Circuit breaker finder/detective thing?

[Josh Reet]

Does anyone have one of those circuit breaker finder things? You plug one part into an electrical outlet and take the other end to the breaker box and it lights up when you touch it to the correct breaker that the plug is on. Essentially it's supposed to be a way to shortcut the yelling "okay, now try the next one" over and over to our wife while trying to track down what circuit an outlet is on.

I'd like to get one if they work at all well. They range in price all over the place however and I'm not excited about spending money on a useless tool.

[Larry Frank]

Yes, I just recently bought a couple of them for myself and as Xmas presents. I got them on a website where you bid on things. I paid about $9 a piece. I used them to help me locate some circuits that I was working on. They work OK but there are some false indications at times. However, it was useful as I was trying to find the right circuit breaker by myself. As always when working on electrical circuits, I test the circuit at the plug or switch with a tester to make certain I do not get zapped. Not perfect but a big help when you are by yourself.

[John Coloccia]

I don't have one of those. What I do have is a radio. I plug it in, crank it and flip breakers until it shuts off (and then LABEL it, of course!). If it's on the 2nd floor, and I'm way down in the basement, I grab the cordless phone and plug that into the outlet. When the dial tone goes away, I have the right one (and then LABEL it, of course!).

Those circuit finder things are OK, but the reliable ones tend to be expensive. Then again, you're not trying to trace wires through walls, so it's probably fine for what you're doing provided you double check the outlet's dead before digging in.

[Anthony Scira]

As an electrician I have played with the cheap ones, they are cheap for a reason.

I have one of these but its expensive. But it works.

http://www.electricaltools.net/products/circuit_tracers_c418.shtml

[Mike Cutler]

Josh

I have a "Fox and Hound" set similar to the item that Anthony referenced. It's a great tool to have if you want to "map out" your electrical system.
To be honest though, most of the time I plug in a high wattage load and use a fluke clamp-on ammeter to find the circuit. This requires that the front panel of the breaker box be removed, so you would have to be comfortable with that aspect.
A 500w-1000w work light will draw enough current to easily distinquish the circuit.

[Lee Schierer]

I not only label the breaker in the box, but I remove the outlet or switch cover and write the circuit breaker number on the inside of the cover. If I have to work on something, I simply remove the cover and read the breaker number.

I wish code required the original installers to do this....

[Michael Wetzel]

Circuit finders are nice IF you buy one that works properly. The cheap ones are a pain because they tone on stuff 2 breakers away from the right one. I prefer to trace wires via prints for commercial buildings since you still invest a lot of time trying to locate which panel the breaker is in.

[David G Baker]

I have one that cost in the neighborhood of $40. It works but I have to double and sometimes triple check its results.

Anthony,
How much did your set up cost?

[Anthony Scira]

"I prefer to trace wires via prints for commercial buildings since you still invest a lot of time trying to locate which panel the breaker is in."

Most of the time these are useless especially in older buildings cause over the years things have changed so much.

The set up listed I think I paid 300 on Ebay a couple years ago.

[David G Baker]

Anthony,
Thanks.

[Dan Mages]

I not only label the breaker in the box, but I remove the outlet or switch cover and write the circuit breaker number on the inside of the cover. If I have to work on something, I simply remove the cover and read the breaker number.

I wish code required the original installers to do this....

Nice trick, I will have to do that. I have been working on a blueprint of the house with each outlet and light identified by circuit breaker. Hopefully this will make it easier to find the right circuit.

Dan

[Peter Stahl]

I tried one of the cheaper units and it didn't work at all. I took the time to mark all my circuits. I'm now doing work at my daughters house any they used the mass confusion version of wiring. Need to go through most of it as they have some 20A circuits with 14 gauge wire!

[george newbury]

Any updated info on this thread?

I've been looking at what's offered on Amazon, Grainger's and Lowes and it seems for my "residential" needs the IDEAL Circuit Breaker Finder with Analog Receiver from Lowes best fits my wallet and needs.

[Greg R Bradley]

I have an older Ideal 61-052 and it works pretty well for my light commercial use. It was around $100 5+ years ago but I understand the new model at about the same price works better. I believe they now have have a $60 model that works as well as mine.

I have used the commercial tracer/tester units and they would be worth the $300-600 for daily use.

[Curt Harms]

Any updated info on this thread?

I've been looking at what's offered on Amazon, Grainger's and Lowes and it seems for my "residential" needs the IDEAL Circuit Breaker Finder with Analog Receiver from Lowes best fits my wallet and needs.

I have one like that but I don't think it's that brand. What is helpful is a wheel or knob on the receiver to vary sensitivity. Turn the sensitivity down until it tones on only one breaker. Then turn that breaker off and check the switch or outlet in question to make sure it's dead.

[Jay Maiers]

I've got a less expensive Sperry purchased from either HD or Lowes, somewhere aroud $50 IIRC.
It's not going to hold up to commercial or heavy duty use, but it's been just fine for the house. The good news is that it's easy to return if you want a better model.

[Jim Falsetti]

I bought one at HF for under $20. It worked OK (but not great) for us. We had two people, using phones and checking the results, in our raised ranch.

The house was built in the early '70s. Looks like the electrician was on LSD when he wired the house.

Jim

[phil harold]

radios or cellphones work better than the cheap one I got

[george newbury]

Well I bought the Lowes "Ideal Automatic Circuit Breaker Finder with Analog Receiver".

First circuit detected right on the money first time.
Second circuit, in bathroom under flourescent lights, couldn't find.
Third circuit, down in the shop, found it right off. Might resort to radio with a walkie talkie.

[george newbury]

Well now I've used the "Ideal Automatic Circuit Breaker Finder with Analog Receiver" to trace down most of the 120V circuits in in my shops and about half a dozen in 1 house and it seems to working pretty well.