WE FOUND THE WIRES // TLF 29
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- In this video, we do a little detective work to trace wires inside the walls and ceiling so we can prepare to replace the lighting.
➤➤➤➤Products used in this video:
Cable Tracker - www.harborfrei...
Wireless Endoscope - handydad.tv/yc13
Voltage Tester - handydad.tv/ncvt
This is episode 29 of The Living Flip, a series where my daughter Julie and her fiancée bought a foreclosure to fix up while they live there. Watch the whole series here: • The Living Flip
Brought to you in part by our series sponsors:
Mannington Floors - mannington.com
Cub Cadet Power Equipment - cubcadet.com
Aaron & Co. Plumbing/Heating/Cooling - aaronco.com
✔︎Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @HandyDadTV
#handydadtv #thelivingflip #cabletracker #wiretracing
I think your backyard frogs want to mate with your cable tracker 😂 What a shocking thought!
Cool tool by the way. I'll check it out.
The pool was a swamp for years. The frogs loved it. After we replaced the liner, the frogs still gathered around the pool until we caught them all and relocated them to a nearly lake.
I've found that if you tape the endoscope to piece of ceiling grid wire, fishing rod, or metal clothes hanger they are much easier to manage.
Great idea!!
The clothes hanger really helped in locating my light… I had to go through narnia to get to it… but I got it switched out and the family love it it feels that room is so much bigger…
You're so chill and relaxing to watch. New handy helper!
Thanks so much. I’d like to say I cut the stupid mistakes, but I usually leave them in for comic relief. 😂
I have been researching a lot of electrical how-to's and appreciate an example that isn't simplified, more of the mysterious nature.
Wasn't expecting the little light Gizmo but gee that's an idea, thank you for showing that along with some of your other commenters remarks about it.
Now if I could just find one with six cables in two Gang Box all in one circuit… 😝
Geez that would be a challenge if the walls were completely open!
@@handydadtv I'll take that as sympathy, mahalo!
I use the same Cen Tech tone generator. You can clamp it directly on the insulated wire without moving it from the device . This will save a little time. I've always used it to see if devices were connected. Never thought of using it to trace the wire path in the wall. Great idea.
Most important note you stated briefly is if you using this type of toner the pier
Must be off or boom! :)
Yes
Wow I didn’t even know such a tools existed. Going tomorrow to pick one up. Have my hands full trying to trace a dead wire…. Thanks
For sharing….
My pleasure!
You sold me!....again. The two testers are pretty cool.
The cable tracker is very specialized but it definitely works.
Great video!!! Wish you put this out a month ago. Had a similar situation with trying to trace wires, 6 hours later and $300 all fixed!
Sorry 😐
HandyDadTV send me a hat and we will call it even, lol
What a great job on this video. Thanks! I have the tools you are using (I have them for Cat-5 cables but I think I can use them for this), and now I can trace my wires! Really appreciate you taking the time to create this.
My pleasure
Forget to mention, does that cable tracker work well with BX/armored cable?
Good question. Not sure.
It does not. Te BX cable will not let the signal pass.
Can you connect the tracer to the shield?
5:15
Ahh .. Frog you say ??
I have never heard a frog "sing" or make that kind of noise
Seriously. The pool hadn’t been opened in several years (since it was a foreclosure) and the yard was overrun with frogs that first year. We trapped dozens and relocated them to a nearby creek. Thankfully they’re gone now.
@@handydadtv Never .....
I have 4 ceiling light fixtures with wires and no power to them. Will the Cen-Tech Cable Tracker work on unpowered wire?
Yes. It can only be used on unpowered circuits.
@@handydadtv Thanks
In the room with 3 wires going to all the plugs from a light switch, it was setup so that any on the plugs could be operated by the switch.
Yes
The situation I have is, I have a no power at a light switch. I have the juice at the breaker for that switch, but it's not making it to the switch. I've tried to follow the wiring through the house to find the open point. Is there a way to find the wiring from the breaker box to the switch on the wall, without tearing up the wall?
Here’s what I would do:
Turn off the breaker.
Identify every outlet and light on that circuit. Make a map.
Turn the breaker back on.
Mark all the devices from the previous step that are live vs. dead.
The live ones are “upstream” and the dead ones are “downstream”.
Breaker off again.
Now physically remove each dead device, starting with your switch and light, one at a time, and tighten all the wire connections. Leave it out of the wall/ceiling for now.
Turn the breaker back on to test after each one.
Repeat until you find the loose connection.
If that doesn’t work, having the devices open will help you with the wire tracer.
I would tape the camera in my fishing pole, that would give more control over the camera, try that next time.
