Tool to trace electrical circuit to breaker

[Michael Ballent]

I am doing more eletrical work at the house and it's getting a little old switching off the wrong breaker :o Is there something out there that will let me trace the circuit I am interested in to the breaker box? Also what is the damage for something that can do that :confused:

[Chris Padilla]

Michael,

I recall seeing something like that at my local hardware store and while I don't recall the price, I think it was under $50.

One other thing you can do is to mark your breakers. Take an hour or two and with the help of your SO and/or kids and figure out all the circuits in your house. It'll be worth the effort.

[Bill Roland]

I purchased a Fox & Hound device made by "SPERRY" from one of the big box stored. It has transmitter that plugs into an outlet and a reciever that is used to pinpiont the breaker in the box.

[Jim Becker]

Michael, Chris is correct...you can buy a two-piece test set that gives you a "transmitter" you put in the outlet and a "receiver" that grabs the signal out of thin air when you pass it over the correct breaker. It also helps you trace which outlets and fixtures are on a particular circuit. This tester works similarly to test kits for data and phone wiring but is specific to 120v A/C circuits. And do mark your panel once you figure things out...most construction electricians don't do that which makes for a pain to the homeowner. You might even go so far as to use a label printer to actually mark the outlets, too, for future convenience...

But do keep it where you can find it...mine is "creatively stored" at present and I couldn't find it recently when I needed it!

[Bobby McCarley]

Michael, may I also offer a tip that I have started doing. On the underside of the outlet plate or switch plate, I write the number of the breaker switch that powers the outlet or switch. That way you can just remove the cover and see what breaker needs to be opened.

Bobby McCarley

[Mac McAtee]

Mike,
A very sophisticated solution for you.

Plug a radio in the outlet. Turn it on, turn it up. Go to breaker panel, trip the breaker. If you still hear the radio you got the wrong one.

[Brian Riley]

Something I added to my breaker tracer kit is one of those screw-in outlets that replaces a standard light bulb. It always seems that there is an outlet behind the sofa or such. Just replace the bulb with the outlet and you're good to go.


Brian

[Jim Becker]

Plug a radio in the outlet. Turn it on, turn it up. Go to breaker panel, trip the breaker. If you still hear the radio you got the wrong one.
And then you reset all your clocks and electronics to the correct time, etc...IMHO, the tester tool kit is relatively inexpensive, fast and accurate.

[Chris Padilla]

Don't you do that after every storm anyway, Jim? ;)

[Jim Becker]

Don't you do that after every storm anyway, Jim? ;)
For "my" alarm clock, yes, 'cause the dang battery backup is worthless. Dr. SWMBO's clock works right, however. The timer on the MBR TV has to be reset (it's our normal alarm in the morning round about 6:30a, unless the birds are screeching... :rolleyes: ) But fortunately the power doesn't fail much around here.

I guess my point is that when you can get a a relatively inexpensive device to help trace circuits in times of trouble or times of "home improvement", it's probably a pretty good investment. I feel safer using it, too... But Mac is correct, you don't need it to do the job.

[Michael Ballent]

Mac's solution is the cheapest, but I would rather just know which breaker I am flipping, besides, it never hurts to add to the war chest of tools. :D

[John Christiansen]

Trying to locate unmarked breakers at work is a regular chore for me. I've purchased two of those gimmicks "they say" will find the correct breaker. You plug the transmitter into the outlet, go to the breaker panel, pass the receiver over the breakers until it beeps and, well, the first one ($60.00) got thrown away after the third attempt to use it, the second one ($175.00) got returned to the vendor after it's fifth or sixth use/failure.

I'm still using my old homemade circuit shorter. somewhat spooky and osha would have a conniption if they ever saw me use it. but it only takes two seconds to use and it finds the correct breaker every time.

No. I'm not going to tell you how to build one. You might hurt yourself.

The loud radio system is the best way to find an unknown breaker in a residence.

[Jim Becker]

Trying to locate unmarked breakers at work is a regular chore for me. I've purchased two of those gimmicks "they say" will find the correct breaker.
Interesting. I've been using the same cheap one for many years and other than needing to tweek the sensitivity a bit on "older wiring", it works like a champ! Couldn't have cost me much more than fifty bucks at the 'borg when I bought it.

[Chris Padilla]

I still say that kids/spouse are the cheapest...wait that isn't really true is it!! :eek: :p :D

[Kevin Gerstenecker]

I routinely use a Circuit Tracer at the College, and it works like a champ. If you take the time to learn how to use this tool, it can save a TON of time and aggravation. The unit I have is a Greenlee, and it will work on both energized and dead circuits, up to 600V if I remember correctly. I believe we paid about 600 bucks for this thing, but it works great, and never lies to ya. (I have even used this dude to trace conductors in Conduit imbedded in Concrete, both energized and dead, and it finds 'em every time.) I have used lower cost units in the past, and they are just as John says they are..........pretty much useless and very frustrating to us. I have also built my own version of a Circuit Shorter like John mentions...................and it works, but is not for the faint of heart.........and you are right John..........OSHA would FREAK if they ever saw us use these! :D
I am waiting for the day I use my homemade unit and run across a hanging breaker..............that should be interesting, huh? :eek: Like anything else, you get what ya pay for, IMO. ;)

[John Christiansen]

Interesting. I've been using the same cheap one for many years and other than needing to tweek the sensitivity a bit on "older wiring", it works like a champ! Couldn't have cost me much more than fifty bucks at the 'borg when I bought it.

I will admit Jim that many of my panels have over 100 breakers in them and I think this lends to confusing the thing. But I even brought the second one home and tried it here. It would not locate a correct breaker with any reliable accuracy even when I knew which breaker it should be beeping over.

We hire many different mechanical contractor on campus. One day I was shooting the breeze with one and noticed he had one of the "gimmicks" laying in a pile of "stuff" in the front corner of his van. I asked him how he liked it. He just snickered and asked me why I thought it was laying in a pile of junk.
Until someone demonstrates a circuit tracer that works, I won't be wasting any more of my employers money on one.

[Chris Padilla]

Maybe this just points to poor quality control in building these devices? Perhaps Mr. Becker got the 1 in 10 with the right parts with the right tolerance stuffed....