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Tool to trace circuits inside walls

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OneTon

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Joined
Aug 13, 2010
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653
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SoFLA
You want the second one...although not sure how well it will do through walls. First unit is used more for low-voltage wiring (telephone, network, CCTV). There are more industrial circuit tracers, but they are $$$.
 

ishiboo

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Joined
Oct 27, 2010
Messages
9,481
Location
Oshkosh, WI
I want to trace the circuit paths inside the walls in the house.

Would the Fluke Pro3000 be the right tool for this (with power off)?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FTADX0/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Or would the Amprobe ECB50A be a better choice (with power on)?

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/a...75e192cb3870ae0b1549ce2617e#0003628?ref=gbase

Or some other tool?

Trying to figure out what you are trying to do... do you want to identify the physical location of a wire inside a wall? Or are you just trying to figure out like which outlet is which wire in a breaker box, or which outlet connects to which switch, other outlets, etc?

Those tracers require you to have access to both ends, they will identify a wire by proximity but your mileage through walls will vary. You may need a locator for trying to find the wire in the wall which is $$.
 
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bw77

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Jul 10, 2009
Messages
1,352
Location
Upstate NY
Trying to figure out what you are trying to do... do you want to identify the physical location of a wire inside a wall? Or are you just trying to figure out like which outlet is which wire in a breaker box, or which outlet connects to which switch, other outlets, etc?

Those tracers require you to have access to both ends, they will identify a wire by proximity but your mileage through walls will vary. You may need a locator for trying to find the wire in the wall which is $$.


I want to make a wiring map of the house.
Physical location in the wall - yes.
 

Interex

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Joined
Apr 20, 2010
Messages
960
Location
Dallas, TX
The first one is a tone generator that you would use on telephone or data wires. A tone is transmitted through the wire and allows you to pick up the tone at the other end using the probe. This is helpful if you're trying to ensure that there are no breaks in the wire and that it's properly terminated. You'll need to have almost direct contact with the wire in order to get a tone. This would not penetrate through a wall.

The second operates on a similar principle but is used for tracing electrical circuits. The ones that I've used will only generate a tone as the circuit breaker that the receptacle is on (and even then it's a somewhat weak signal). I guess this one seems more powerful since it says it will pick-up the tone through the wall but that would be new to me.
 
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