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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 18:21:46 GMT
I'd like to trace some cables/wires to help me understand my electrical systems out (240/12v + tv and speaker wires). Going way back to my telecom days we used to use something that you could attach to a wire and be reasonably certain by listening at the other end that you had the right wires, this despite wires wrapped closely together. Any thoughts about how to trace wires in the modern era?
I seem to have to have to have the freezer on to get the water pump working....
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Post by Telemachus on Oct 26, 2018 18:59:27 GMT
1. Slightly translucent paper 2. A pencil
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Post by Telemachus on Oct 26, 2018 19:00:58 GMT
Sorry, there is no easy way other than to physically trace them.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:01:46 GMT
1. Slightly translucent paper 2. A pencil Very good, but there must be something more helpful.
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Post by JohnV on Oct 26, 2018 19:03:14 GMT
a Chesivale probe I believe it was called .... invaluable for phone systems. There was another simillare system for 240v the sender was in the form of a 13A plug, ran off the 240v supply and you could use the probe to find which fuse supplied it in the fuseboard ..... not quite as good but did give you an idea.
The best method seems to involve lots of teeth sucking, pulling fuses and measuring repeatedly the same bit that for some reason kills several circuits that should not be even vaguely connected and finally retiring to a comfortable hostelry to imbibe restorative beverages
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Post by JohnV on Oct 26, 2018 19:04:55 GMT
the last time I tried was on Shapfell and I ended up by pulling the whole damn lot out and doing it properly
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:06:29 GMT
Sorry, there is no easy way other than to physically trace them. OK, going back to my telecom days, you used to be able to put a 'tone' onto a cable and then with a listening probe pick that up hundreds of meters away - we are talking many thousands of wires in what was a 'loom'. Surely there is a modern day equivalent of this?
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Post by JohnV on Oct 26, 2018 19:10:02 GMT
Sorry, there is no easy way other than to physically trace them. OK, going back to my telecom days, you used to be able to put a 'tone' onto a cable and then with a listening probe pick that up hundreds of meters away - we are talking many thousands of wires in what was a 'loom'. Surely there is a modern day equivalent of this? you got me on ignore ?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:11:59 GMT
OK, going back to my telecom days, you used to be able to put a 'tone' onto a cable and then with a listening probe pick that up hundreds of meters away - we are talking many thousands of wires in what was a 'loom'. Surely there is a modern day equivalent of this? you got me on ignore ? No, just very slow at typing! Response coming up!
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Post by JohnV on Oct 26, 2018 19:14:33 GMT
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Post by kris on Oct 26, 2018 19:16:40 GMT
the last time I tried was on Shapfell and I ended up by pulling the whole damn lot out and doing it properly Yes this seems to be the way, but most people don't bother ripping the old out. Just running new cables along side.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:16:53 GMT
a Chesivale probe I believe it was called .... invaluable for phone systems. There was another simillare system for 240v the sender was in the form of a 13A plug, ran off the 240v supply and you could use the probe to find which fuse supplied it in the fuseboard ..... not quite as good but did give you an idea. The best method seems to involve lots of teeth sucking, pulling fuses and measuring repeatedly the same bit that for some reason kills several circuits that should not be even vaguely connected and finally retiring to a comfortable hostelry to imbibe restorative beverages It was definitely a probe, wave it around and get closer and closer until mostly 'Bingo', especially worked well after loosing the 'plot' after a heavy lunch. Can't believe there is not a modern equivalent
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Post by Gone on Oct 26, 2018 19:20:24 GMT
You can still get ‘tone injectors’ for data cables, can’t see why it wouldn’t work with power cables but you may need to disconnect both ends of the cable or you may find the tone in many cables as it will be coming back via a common earth.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:34:35 GMT
You can still get ‘tone injectors’ for data cables, can’t see why it wouldn’t work with power cables but you may need to disconnect both ends of the cable or you may find the tone in many cables as it will be coming back via a common earth. The switches on the panel don't seem to do what they should do. If I turn everything on everything works. If I turn some things off at the switch on the panel I'm not sure what I'm turning on or off as the crib sheet doesn't seem to relate to reality. Physically tracing wires would be a major undertaking, isolating everything might be easier - just trying to understand my options.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2018 19:37:00 GMT
Is this for AC or DC? I believe there are voltage sensing probes for both but having never used one I have no idea what they do or if it is what you need. It seems most likely you are looking at DC. If the wires are separated a clamp meter might work. As for TV aerial does it matter ? And speaker wires is it important what goes where? Obviously switches and fuses to fridge and water pump etc need to be sorted but I would have thought other than main services a need to trace everything is a bit OCD. It shouldn't matter whether DC or AC, it's about connectivity if I remember correctly (isolate power and then test).
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