Did you ever discover if there was a hidden light box outside? It would be a pain to take of siding but hidden junction boxes are a fire hazard IMO. I always find at least one in my houses. :(
Most electricians would of ripped up the sheet rock to locate wires and switches. Nice job!
BTW, where is the washer/dryer? I've noticed that its not located in the lower level of the house
The laundry is in the same room with the furnace and hot water heater.
Plumbers and electricians love swingin a hammer at your walls.
I’m renting a flat in a brick building in Mexico. The electrical is a mess. I’ve been here 10 years, I have the landlord’s permission to do whatever, but I’m afraid to touch it. Back in the U.S. I wouldn’t hesitate to knock out Sheetrock where necessary. That’s how I wired my house for Ethernet back in the days before wifi and added outlets to rooms so the computers could have a place plug into. Sheetrock is a lot easier to replace than a house that burned down due to an electrical fire.
Can I use this tool to track a ground wire? I'm trying to find the open ground in my bedroom and I've seen a broken wire as a possible issue and thought this might help find it.
Yes
@@handydadtv Do you know how to do that with the tool shown in the video. I'm not sure where to apply my alligator clips. thanks :-D
I’ve never done this exact process, but here’s what I’d do.
Turn the circuit breaker off, and map all the dead outlets, switches and lights on that circuit. Open one of the outlets with a dead ground. Connect the red alligator to the ground wire and the black one to the white. Then use the wand to follow the ground wire back towards the circuit breaker. At some point, the signal will stop (or greatly reduce) somewhere. That should help you locate the loose or disconnected ground wire.
@@handydadtv that sounds like a great idea. Thanks for your help and the video
@@handydadtv Actually i think its tough to track a ground wire, because the thing will pick up the signal in grounds everywhere. My harbor freight one didnt work on ground wires, am i doing something wrong?
Can you use something like that to trace a romex? I think I have a broken cable somewhere but can't determine where?
Yes.Just make sure the circuit breaker is off.
@@handydadtv thanks!
can you use that with bx?
Why is it beeping when its nowhere near the wire?...as my brother and others have said...this will not work with home elect due to neutral wire false beeping
It certainly would be better to disconnect the wires at the panel.
Yep..thats why its useless to use for home elect wiring...im going to return mine i just bought
It did the job I needed even without disconnecting the circuit from the panel.
I retract my comment...this tool even though not ideal for tracing home elect wire it did tell me if wite behind wall was going up or down which then lead me to attic and we found issue...it was a loose wire in a light fixture feed....well worth the $15 i paid for it.
Great to hear!
this one could be so useful!! thanks Dad.
Thanks 😊
@@handydadtv haha~That is "truth",So,Dad,could u please like to test Benexmart tuya smart irrigation?We will provide free sample for review. (benexmart.com) Just try one,by one of your fans.
What's funny is the frog sounds just like the signal.
Yeah I get that 🤣
I’m certain the frogs think the exact opposite.
siding pullers cost like 5 bucks if you want to look behind that siding...
Where do I buy that?
@@handydadtv any good hardware store. you jam it up under the seam between two panels, hook onto the lip and pull down and out. then run it to the side to loosen more panel. panels usually seal again by slapping the seam.
Thanks. I’ve seen them used, but never thought about getting one.
Does this work for ethernet cables?
Any wires
Do you know if that tester works with coax cable?
Connect the red lead to the coax shield. That should work.
love your intro...all the best to you guys!!
Thanks so much!
That light is beautiful, jut sayin. Don't toss it, donate it.
We did.
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
really no need to intercept a wire its already at the first light.... just drill your new light holes and cruise on pulling wire to them...
How much
Around $20
Ez when youcan get to wires like this
This cheap tool really helped.
First step to tell your viewers is : power must be turned off FIRST! This cannot be done live , with the equipment you are using. !!!!
Yes. Was I not clear about that?
@@handydadtv i don’t think it was clear. I was looking at comments for an answer. Thank you for the video.
hahahhahha tough conditions to shoot a video
Indeed
I would have had me some frog legs for dinner.
🐸🐸🐸🤣
Ahhahahahhahahhahahahhahaha
I agree.
I like how Google suggests that I translate that to English.
I love your story but why the hell would you move to New Jersey their gun laws suck
1. That’s where the family is
2. Better paying jobs
3. We don’t own guns
not to mention the property TAX! If you want to work all your life to pay the tax, go for it, move to NJ.
First!!!
Thanks
Way too gai…
🤔
@@handydadtv Not sure what happened. ‘gai’? It’s supposed to say ‘GOOD’! 😎
Thanks 😊
First
Thanks