Detecting electric wiring and stud partition

Most will find metal, and live wires, many that claim to locate studs however are pretty poor though. If you want one that really works try something like the Zircon triscanner. RS stock number 493-3370.

Note that even those are defeated by things like foil backed plasterboard or foil coated insulation.

Not, seen it so can't comment. Note that many I have seen in that price range however have been rather disappointing.

I've got one and it's useless. Can't detect the live wire unless it's virtually on the surface.

Is it the rapitest one? If so...

Its *OK* with careful tuning as per the instructions on plasterboard. Fresh batteries seem to help too. I am fortunate to know the approx location of all the wires and most pipes in the house though and only use it to get more precise locations.

It didn't help at all through thick floorboards for pipework (not tried wires) which is a shame. I had some boards up recently I tested this on a known pipe location pipe in a notch.

Similarly stud detection through 1/2" board worked OK. Carefull waving allows approx centres to be derived. I suspect that timber cladding etc would confuse it.

If I bought again, i'd probably go for a better model though.

HTH,

Alex.

I got one from B&Q last year, took it straight back.

I ended up with one called "The Tracker". I think I got it from Ryness, but can't be sure. Price around £15. Seemed to be OK and detected what I wanted for pipes and cables. No idea about studs though.

Roger (my reader sometimes loses mail/newsgroup messages

- if you think you should have had a reply/comment, please e-mail me again. Ta!)

I got one that I believe I got in the B&Q or Homebase. It looks like a 15-cm tall grey "1" digit, labeled "METAL - AC DETECTOR" at the bottom, "AC" at the pointy bit, and "METAL" at the top left. It is absolutely, totally useless. Just to check that I remembered right I put a new 9v battery into it, took it up to a lightswitch and turned the light on. It could detect the lightswitch itself OK when it was held ~4cm away, but when I moved it around the switch (in contact with the plasterboard wall) it detected nothing.

I'd say this is the k> Are the devices which state that they detect electric cables and stud

The Zircon ones do the job, but you are talking 40 quid rather than 15.