cable detector

tuckermot · Oct 18, 2009

Hi all
can any one recomend a good cable/stud detector i have tried many and found all of them to be rubbish!!!

what sort of price would i expect to pay ??

Rich

dixon9 · Oct 18, 2009

Out of interest, which ones have you tried that are rubbish? I intend to get one and it would be handy to know which ones to avoid at least...!

Cheers!

tuckermot · Oct 18, 2009

hi dixon
i have tried draper and bosch

Mac · Oct 18, 2009

Depends how much you want to spend mate.
Cable detectors

tuckermot · Oct 18, 2009

just want something i can trust matey when me old sds drill comes out lol

Mac · Oct 18, 2009

I used a Bosch and i went straight through a central heating pipe buried in the wall,that was years ago thou.

tuckermot · Oct 18, 2009

even now when i drill into a wall i still wait for the hiss or the bang from the ccu i want a cable detector that i can trust some one must have one !!

Mac · Oct 18, 2009

tuckermot said:
even now when i drill into a wall i still wait for the hiss or the bang from the ccu i want a cable detector that i can trust some one must have one !!

PCE-191 CB cable detector

dixon9 · Oct 18, 2009

Looks good Mac - but how much is it?

Mac · Oct 18, 2009

dixon9 said:
Looks good Mac - but how much is it?

Don't know mate,had a look at the link again,looks like you have to contact the supplier.

SirKit Breaker · Oct 19, 2009

There wont be change out of a tenner then

sparkyz21 · Oct 19, 2009

i have a detector that detects metal, electricity and wooden studs. its flippin good, but is a bout 50 quid though. its made by a company called zircon. american i think.

Smugley · Oct 19, 2009

ears1uk · Oct 20, 2009

Hi Guys, theres a couple of testers you might be interested in:

The Martindale Fuse Finder: FD500 @ £34.95 (Ideally suited for finding RCDs / MCB's)
OR
The Dilog DL2080 Cable Locator @ £245.00 (Accurate upto 2.5m underground)

I hope this helps

sparkyz21 · Oct 26, 2009

hi smugley, my one isn't aa good as that 1! it detects the edges of studs only, that must be a newer model. i bought mine from ebay though.

Lofty · Oct 27, 2009

Hi All,
Ref the cable detectors... If you look in B&Q , work with me on this one, they market two stud sensors that are actually made by Zircon. Ones black and the 'basic' model the other is a yellow one and all that is missing fro it is the brand name of Zircon. It's am edge finder (Zircon do make sensors that indicate the centre of studs) and has Zircon's 'DeepScan' facility to go to 38mm. retails at just under £18.

Regards,
Lofty.

andekoch · Jan 16, 2010

What do you guys recomend now (since this post was a bit old). I am thinkin gof a bosch mdf 10 which finds cables, studs and pipes in solid and drywall (also claims to find non live cables) but is expensive at around 70 quid.

I have an old B&Q rapidtest (not sure if this was the one referred to above) which seemed to work ok if you gave it a good margin of error and used common sense but am lookin for something a bit better now.

thanks

Lofty · Jan 18, 2010

Hi Andekoch,

The B&Q rapidtest is another one that they do and not the ones that I originally refered to. I also have looked at the Bosch one and as you say it's a bit pricey at £70 only to find that it's no better.

Graeme Harrold · Jan 19, 2010

dixon9 said:
Looks good Mac - but how much is it?

£41.67+vat and shipping, its on the site

Steve_P · Jan 19, 2010

If you click the link then click it again, it takes you to the price. Looks lke it's 41.67 + VAT.

Your competent partner for measuring instruments and balances.

peteelecs · Jan 19, 2010

what about this from ideal a circuit tracer Pat Testers & Electrical Test Equipment - Instrument Sales & Services

Sparky Ninja · Aug 10, 2010

Thought I would bring back an oldie...

I need to get ahold of a wire tracer. I have metal shower rail with 240volts at it, with no obvious positioning of accessories in the area concerned.. So I am looking for a detector to allow me to locate or at least clarify that there is a live cable there. The fact that I can measure 240v from the rail to earth isn't enough apparently.
The budget is about £50, otherwise I'll have to start getting quotes, and purchase orders approved etc, all of which will delay this danger getting rectified.
I've asked the boy at CEF, useless as usual. I've checked out B&Q (as i have a trade card there) and they have 4 on there site. However the review for one of them comments that the live wire detection has to big an inaccuracy area...

Has anyone bought one for up to £50 that proves to be fairly reliable in this situation?

davelerave · Aug 10, 2010

widdler said:
Thought I would bring back an oldie...

I need to get ahold of a wire tracer. I have metal shower rail with 240volts at it, with no obvious positioning of accessories in the area concerned.. So I am looking for a detector to allow me to locate or at least clarify that there is a live cable there. The fact that I can measure 240v from the rail to earth isn't enough apparently.
The budget is about £50, otherwise I'll have to start getting quotes, and purchase orders approved etc, all of which will delay this danger getting rectified.
I've asked the boy at CEF, useless as usual. I've checked out B&Q (as i have a trade card there) and they have 4 on there site. However the review for one of them comments that the live wire detection has to big an inaccuracy area...

Has anyone bought one for up to £50 that proves to be fairly reliable in this situation?

you're not leaving it live are you

clear the live condition by turning off mcbs

Sparky Ninja · Aug 10, 2010

davelerave said:
you're not leaving it live are you

clear the live condition by turning off mcbs

Err thanks for that.

I am leaving it live actually, it's the main house ring circuit that's now 'supplying the rail' and as Im unable to return till Thursday afternoon, I've left it on. I have however, locked the door to the room and kept the key with me.