Tracer Wire
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About
- A type of wire used to mark the location of buried Underground Utilities
- Can be later traced with a proper Underground Wire Locator , or to an extent A Metal Decector or AM Transmitter/Receiver
- Video - [1]
- Tracer wire (blue) is required for potable water, sewer (green), gas (yellow).
- Tracer wire is not required for electrical. Warning tape is a good idea.
- Mike Holt 2008 - warning ribbon is required for direct burial cables, whether in conduit or nott? [2]
- This one says warning tape is not needed if you use conduit [3]
- Practically speaking, warning tape is useful. Use 12" or more above the line. [4]. Point is: someone WILL dig your lines in the future. Things are modified all the time. If I had warning tape here, I would know where the first grid extension is. Now, I have to rely on a metal detector or other means.
- 6 colors all together - [5]
- Energized electrical is dangerous becuase it has no telltale signs, unlike gas or water [6]
- non-contact voltage tester - [7]
Water
Detection
To Locate Tracer Wire
Sourcing
- Water - $64 for 500' of 14 ga - [12]
- $140 of 1000' of dog fence wire 14 ga [13]
- Gas tracer wire - $22/100ft - [14]
About
- Different techniques are used. Radar can find pipe, or induction-based emitter/sensor. Or the tracer wirewhere you connect to a wire. [15]
- There is jetting-vaccuum to dig in sensitive areas. Could do pressure washer as needed.
About Wire Quality
- It's the jacket: dog fence, which claims most reliability for burial - is 14AWG XHD [16]. They say that THHN (thermoplastic high heat nylon) is inferior to XHD - ot doesn't last underground
- The above indicates no difference between dog fence and tracer wire.
Tracer Kit
- Useful Amazon reviews - clip to ground and wire you want to trace. Then use the sensor. [17]
- Harbor Freight [18] - manual []
- You energize a wire and use a detector - [19]
- Another - [20]