# inexpensive circuit tracer?



## william1978 (Sep 21, 2008)

vfly172 said:


> It is just for bag work.


 What is bag work?


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## Buddha In Babylon (Mar 23, 2009)

Is there such a thing as an inexpensive circuit tracer? My journeyman doesn't have either the ideal or the greenlee and he said he paid like 6 or 8 for his...i don't recall exactly but i know it wasn't cheap.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

I have never understood the concept of questions like this.

I'd love to have a Farrari 612 Scaglietti OTO. I won't be driving it much, so I don't want to spend a third of a million dollars. Where can I buy a sports car with the same performance, looks, name recognition and sex appeal for $165,000?

No offense, vfly172, but if everyone could buy tools at 'half price', why would there still be 'full-price' tools out there? No one would buy them.

My advice is to take the plunge, buy the tool you _know_ will do the job, and not try to skimp and get something that's so-so. 

Besides, if you're doing this for a living, it's gonna be tax deductable anyway.


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## redbeard43 (Mar 20, 2009)

Look up "circuit detective". Mine is in a black case and the unit is orange. Look on ebay. I use it alot and it works on 277v circuits, not too many do that.


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## mferguson (Apr 27, 2009)

vfly172 said:


> I am looking to purchase a circuit tracer for live circuits. I do not use it much. It is just for bag work. I could use the one from work, but would rather my own. Is there an accurate, decent one that I can buy for less than the price of the greenlee or ideal?


 
I have an Ideal model #61-534 it works on 120 and 240 circuits. It is basicallt a plug tester/tone generator. You plug in one half of the tool into a live recept got to the panel and turn the other half of the tool on. You run it over the top of the breakers and it will light up and beep on the right breaker. It is pretty dependable and only about $60. I've even seen guys rig up a female cord cap with alligator leads to trace out a circuit other than a receptacle circ. And what is "bag work" anyway?


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## ibuzzard (Dec 28, 2008)

Vfly, inquiring minds want to know-just what is "bag work"?Will the witness kindly answer the question?

Baffled in Baghdad,Steve


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## ramsy (Jan 20, 2009)

*Read between the lines*



vfly172 said:


> I am looking to purchase a circuit tracer for live circuits. I do not use it much. It is just for bag work. I could use the one from work, but would rather my own.


Grasshopper must read between the lines:

1) Bag work = side work bagged from employer's client. 
2) Conscientious enough to use own tools after bagging employer's client. :thumbsup:
3) Clarifying Bag work is avoided when employer may be lurking. :jester:
4) Amprobe TIC 300HV is good from 30 - 122kv with TIC 410A Hot Stick.


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