Home Page link

Locating Wires in Walls ?

Home| Search | About
Login Password
Register Now! Lost Password?

Building Construction - Building Construction Industry Discussions. 

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >> Bookmark this page:  YahooMyWeb Yahoo!  Google Google  Windows Live Favorites Windows Live  del.icio.us del.icio.us  digg digg  Add to Netscape Netscape
Subject Author Date
Locating Wires in Walls ? James 01-24-2008
If you were  Registered and logged in, you could reply and use other advanced thread options
Posted by James on January 24, 2008, 9:23 pm


I have to drill a 2 1/2 inch hole through an exterior wall, and I know that
it is possible that I could run into wiring. While I know that I could
turn this circuit off and drill away, I can envision that it would be hard
to access both ends of the 120 volt wiring if my drill should cut a wire.
(repairing would normally be easy, but I don't know if I would have
appropriate "slack" and/or if I could get to both ends to do the repair. )

Isn't there a gadget to allow one to locate the exact wiring location in a
wall ?

Thanks for any tips !!

James



Posted by G. Morgan on January 24, 2008, 9:53 pm
James wrote:

>
>
>I have to drill a 2 1/2 inch hole through an exterior wall, and I know that
>it is possible that I could run into wiring. While I know that I could
>turn this circuit off and drill away, I can envision that it would be hard
>to access both ends of the 120 volt wiring if my drill should cut a wire.
>(repairing would normally be easy, but I don't know if I would have
>appropriate "slack" and/or if I could get to both ends to do the repair. )
>
>Isn't there a gadget to allow one to locate the exact wiring location in a
>wall ?
>
>Thanks for any tips !!
>


Use an inductive probe (part of a tone-generator kit)...

or -->

Use a portable AM radio

tune it to a freq. with no station and run it across the wall
(practice on an area above a lightswitch where you know there are HOT
wires) you'll be able to hear the humming of the RFI.



--

-G

Posted by Bennett Price on January 25, 2008, 12:51 am
Even more than just an AM radio and 60 cycle hum, plug a vacuum cleaner
into a receptacle that you suspect might be powered by the wire you're
trying to avoid. The AM radio will pick up lots of static when you're
near the wire.

G. Morgan wrote:
> James wrote:
>
>>
>> I have to drill a 2 1/2 inch hole through an exterior wall, and I know that
>> it is possible that I could run into wiring. While I know that I could
>> turn this circuit off and drill away, I can envision that it would be hard
>> to access both ends of the 120 volt wiring if my drill should cut a wire.
>> (repairing would normally be easy, but I don't know if I would have
>> appropriate "slack" and/or if I could get to both ends to do the repair. )
>>
>> Isn't there a gadget to allow one to locate the exact wiring location in a
>> wall ?
>>
>> Thanks for any tips !!
>>
>
>
> Use an inductive probe (part of a tone-generator kit)...
>
> or -->
>
> Use a portable AM radio
>
> tune it to a freq. with no station and run it across the wall
> (practice on an area above a lightswitch where you know there are HOT
> wires) you'll be able to hear the humming of the RFI.
>
>
>

Posted by Red Green on January 25, 2008, 9:01 pm

> James wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>I have to drill a 2 1/2 inch hole through an exterior wall, and I
>>know that it is possible that I could run into wiring. While I know
>>that I could turn this circuit off and drill away, I can envision
>>that it would be hard to access both ends of the 120 volt wiring if my
>>drill should cut a wire. (repairing would normally be easy, but I
>>don't know if I would have appropriate "slack" and/or if I could get
>>to both ends to do the repair. )
>>
>>Isn't there a gadget to allow one to locate the exact wiring location
>>in a wall ?
>>
>>Thanks for any tips !!
>>
>
>
> Use an inductive probe (part of a tone-generator kit)...
>
> or -->
>
> Use a portable AM radio

Where do you get one? Same place as a Beta VCR? :-)

>
> tune it to a freq. with no station and run it across the wall
> (practice on an area above a lightswitch where you know there are HOT
> wires) you'll be able to hear the humming of the RFI.
>
>
>


Posted by G. Morgan on January 25, 2008, 9:22 pm
Red Green wrote:

>> Use a portable AM radio
>
>Where do you get one? Same place as a Beta VCR? :-)

Well.. actually that is a problem. You have to get one that has an
analog tuner, the digital ones won't work. Maybe RatShak has one
attached to a toy. ;-))

--

-G

Page 1 of 2       1 2 > last >>
Similar ThreadsPosted
Tracking hot wires inside walls April 26, 2006, 12:15 pm
Practicality of 2x8 walls February 1, 2007, 10:02 am
Help! The walls are falling down! February 8, 2007, 11:10 am
Bathtub walls March 21, 2007, 4:35 pm
Best Way to Tie in New Porch Walls October 3, 2007, 4:43 pm
Re: Commercial bathroom walls August 2, 2006, 8:26 pm
Wet Insulation in Basement Walls August 5, 2006, 12:25 pm
Lightweight siding, walls August 28, 2006, 4:03 pm
Second Story Walls Framed October 18, 2006, 9:20 pm
Wet Insulation Basement Walls June 16, 2007, 1:28 pm

Contact Us | Privacy Policy

XML SitemapXML Sitemap