# circuit breaker finder



## Jmohl (Apr 26, 2011)

Suicide Plug?


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## CADPoint (Jul 5, 2007)

Trasco and Sperry both make equipment.

I assume you don't want to turn the main off?


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Depends on how close you are to the panel. A portable radio plugged in so you can hear it go off. Plug in a long extension cord with a radio or work lamp hooked up so you can see it go out when you find the breaker. These methods require you to turn off breakers until you find it. Other than that you need a circuit tracer or hope the circuit directory is good.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

you can buy a cheezy greenlee breaker finder for 20 bucks or so; well worth it. Otherwise, I vote for the suicide plug (post 2)


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Why don't you do what a wise man would do and employ an extension cord and work light and click each breaker until the light goes off.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Don't steal my ideas, but I don't neccesarily consider myself wise either.


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## A Little Short (Nov 11, 2010)

What's a suicide plug?


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Plug that shorts out the circuit when you insert it. Use your imagination.


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## Magnettica (Jan 23, 2007)

Little-Lectric said:


> What's a suicide plug?


A plug that jumps off a bridge!


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## Zog (Apr 15, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> What's a suicide plug?


Something  hacks use.


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

Little-Lectric said:


> What's a suicide plug?


typically a 4" piece of #12 THHN, or a reasonable facsimile


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## DIRT27 (Aug 25, 2010)

This should work


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## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

DIRT27 said:


> This should work


lol .


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## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

A clamp on ampmeter and a flasher.
Plug in the flasher and look for the pulsating wire feeding the breaker.


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## SteveO. (Oct 17, 2011)

Just go grab an Ideal circuit tracer from Home Depot. They're cheap, work great and you'll be thankful you have it many, many times. I also made a female cord end with alligator clips and use it for chasing lighting circuits. It's saved me tons of time over the years doing renovations and troubleshooting.


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## Yonkersliving (Jul 17, 2009)

Cannot turn off main. Or breakers, usually people are on computers so accuracy is a must. I like the flasher since I have an amprobe. Now what is a flasher ?


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

*Good luck*



wildleg said:


> typically a 4" piece of #12 THHN, or a reasonable facsimile


Good luck on an old FPE or GE or the like you may just end up arc welding instead of tripping the breaker...:laughing:


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## Jmohl (Apr 26, 2011)

Had a bud I worked with, used a suicide plug to trip out a breaker to install a fan on a "single pole breaker" (so he thought) well anyway, turns out this was a tap off of a 60amp two pole.... Anyway, the plug worked with predictable results. My bud had a nice arc burn on his hand to show for his efforts.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

If you are working in offices around people like that its time to make an investment. Ebay is your friend. Thats where I got mine.


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## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

If you are shutting off breakers that could interupt computers then you better invest in a good tracer not some cheap ideal product.


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

The 61-954/956/958 are good though.


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## 76nemo (Aug 13, 2008)

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...sa=N&rlz=1R2ADFA_enUS407&tbm=isch&um=1&itbs=1


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## kbsparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Yonkersliving said:


> .... Now what is a flasher ?


This. Goes into the bottom of a medium base socket.  Screw in 60 watt light bulb on top of it, and the amps will vary by ½ on and off on your selected circuit.


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## SteveO. (Oct 17, 2011)

Mr Rewire said:


> If you are shutting off breakers that could interupt computers then you better invest in a good tracer not some cheap ideal product.


After using it for at least 5 years it's been extremely accurate and reliable. No point in spending more for something that won't work any better than perfect. :thumbsup:


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## jefft110 (Jul 7, 2010)

I have both the cheap one Nemo posted as well as the higher end Ideal 61-956....both work as advertised and well worth the money.

If you're working at a place with multiple panels, and turning off the wrong circuit leads to , then I suggest going for a 61-95* or an equivalent from amprobe, greenlee exc.


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## Landmark (Mar 7, 2010)

If you want something low cost, try this. It does work. Don't ask me how I know!

