Knowing the location of your cables in the wall or underground can also help you in emergencies and in daily life. For example, suppose you want some repairs done in your home, or you have planned some improvements or renovations, or you want to make your home safer with better electrical protections; You’ll need to trace the wires because if you accidentally cut or damage them, serious mishaps can occur.
And you must be non-invasive in your quest to find them. Because if you start randomly drilling holes in your wall, you’ll be left with a maddening mess and an unsightly wall. For underground cables, this tracing must be even more precise. Otherwise, you’ll be digging for eternity.
But always keep in mind that safety is of the utmost importance. Anything involving large amounts of electricity can be dangerous and fatal. Also, faulty wiring can harm life and property. So for serious concerns, always contact electricians.
Also, before starting any project, be aware of local laws. Always turn off power when working on wiring or lighting. Wear gloves and glasses if you need to cut or drill into the walls. Never try to touch or reach into wall spaces if you don’t know if the wires are live. Use non-conductive instruments.
Therefore, you should know the correct way to do this and the tools you will need to trace the cables in these scenarios. Here are some tips:
For cables inside walls:
You will need tools to detect cables inside the walls. One of them is a ‘stud finder’. They have many variations for various needs with variable power. The magnetic simply drives the nails into the wall studs through magnetic attraction. The electronic variety generates a small electric field that will change if it touches the denser parts, such as the surrounding area of the poles, and will inform you of this change through a light or sound. Some seekers can even trace the flow of current under the walls. These will provide an approximate location, but not the exact number of wires.
Another useful tool is a ‘voltage detector’. These are essential for tracing wires and ensuring safety as you can be sure circuits are good and off before you modify them. These can find wires and consequently check if they are live or not. There is a fairly cheap version of this that you can easily find at electrical stores, known as neon circuit testers (since these use neon bulbs).
You can also opt for voltage detectors with audible alarms, called voltmeters or probes. These produce a sound whenever they detect live wires. Or you can also use a metal detector if there are not too many wires or other non-electrical objects like nails etc.
You may want to consider all-in-one cable trackers that will offer detailed instructions on how to do this. Also, some models of stud finders have special wire sensors to trace specific wires under walls. Choose the tools according to your needs and purpose.
For underground cables:
Most failures or accidents involving malfunctioning underground cables can be traced back to an inability to locate them all. If contractors don’t trace underground cables before any digging, don’t use CAT or ‘cable avoidance tools’, or take the necessary precautions, they can go bad quite easily.
So, if you are planning to build or rebuild anything that needs underground cable management, try to locate all cables through cable plans and other underground terrain information. And if you want to make it easier for future modifications, consider installing cable locator devices. And if you need immediate assistance, you’ll need an underground cable tracer.
You can use buzz devices which are receivers that detect any type of magnetic field created by live wires. These are useful when there is a constant flow of current in those wires.
There are radio frequency detectors, which can also pick up low frequency signals from metal cables and pipes. However, the results can be confusing if there are too many metal objects.
Then there are the transceivers. These cable locators are best in tough situations, but they also need trained operators. And finally, you can also use metal detectors in this case. They will easily locate metal covers and junction boxes, although they can be unpredictable when locating cables that run deep underground.
Also Read: Important Safety Tips When Working With Scissor Lifts
Conclusion
By knowing exactly where and how cables run behind your walls or underground, you can make better decisions about any electrical investment.
The chances of overloading and fractured applications due to irregular voltages will be much less. So, in a way, it saves you a lot of money in the long run.
But your home will also be safer in terms of short circuits, fires, or severe electrical damage. And there is no price you can put on life, yourself and your loved ones.
Categories: Technology
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
