sundance-communications.com/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information tracing a speaker wire

I am trying to trace the surround sound wires in my tv room. I have one end of the wires exposed and i have a RD400pl locator. I know how to use it outside, but what is the best way to trace these wires with this machine. I dont have a way to use an earth ground. Thanks

I've never had much luck with a "hound dog" tracing indoor wiring.

What are you attempting to do by tracing the wires anyway? Trouble shoot or identify the cables?

i just need to find the wires to hook up the speakers. They have been sitting on the floor for 6 months. i hoped to come home one day and find them hung up, but no luck.

Its going to be very difficult to use it inside. Set your locator to the HIGHEST possible setting. Take you ground lead on your transmitter and hook to a peice of copper wire,#14, long enough to get outside your house andground it that way. Go extremely slow with the receiver because you will definitly pickup the electricals wires. Again, the RD wasn't design for inside but thats the only way I know.

do you know what setting i should use. 8 or 33 khz

A ground is conveniently located at the center screw of any electrical outlet.

Is 33 your Highest? If it is, it will be very unlikely to trace.

Arthur - if he grounds to that, it will decrease his chances for finding the speaker wire. The electric will dominate already as is. This will intensify the conductivty for the electric over the speaker wire.

is there a tracer that would be better for this application

Pipehorn Model 100 or 800 would be better. Very High frequency. Another is the Metro Tel MT99-0118 Cable Hound DSP Cable Locator [MT99-0118]