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/...b33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_13081.jpg


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## user8640521 (Jan 17, 2009)

jefft110 said:


> I have both the cheap one Nemo posted as well as the higher end Ideal 61-956....both work as advertised and well worth the money.
> 
> If you're working at a place with multiple panels, and turning off the wrong circuit leads to , then I suggest going for a 61-95* or an equivalent from amprobe, greenlee exc.


i have two.... a pasar 326B, which is a 20 year old design, and is 
still in production, cause it works well. fellow named austin wright
developed them, and the sold it to amprobe, who sold it recently
to fluke.

they used to be about $800. 20 years ago. now that fluke owns 
them, they are $1,200 i was gonna sell it when i bought the other 
one... but hell, i never sell tools.

second one i bought recently... ideal 61-958, 'cause i needed something
done that it does well, that the pasar didn't do well enough. $1,125

both are excellent, but when i was getting started, the flasher in
lamp socket with a good amprobe will get you there. about $4.

you eventually will want to get a good one if you are gonna do this
on a regular basis. try shutting someones server off accidentally,
and see how much that costs.


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## sstlouis03 (Jun 23, 2011)

Plug in a corded drill and have your helper hold down the trigger. It should be more then enough yo notice a change in amperage at the panel and I bet almost everyone here has on either on their truck or in their garage. Plain simple and easy to get you out of a bind when you can't just start flipping stuff off. 

Sent from my iPhone using ET Forum


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

Do what I hate to do. Come back after hours if their work is critical.Just don't knock off the servers.


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## Mr Rewire (Jan 15, 2011)

SteveO. said:


> After using it for at least 5 years it's been extremely accurate and reliable. No point in spending more for something that won't work any better than perfect. :thumbsup:


 Statememnts like this remind me of the story of the professional Russian roulett player he had over 500 wins and only one loss.


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## Miller6386 (Apr 6, 2014)

user8640521 said:


> i have two.... a pasar 326B, which is a 20 year old design, and is
> still in production, cause it works well. fellow named austin wright
> developed them, and the sold it to amprobe, who sold it recently
> to fluke.
> ...



I know I am bringing up ancient threads here.... I bought a cheapo from Home Depot that was less than $20 and has worked OK...

But my real reason for quoting this was what kind of places are you folks working where they don't have a battery backup setup on PC's and servers?? In my shop all of them have a 1 hour battery backup


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

All over the place with no battery backup. If they do, who knows what kind of shape its in. Think of it this way, you turn something off you shouldn't, and lose the customer, the cost of that tracer doesn't look so bad now.


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## Miller6386 (Apr 6, 2014)

nrp3 said:


> All over the place with no battery backup. If they do, who knows what kind of shape its in. Think of it this way, you turn something off you shouldn't, and lose the customer, the cost of that tracer doesn't look so bad now.


I agree totally... Even though I am an "In House" tech I guess I haven't been in a place where they didn't have backups... I guess I should feel fortunate that I have 1 less thing to worry about when tinkering in the wiring nightmare I am in LOL :thumbup:


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## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Commercial can be every bit as hacky, if not more than resi.


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## RFguy (Sep 11, 2013)

Plug in 2 toasters/heaters/hairdryers and wait 60 seconds. Breaker found (unless it's a FPE, then just narrow in on the melting wire).


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## bobelectric (Feb 24, 2007)

.....


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## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

Miller6386 said:


> But my real reason for quoting this was what kind of places are you folks working where they don't have a battery backup setup on PC's and servers?? In my shop all of them have a 1 hour battery backup


Most big data centers have big ups's that supply the battery back up for multiple panels. They don't have little back-ups on each circuit. If you shut off the wrong breaker in one of those panels the amount of $ lost could have bought a dozen circuit tracers.


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

Yonkersliving said:


> Cannot turn off main. Or breakers, usually people are on computers so accuracy is a must. I like the flasher since I have an amprobe. Now what is a flasher ?


What is someone else is on a computer sharing the same circuit as the one you must shut down after you find it? Or worse, what if it's a MWBC?


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

Every time you turn off a circuit traced or not there is always the issue of turning off other items or possibly the wrong circuit. Generally when I need to turn off power I tell the customer and let them make their own decision. Generally they say go ahead and if there are any issues they have been told beforehand. Something as easy as I need to turn off this circuit is it ok and do you need to shut down any computers etc. generally works.


