ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Finding hots associated w/common neutrals

Another usage of the flasher button behind a light bulb is for finding the circuit that the computer is fed from. That way you can vividly mark it so that the 'puter does not get accidentally turned off, either by your apprentice or the next guy.

What about the heater hooked into some sort of remote control relay? I can't imagine the compentents off hand. Any suggestions? RadioRa? Car alarm key clicker with a 12V relay controlling a 120V relay?

What about the heater hooked into some sort of remote control relay? I can't imagine the compentents off hand. Any suggestions?

A helper with a Nextel. Always amazes me what people will go through just to work alone.

-Hal

[This message has been edited by hbiss (edited 09-29-2006).]

Hal,

If he uses Nextel, he may not reach his helper, in the next room!

I use a 1.2 / 2.4 kW fan heater which is switched on and off via a 20 Amps IPR relay, which is driven via a 1 second electro mechanical timer.
( just a synchronous motor with a camwheel which turns around in 2 seconds ) which turns it on for one second and turns it off for one second and so on.
It gives me a pulsating test load from 4.8 or 9.5 amps, and works very well

I've done simular things with another guy revving a skil saw - the one jumping ~7a is the one.... It's quicker than hand over hand tracing, or toners that can ring into the whole panel, or other panels. (And once into another building on the same tranny.) It is noisey though, and works the same with other high starting amperage tools/motors that are less noisey, but it being loud helps to know when it is on, and when off. You can also here the motor starting in the toner reciever. Never really thought of automating it, past the initial thought, just never got around to it... But would it not be neat to have a product that toned / traced, and did this Amp Jump too? I have also written down all the values (no extra load), and then check again with the extra load..

Hal, I agree with LK, nextel can delay the whole proccess, a regular walkie talkie is better.

They have RF remote controlled "outlets", hat basically have the RF receiver/decoder directly controlling the relay which the load passes, with a small remote.

I have done the Car remote/receiver (car alarm) to SSR, to control some contactors thing before.

"What about the heater hooked into some sort of remote control relay? I can't imagine the compentents off hand. Any suggestions?

A helper with a Nextel. Always amazes me what people will go through just to work alone.

-Hal

[This message has been edited by hbiss (edited 09-29-2006).]"

Small minded one size fits all comments always amaze me. We have 8 electricians and two apprentices just in our service department, so obviously an apprentice to help each Jman for every job is not going to be possable.

Several companies make some High Quality circuit tracers now a dayz, We just got one that will trace a hot circuit from 6v up to 600VAC, it also has a clampon unit for to trace from the panel back to the loads.
wasn't cheap tho.........