Finding yourm cables

[adam.h]

Thought I would start a thread for people to share their tricks and tips on finding cables once plaster boards have been put up.

On a job at the moment and several cables are not where I left them

Got my hand in as far as I can up the wall but no sign of my cables, builder says they are deffinatly there, except they are not. Looks like more hole drilling for me

 

[Eggster71]

It all depends on the builder. I've been known to walk the full length of a wall with a hammer. Needless to say I didn't have a good working relationship on that job.......
Other than that, if the walls are wooden stud then a cheapo stud/metal/electric detector can sometimes help, and bucket handles make good hooks... I generally find the cables are trapped between the board and wall.

 

[dragon-av]

Tone generator and sniffer are our favoured solution... £30 from Maplin that and my new endoscope should get em with just a couple of small holes

 

[adam.h]

Tone generator and sniffer are our favoured solution... £30 from Maplin that and my new endoscope should get em with just a couple of small holes

So does that put a signal down the cable for you to then pick up using the cable sniffer?
might be a worthy buy, but the hammer option sounds more fun

 

[dragon-av]

YEp sends a sound signal down the cable can work on a single core and teh sniffer (its a mic) picks up the tone usually when within 6-10 inches of the cable helps if the ends are bare but will work through insulation Amplifier Probe and Tone Generator Kit : Network Testers : Maplin or IntelliTone™ Pro Toner and Probe Kit the fluke is better but not a £100 better IMO I use Test-Um Tone and Test Field Kit KP100 | OPENXTRA sort of middle ground

 

[adam.h]

cheers, might look into gettin one.

 

[liamnewbury]

i normally leave the boxes just proud so they have to cut around them, also makes it easy for them to cut it out because the box marks back of plasterboard

 

[not clever]

i normally leave the boxes just proud so they have to cut around them, also makes it easy for them to cut it out because the box marks back of plasterboard

Same here.