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## Tapeman (Feb 24, 2009)

Buy one. Be professional. Professionals own tools.


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## sciburks (Apr 6, 2014)

nrp3 said:


> If you are working in offices around people like that its time to make an investment. Ebay is your friend. Thats where I got mine.



Amen. Think safety and live.:whistling2:


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## Greg Sparkovich (Sep 15, 2007)

Sparky J said:


> Every time you turn off a circuit traced or not there is always the issue of turning off other items or possibly the wrong circuit. Generally when I need to turn off power I tell the customer and let them make their own decision. Generally they say go ahead and if there are any issues they have been told beforehand. Something as easy as I need to turn off this circuit is it ok and do you need to shut down any computers etc. generally works.


Communication is the key to having customers who love and respect you...the customers who don't get that will usually get priced out of the next job due to special "A-Level Pricing"

Yes, "A" is for Asshole.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

ANY service electrician working around servers/ computers MUST have the tools.

Stop your whining.

There are 45 guys just down the road that DO have the requisite tools.

ET ... or any other Web site is not organized so that you... or anyone... can shave on tool outlays.

Tool up... or go home.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

telsa said:


> ANY service electrician working around servers/ computers MUST have the tools.
> 
> Stop your whining.
> 
> ...


If I was ever guilty of anything on the job it was having more tools on the van than necessary for the average day's work, but I'd rather have everything just in case of the unexpected.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> If I was ever guilty of anything on the job it was having more tools on the van than necessary for the average day's work, but I'd rather have everything just in case of the unexpected.


We have been working on a resi. rewire for a few months now, the customer just today said she and her husband were amazed at the amount of tools we had and used.

I am a self admitted tool whore....


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> We have been working on a resi. rewire for a few months now, the customer just today said she and her husband were amazed at the amount of tools we had and used.
> 
> I am a self admitted tool whore....


It's a bad habit but it will let you reap the benefits more often than not.


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> It's a bad habit but it will let you reap the benefits more often than not.


It's only a bad habit if what you buy can't make you money!:thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> It's only a bad habit if what you buy can't make you money!:thumbsup:


But some of us buy multiples.....:whistling2:


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> But some of us buy multiples.....:whistling2:


Damn... I didn't realize I had that....


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Switched said:


> Damn... I didn't realize I had that....


LOL, have you seen the tool pics I've posted in the past on here?


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## Islander (Jul 11, 2016)

.....


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## Islander (Jul 11, 2016)

SteveO. said:


> Just go grab an Ideal circuit tracer from Home Depot. They're cheap, work great and you'll be thankful you have it many, many times. I also made a female cord end with alligator clips and use it for chasing lighting circuits. It's saved me tons of time over the years doing renovations and troubleshooting.


Home Depot doesn't seem to carry Ideal any more. For those of us on a more modest budget, would this work okay-fine?

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.digital-circuit-breaker-finder.1000751532.html


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

Islander said:


> Home Depot doesn't seem to carry Ideal any more. For those of us on a more modest budget, would this work okay-fine?
> 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.digital-circuit-breaker-finder.1000751532.html


I have that thing... I gave it to the kids as a toy after using it a few times. Piece of junk.


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## Islander (Jul 11, 2016)

Switched said:


> I have that thing... I gave it to the kids as a toy after using it a few times. Piece of junk.


That brought back a memory of a David Letterman Top Ten List:

Top Ten Unsafe Toys
--------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Junior Electrician Outlet Patrol
9. Hasbro's Slippery Steps
8. Black & Decker Silly Driller
7. Roof Ranger Paratrooper Outfit
6. Ramco's Pocket Hive
5. Traffic Tag
4. Will it Burn? from Parker Brothers
3. Chimney Explorer
2. My First Ferret Farm
1. The Hold Your Breath Game by Milton Bradley


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Islander said:


> Home Depot doesn't seem to carry Ideal any more. For those of us on a more modest budget, would this work okay-fine?
> 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.digital-circuit-breaker-finder.1000751532.html





Switched said:


> I have that thing... I gave it to the kids as a toy after using it a few times. Piece of junk.


