Tracer Wire
From Open Source Ecology
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
- About tracer - warning tape may also be required in some jurisdictions [8]
- UPC 604.10.1 [9] -
Detection
- Only works 1-2 feet [10] otherwise you need a pro tool at $1k and up. Tracer wire tool - [11]. It emits a sound over the wire - video - [12].
in 2019 - [13]- Metal detector - senses only up to 1.5 the diameter of the pickup coil. [14]
Sourcing
- Gas - 15 cents/ft for 300' [15] or 25 cents for 100' [$22/100ft - [16]]
- Water - $64 for 500' of 14 ga - [17]
- $140 of 1000' of dog fence wire 14 ga [18]
About
- Different techniques are used. Radar can find pipe, or induction-based emitter/sensor. Or the tracer wirewhere you connect to a wire. [19]
- 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 [20]. 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.
- Main thing to look for is to double check it is Rated for Direct Burial
Tracer Kit
- Useful Amazon reviews - clip to ground and wire you want to trace. Then use the sensor. [21]
- Harbor Freight [22] - manual []
- You energize a wire and use a detector - [23]
- Another - [24]
Internal Links
