Device for finding cables and pipes prior to drilling

[Murmansk]

I've got one but it's years old - has the technology improved and has anyone got any recommendations?

[Tim+]

A nail works for me. Let's the electricity and water out just as well as a drill. ;-)

Tim

[Harry Bloomfield]

It happens that Murmansk formulated :

Mine is a combined unit - cable pipe, live wire, stud finder and quite old. A friend bought the recent Lidl one on offer and I had quick chance to have a play...

It included all of the above, plus an ultrasonic distance measure. It seemed a bit more capable, but maybe not worth the expense as I had one already.

[John Rumm]

Some are better than others, but whether the age has much impact is harder to know. My Zircon Triscanner works well - and that must be a good decade old or more.

[Andy Burns]

IME not really, I've got a Bosch GMS120

I would *not* recommend it, it can give false positive and false negatives for mains cabling whenever there's any plasterboard within a few feet.

A 20p neodymium magnet is far more accurate for finding joists/studs provided there are nails or screws in them.

As for copper pipes it *is* actually quite good at finding those, even where they pass within brick walls.