The Klein is a ripoff, 

http://www.electriciantalk.com/f14/klein-horrible-freight-same-140761/


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Islander said:


> Home Depot doesn't seem to carry Ideal any more. For those of us on a more modest budget, would this work okay-fine?
> 
> https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.digital-circuit-breaker-finder.1000751532.html


I think that has the exact internals as the older Ideal model, worked with a friend that has one and it picked up the signal from my Ideal transmitter.

Patent may have ran out or it's just from a rebranding company.


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## fisstech (Feb 2, 2013)

touch the hot to the side of the box.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

fisstech said:


> touch the hot to the side of the box.


Try that on a 277v circuit. But close you eyes.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Here you go!


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

https://www.amazon.com/61-534-Digit...&sr=8-1&keywords=ideal+circuit+breaker+finder

I have had the analog version of this for years and it works great 99% of the time

An old employee of mine had the Southwire version and it worked very well too


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Here you go!


I had an employee several years back that had one of those

I told him not to ever use it on one of my jobs

He couldnt understand why until I asked him wtf he would do if the breaker didnt trip and was frying in the panel. I just got a dumb look from him.


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## khfiei (Aug 20, 2011)

Suicide cord is a 2-conductor heater cord about 18" long (or whatever length you want) with a 2-prong plug on one end and alligator clips with insulated boots on each of the bare ends at the other. You can cut a cord off an old appliance or buy a molded plug assembly / extension cord and cut off one end. 

Use this with a 500-1000w heater element (we use glow coils) to provide a decent load (but not enough to trip the breaker) and amprobe the branch circuit at the panel. Have someone pulse the load on and off so you don't confuse it with another load that is the same magnitude.


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## samgregger (Jan 23, 2013)

khfiei said:


> Suicide cord is a 2-conductor heater cord about 18" long (or whatever length you want) with a 2-prong plug on one end and alligator clips with insulated boots on each of the bare ends at the other. You can cut a cord off an old appliance or buy a molded plug assembly / extension cord and cut off one end.
> 
> Use this with a 500-1000w heater element (we use glow coils) to provide a decent load (but not enough to trip the breaker) and amprobe the branch circuit at the panel. Have someone pulse the load on and off so you don't confuse it with another load that is the same magnitude.


Why don't you just use a heater instead of burning down the client's house?


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

drspec said:


> I had an employee several years back that had one of those
> 
> I told him not to ever use it on one of my jobs
> 
> He couldnt understand why until I asked him wtf he would do if the breaker didnt trip and was frying in the panel. I just got a dumb look from him.


I've been told it works 95% of the time.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

samgregger said:


> Why don't you just use a heater instead of burning down the client's house?


Blow dryer or heat gun works just as good.


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

drspec said:


> I had an employee several years back that had one of those
> 
> I told him not to ever use it on one of my jobs
> 
> He couldnt understand why until I asked him wtf he would do if the breaker didnt trip and was frying in the panel. I just got a dumb look from him.


If it was MY panel, I'd rather have it burn and know it's defective, than have a non functioning breaker :blink:


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

emtnut said:


> If it was MY panel, I'd rather have it burn and know it's defective, than have a non functioning breaker :blink:


and if its your company doing the work, youre now repsonsible for repairing or replacing the panel because of stupidity

using that device is no different than grounding the circuit out by touching the hot to the ground or the side of a metal box


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

drspec said:


> and if its your company doing the work, youre now repsonsible for repairing or replacing the panel because of stupidity
> 
> using that device is no different than grounding the circuit out by touching the hot to the ground or the side of a metal box


I'm not worried about the breaker, I am worried about a semi-bad splice burning up in some random place that I have to now find, or possibly a wire burning in the wall.

Here is mine:


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

drspec said:


> and if its your company doing the work, youre now repsonsible for repairing or replacing the panel because of stupidity
> 
> using that device is no different than grounding the circuit out by touching the hot to the ground or the side of a metal box


Not suggesting that it's a proper way to test a breaker :no:

Or find one for that matter !


