Circuit breaker finder doesn't function correctly

[apk2000]

Hi everyone

I bought the following device for the purpose of inspection and testing of DPs and its connecions:

200~240V CIRCUIT BREAKER FINDER transmitter+receiver Non-contact Voltage Sensor | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 200~240V CIRCUIT BREAKER FINDER transmitter+receiver Non-contact Voltage Sensor at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I used this device to inspect a building where i work and with the help of an engineer working on that location we were able to find that a group of GPOs aren't connected to another one on the same circuit (or that what we assumed). However, when we opened the DP designated to these GPOs to find which breaker feeds the GPOs the device didn't give any signs of activity which it should be an alarm sound!

The engineer said that the metal housing of the DP and wires sheilds might be the issue since they may blocked the flux which the device sense!

BTW .. i was doing the test by myself and it has nothing to do with my duties!
What do you think?

 

[Mikegh]

Circuit breaker finder

That's looks similar to the network tone testers

 

[Dustydazzler]

My old blown up side cutters are the best circuit finder

 

[nicebutdim]

Hi everyone

I bought the following device for the purpose of inspection and testing of DPs and its connecions:

200~240V CIRCUIT BREAKER FINDER transmitter+receiver Non-contact Voltage Sensor | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 200~240V CIRCUIT BREAKER FINDER transmitter+receiver Non-contact Voltage Sensor at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I have a similar device, but from a known brand. It's not something I use on a regular basis, but as a tool of last resort and it has never failed to identify the correct breaker.

What it won't do is immediately identify the breaker, but tunes itself to the signal over a number of passes and needs to be held at a specific angle to the board. This isn't something I'd trust to an unknown ebay product as I only use it when identifying the correct circuit is critical in buildings where mistakes could cost more than my life's earnings.

 

[Mikegh]

I have a similar device, but from a known brand. It's not something I use on a regular basis, but as a tool of last resort and it has never failed to identify the correct breaker.

What it won't do is immediately identify the breaker, but tunes itself to the signal over a number of passes and needs to be held at a specific angle to the board. This isn't something I'd trust to an unknown ebay product as I only use it when identifying the correct circuit is critical in buildings where mistakes could cost more than my life's earnings.

So is it similar to a tone tester then ?

 

[nicebutdim]

So is it similar to a tone tester then ?

Yeah. Very annoying things, but very useful when guesswork or process of elimination aren't an option. Also one of those tools one needs to be very confident about, hence my comment about unbranded goods from ebay.

 

[Mikegh]

Yeah. Very annoying things, but very useful when guesswork or process of elimination aren't an option. Also one of those tools one needs to be very confident about, hence my comment about unbranded goods from ebay.

Probably similar to a non contact tester that way

You do get more proficient with continued use

 

[Mike Johnson]

I have this set: RS PRO Circuit Breaker Finder | RS - https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/continuity-testers/1938690 and as others have said it takes a bit of getting used to, a number of pass's back and forth along the MCB's and various angles to get the sensor path right, but a very useful tool in a large multi story building with an unlabelled CU.