Does such an item exist....

E

Evan Platt

Guest
Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)

Thanks!
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
 
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:42:48 -0700, Evan Platt
<evan@theobvious.espphotography.com.invalid> wrote:

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.
Click to expand...
<http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=circuit+breaker+finder>

The Extech version is nice because it will also check for miswiring:
<http://www.ebay.com/itm/180204932455>

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
 
Evan Platt wrote:
Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)
Click to expand...
http://www.harborfreight.com/circuit-breaker-detective-96934.html

--Winston
 
On 9/04/2012 3:42 PM, Evan Platt wrote:
Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)

Thanks!
Click to expand...
If you're not averse to tripping the breakers, then plug an electric
heater into the circuit. It will have an obvious effect on the power
consumption at the meter (particularly with the revolving wheel type),
and you can see the consumption drop when you trip that circuit.

Sylvia.
 
On Monday, April 9, 2012 12:42:48 AM UTC-5, Evan Platt wrote:
Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)

Thanks!
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
Click to expand...
Connect a cordless phone base station to the outlet in question and take the handset to the panel to see when it loses power.
 
If you're not averse to tripping the breakers, then plug an electric
heater into the circuit. It will have an obvious effect on the power
consumption at the meter (particularly with the revolving wheel type),
and you can see the consumption drop when you trip that circuit.
Click to expand...
A good idea in theory, but the meter is generally outside your home, where
it can be read. It's hardly ever (if ever) next to the breakers.
 
On 9/04/2012 10:21 PM, William Sommerwerck wrote:
If you're not averse to tripping the breakers, then plug an electric
heater into the circuit. It will have an obvious effect on the power
consumption at the meter (particularly with the revolving wheel type),
and you can see the consumption drop when you trip that circuit.

A good idea in theory, but the meter is generally outside your home, where
it can be read. It's hardly ever (if ever) next to the breakers.
Click to expand...
Maybe we have a different system in Australia. Certainly at my house,
the breakers are in a steel box which also contains the meter and the
main fuse. The box is on an outside wall.

Sylvia.
 
Maybe we have a different system in Australia. Certainly at my
house, the breakers are in a steel box which also contains the
meter and the main fuse. The box is on an outside wall.
Click to expand...
I suspect that, in the US, the utilities are worried that if the meter is
easily visible, you might start thinking about ways to bypass it.
 
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 23:39:31 -0700, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
wrote:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=circuit+breaker+finder

The Extech version is nice because it will also check for miswiring:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180204932455
Click to expand...
Very cool, thanks!
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
 
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 23:48:50 -0700, Winston <Winston@Bigbrother.net>
wrote:

http://www.harborfreight.com/circuit-breaker-detective-96934.html
Click to expand...
Cool, thanks!
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
 
On Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:06:35 +1000, Sylvia Else
<sylvia@not.here.invalid> wrote:

If you're not averse to tripping the breakers, then plug an electric
heater into the circuit. It will have an obvious effect on the power
consumption at the meter (particularly with the revolving wheel type),
and you can see the consumption drop when you trip that circuit.
Click to expand...
Yep, would like to avoid tripping breakers :)
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
 
On Mon, 9 Apr 2012 05:44:41 -0700, "William Sommerwerck"
<grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:

I suspect that, in the US, the utilities are worried that if the meter is
easily visible, you might start thinking about ways to bypass it.
Click to expand...
The meters here in the US are easily visible :)
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
 
On Mon, 9 Apr 2012 02:25:59 -0700 (PDT), Bob_Villa
<pheeh.zero@gmail.com> wrote:

Connect a cordless phone base station to the outlet in question and take the handset to the panel to see when it loses power.
Click to expand...
I'd prefer to avoid tripping breakers. Thanks for the suggestion
though.
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
 
On Apr 9, 7:51 am, Evan Platt
<e...@theobvious.espphotography.com.invalid> wrote:
On Mon, 9 Apr 2012 05:44:41 -0700, "William Sommerwerck"

grizzledgee...@comcast.net> wrote:
I suspect that, in the US, the utilities are worried that if the meter is
easily visible, you might start thinking about ways to bypass it.

The meters here in the US are easily visible :)
--
To reply via e-mail, remove The Obvious and .invalid from my e-mail address.
Click to expand...
Most meters for single-family homes are on an outside wall so they can
be read by the meter reader and the customer billed for usage. The
breaker panels are almost always on an inside wall, close to the meter
to minimize the heavy wiring needed between the meter and the panel.
Maybe smart meters will shange this someday, by right now the old
meters are being placed bgy smart meters in the exact same location.
 
