Home Automation - outdoor wiring
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08-21-00, 07:03 PM
I have a detached garage 150 feet from my house and there is a break in the underground electrical wire carrying current to the garage. Is the a way to determine the site of the break without digging up the entire cable? What is a low voltage tester?
08-22-00, 01:18 PM
Is it in conduit? If so, the easiest thing would be to pull a new run of wire through using the old wire as a pull line.
If it's direct buried, there is a device known as a TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) that puts a pulse on a line and measures the time it takes to reflect off the break in the wire and can find a break within a few feet. It's an expensive piece of gear for a one shot. Probably cheaper to just rent a ditch digger and run a new line. Put the new line in conduit. ;-)
If it's direct buried, there is a device known as a TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer) that puts a pulse on a line and measures the time it takes to reflect off the break in the wire and can find a break within a few feet. It's an expensive piece of gear for a one shot. Probably cheaper to just rent a ditch digger and run a new line. Put the new line in conduit. ;-)
08-24-00, 10:19 PM
Check with your local electricians, or your local power company. The electrical shops might have this fault locator. The power company does have these, but might not be able to do the locating for homeowners. If all else fails, run new wire/pipe. RM