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

HackWork said:


> I'm not worried about the breaker, I am worried about a semi-bad splice burning up in some random place that I have to now find, or possibly a wire burning in the wall.
> 
> Here is mine:
> 
> View attachment 103770


thats my point. Now youre responsible for repairing something in the homeowners mind that you caused.

were supposed to be professionals and should be using the proper tools. a circuit breaker finder is cheap and easy to use, no reason not to own and use one.


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

HackWork said:


> I'm not worried about the breaker, I am worried about a semi-bad splice burning up in some random place that I have to now find, or possibly a wire burning in the wall.
> 
> Here is mine:
> 
> View attachment 103770


:thumbdown:


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## B-Nabs (Jun 4, 2014)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Here you go!


I worked with a guy who used one of those, except on his the switch was in a handy box because he was a professional. 

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

HackWork said:


> I'm not worried about the breaker, I am worried about a semi-bad splice burning up in some random place that I have to now find, or possibly a wire burning in the wall.
> 
> Here is mine:
> 
> View attachment 103770


I'm thanking you... but I don't like it. :no:


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

How about an extension cord, and a load that you can monitor ... via the amps ... as it stands next to you?

Don't tell me you don't have a T5-1000 nor a power drill nor an extension cord... or two.


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

I had to trace circuits in a house once and since toners are not perfect told the docs wife , who was typing up his notes, that I might shut her down.

Well just to be safe I kept asking her if she was saved, before I turned a breaker off. She kept saying yes, she was saved.

Well I did indeed cut the power to her desktop and she got real upset.

When I confronted her she said she thought I meant was she saved "in a biblical sense".


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

telsa said:


> How about an extension cord, and a load that you can monitor ... via the amps ... as it stands next to you?
> 
> Don't tell me you don't have a T5-1000 nor a power drill nor an extension cord... or two.


I use a breaker finder after using a heat gun and amprobe for a long time before that.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

drspec said:


> :thumbdown:


Stop that!


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

No one has mentioned it, but the old method was to use this little disk that you put underneath a bulb in the socket and it makes the bulb flash. You plug that into the circuit you want to find and then use an amprobe to measure all the circuits and see which one jumps up and down.

To be honest, the panel is usually too many steps away so I do everything hot. Levernuts make that easy, since I can clip one on the hot wire and not have anymore exposed hot parts. Then I just insert the other wires into that wago when needed.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> No one has mentioned it, but the old method was to use this little disk that you put underneath a bulb in the socket and it makes the bulb flash. You plug that into the circuit you want to find and then use an amprobe to measure all the circuits and see which one jumps up and down.
> 
> To be honest, the panel is usually too many steps away so I do everything hot. Levernuts make that easy, since I can clip one on the hot wire and not have anymore exposed hot parts. Then I just insert the other wires into that wago when needed.


:001_huh:Stop giving away trade secrets like that!:whistling2:


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## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

HackWork said:


> I'm not worried about the breaker, I am worried about a semi-bad splice burning up in some random place that I have to now find, or possibly a wire burning in the wall.
> 
> Here is mine:
> 
> View attachment 103770


How does the green one help to find a circuit? I have one of those and it does not have continuity between the two prongs. It came with a clear plastic / see through receptacle as a demo for TR receptacles


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

eddy current said:


> How does the green one help to find a circuit? I have one of those and it does not have continuity between the two prongs. It came with a clear plastic / see through receptacle as a demo for TR receptacles


The green one is a tamper test tool. The one that says "Shorted" in really messy handwriting is for blowing circuits.


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## cmitt (May 15, 2017)

This vid has interesting info 




http://www.bmrelectric.ca


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## JRaef (Mar 23, 2009)

Wow. Back when I did resi work, we had a boom box that we plugged into the outlet with the volume up full. Then leave all the doors open to where the panel is and you flip breakers off until the boom box goes quiet.


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## scotch (Oct 17, 2013)

When we were working in a Telco office we were forced to use the famous "shorted breaker finder switch trick.... when it just held in there until the wiring went white hot and the switch was smoking we thought .... here's a problem !!
Telco said run another controls circuit .....didn't seem to cause any other problem.


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