On Apr 9, 5:32 am, Sylvia Else <syl...@not.here.invalid> wrote:
On 9/04/2012 10:21 PM, William Sommerwerck wrote:

If you're not averse to tripping the breakers, then plug an electric
heater into the circuit. It will have an obvious effect on the power
consumption at the meter (particularly with the revolving wheel type),
and you can see the consumption drop when you trip that circuit.

A good idea in theory, but the meter is generally outside your home, where
it can be read. It's hardly ever (if ever) next to the breakers.

Maybe we have a different system in Australia. Certainly at my house,
the breakers are in a steel box which also contains the meter and the
main fuse. The box is on an outside wall.
Click to expand...
This is the setup in California as well (although main breaker instead
of fuse). Probably only in colder climates are breaker boxes mounted
inside the house.
 
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:42:48 -0700, Evan Platt
<evan@theobvious.espphotography.com.invalid> wrote:

Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)

Thanks!
The devices on eBay and Harbor Freight certainly are one possibility.
Click to expand...
About a year ago I used an alternative method that worked well. It
requires an assistant, a switchable load, such as a lamp, and a
non-contact AC current meter, such as an Amprobe or similar device. I
had my assistant flip a light switch on and off at 3 second intervals
while I monitored the current draw at each circuit breaker using the
Amprobe. Sure enough, the current draw on one breaker changed every
three seconds, and that was the circuit I needed to disable.

PlainBill
 
PlainBill@yawhoo.com wrote:
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:42:48 -0700, Evan Platt
evan@theobvious.espphotography.com.invalid> wrote:

Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)

Thanks!
The devices on eBay and Harbor Freight certainly are one possibility.
About a year ago I used an alternative method that worked well. It
requires an assistant, a switchable load, such as a lamp, and a
non-contact AC current meter, such as an Amprobe or similar device. I
had my assistant flip a light switch on and off at 3 second intervals
while I monitored the current draw at each circuit breaker using the
Amprobe. Sure enough, the current draw on one breaker changed every
three seconds, and that was the circuit I needed to disable.
Click to expand...

Clever!

Here is an "assistant in a blister pack":
<http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=FLC8BC&Store_Code=001&Category_Code=LightControl>

--Winston
 
On 04/09/2012 07:39 PM, Winston wrote:
PlainBill@yawhoo.com wrote:
On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 22:42:48 -0700, Evan Platt
evan@theobvious.espphotography.com.invalid> wrote:

Hi All,

I'm looking for the equivalent of a fox and hound for electrical
outlets - I'd like to plug something into an outlet in my house, then
go out to the circuit breaker, and have a 'probe' that I put over the
circuit to find out which circuit it is.

Or - any other ideas - aside from the obvious, would prefer not to
plug in a blasting stereo, run outside, flick off each circuit until
the stereo goes off, etc. Open to ideas :)

Thanks!
The devices on eBay and Harbor Freight certainly are one possibility.
About a year ago I used an alternative method that worked well. It
requires an assistant, a switchable load, such as a lamp, and a
non-contact AC current meter, such as an Amprobe or similar device. I
had my assistant flip a light switch on and off at 3 second intervals
while I monitored the current draw at each circuit breaker using the
Amprobe. Sure enough, the current draw on one breaker changed every
three seconds, and that was the circuit I needed to disable.


Clever!

Here is an "assistant in a blister pack":
http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=FLC8BC&Store_Code=001&Category_Code=LightControl


--Winston
Click to expand...
Here's a similar, but still cheaper. device:

http://www.nfss.com/fbflbu60wma1.html
 
cjt wrote:
On 04/09/2012 07:39 PM, Winston wrote:
Click to expand...
(...)

Clever!

Here is an "assistant in a blister pack":
http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=FLC8BC&Store_Code=001&Category_Code=LightControl



--Winston


Here's a similar, but still cheaper. device:

http://www.nfss.com/fbflbu60wma1.html
Click to expand...
http://www.bulbtown.com/OUTLET_WINKER_p/c471.htm

Tag! You're It! :)

--Winston
 
On Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:10:37 -0700, Winston <Winston@Bigbrother.net>
wrote:

cjt wrote:
On 04/09/2012 07:39 PM, Winston wrote:

(...)

Clever!

Here is an "assistant in a blister pack":
http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=FLC8BC&Store_Code=001&Category_Code=LightControl



--Winston


Here's a similar, but still cheaper. device:

http://www.nfss.com/fbflbu60wma1.html

http://www.bulbtown.com/OUTLET_WINKER_p/c471.htm

Tag! You're It! :)

--Winston
That one would work well with the Amprobe approach. I do believe I
Click to expand...
will look for Harbor Freight's device the next time I'm over there.

PlainBill
 
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