how, but I think it would not work with other water lines in such close proximity.
ronstory
Active member
Cool! Just did the same thing and found an easy solution. Just turn on the radient floor heat and buy a cheap IR thermometer like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16803008940 from Newegg or similar If you turn the heat on for 20 mins... scan with the thermoter and you will notice spots on the floor that report a higher temperature. If you start scanning out from a hot spot... you will find out where the water line it. Mark in a chalk and you are done.
Also, you may not need to buy an gadget from Newegg... my neighbor stops by to borrow mine... so you neighbor may already have one.
Thanks,
Ron
Also, you may not need to buy an gadget from Newegg... my neighbor stops by to borrow mine... so you neighbor may already have one.
Thanks,
Ron
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yuk
Well-known member
it could take a while, but what if you circulated one or more small metal beads through the system and used a metal detector. zircon makes one for 6-8 inches i think.
or neodimium bead (as long as fittings arent affected buy magnets) and somehow use a compass.
it would take a long time. but you might start seeing results.
OR
if there are corner fittings of metal on the tubing, maybe finding them and figuring from there.depending on the manifold set up, could you shopvac a string through the system dried and then pull a small wire through and then apply current through the wire and have the phone co mark it for ya.
or neodimium bead (as long as fittings arent affected buy magnets) and somehow use a compass.
it would take a long time. but you might start seeing results.
OR
if there are corner fittings of metal on the tubing, maybe finding them and figuring from there.depending on the manifold set up, could you shopvac a string through the system dried and then pull a small wire through and then apply current through the wire and have the phone co mark it for ya.
06 DIESEL
Well-known member
The best way to find them is to turn off the heat for several hours and let it cool down and then turn it back on and use a thermal imaging scanner and mark with chalk. You could also turn on the cooling side of the system if available and use it and look for cool spots instead of hot spots.
rlitman
Well-known member
They would either get stuck in a pump impeller, or the bubble resorber, or a check valve. I don't see how this could work.
I've seen the thermal imager idea used. This is just as great an idea.
Big-Foot
Well-known member
Crazy Legs
Well-known member
I don't see how the "turn the heat up and the layout will show up when the water evaporates" will work. My slab heats up as one and doesn't react fast enough to do what your saying..... Yes it evaporates great but not like your saying. Unless your pipes are really close to the surface?
rlitman
Well-known member
You may not feel the difference, but a difference of just one degree will be enough for the difference to be visible in the pattern of how the water evaporates.
It is VERY easy to see the difference in surface temperatures with a thermal imager. It could be a couple of degrees difference between the spot directly over a pipe, and the spot directly between two.
It is VERY easy to see the difference in surface temperatures with a thermal imager. It could be a couple of degrees difference between the spot directly over a pipe, and the spot directly between two.
ScottinSSMd
Member
Go rent a thermal imager for a couple of hours!!! It will cost way less than piercing a single heat tube!
Crazy Legs
Well-known member
^^^^^^x50
I'd say suicide would be the best option if I pierced a tube.......
I'd say suicide would be the best option if I pierced a tube.......
Falcon67
Well-known member
Or call a tech from an energy audit place to come scan the floor with a thermal camera. I'd not be so hot about renting a $15000 camera.
rlitman
Well-known member
They're much cheaper than that nowadays.
Here's a really nice one for under $2000 on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003V4BE20/?tag=atomicindus08-20
The lower resolution version of that is more like $1200.