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Circuit breaker tracer

A

Aliva

Ultra Member
Im insterested in buying a circuit breaker tracer to relabel my electrical pannel.
I was wondering if anyone has any suggestons or experinces for one the really works. Theres several on the market. A couple of years ago I bought a Klein ET310 tried it out and it was hit and miss in identifying the proper breaker, so I returned it. A freind of mine bought one from lee Valley with same hit and miss results.
Amazon has one made by IDEAL. Greenlee also makes one.
I'd appreciate any feedback
 
They are all less than 100% accurate. A decent quality brand name tester (Klein, Ideal, Greenlee, Fluke ...) should be all anyone needs for a residential or commercial panel.

I have a Klein model similar to what I used at work (work was mostly light industrial, 3 phase power). A decent circuit tracer can be pretty reliable in a residential panel or panel that has been well maintained. Less reliable in panels that have had numerous contractors doing years of hacky work.

Some things to remember:

- make sure the receiver batteries aren't weak
- after plugging in the transmitter at the wall test the receiver before going to the panel
- go over the breakers slowly at the side where the conductor terminates and on the side where it connects to the bus. Sometimes one side finds the breaker better than the other.
- double check
- if you run it across the panel and don't get anything try turning it OFF and back ON again. A recalibration of the device.

Edit: I should clarify "double check". Slide the receiver over the breakers once and it appears it's circuit #3. Do it a second time and now it appears to be #5. Do it 2-3 more times sliding from the top down and the bottom up until it seems consistent.
 
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If you really want accuracy use what my journeyman called a "screamer". You plugged it in (need to add a cord end) or alligator clipped it to 120 circuit and it "screamed" at you until the breaker was turned OFF.:)

Piezo 95 decibels

Not a bad tool if no one else is around and shutting power off isn't a problem.

I made this one for my personal use and have used it occasionally.

IMG_20250806_141759.jpg


- 120 volt male cord end
- piece of 2" PVC pipe
- piezo

Make the electrical connections and tuck the excess wire inside the pipe. Seal it with epoxy and electrical tape or heat shrink. You'll know when the power is OFF. Guaranteed to annoy everybody within ear shot and the user, as well.
 
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Elektrishun said:
If you really want accuracy use what my journeyman called a "screamer". You plugged it in (need to add a cord end) or alligator clipped it to 120 circuit and it "screamed" at you until the breaker was turned OFF.:)

Piezo 95 decibels

Not a bad tool if no one else is around and shutting power off isn't a problem.
Click to expand...
I actually have a couple of those I salvaged from a panel. Never thought of using it that way. Thanks
 
I have a couple of them. Klien one for work. Amazon cheapo one for home. They all kind of work the same. One method my grandpa used to use and I have used it myself when I didn't have the breaker tracer. Is just a long extension cord and a light. Run the cord and light to were you can see the light. Its that easy. Works 100% and it always works. When I was redoing panels. Its what I used the most and it works the best.

This is not directed at the OP but more of a PSA. Before some one posts here. DO not ever use a kill switch. Ever. No joke, no oh I have done it a 100 times BS. Just don't do it. As part of my safety talk I go over this. Kill switches have burnt houses down. If the breaker hangs it can damage the wiring at the least at the worst burn down the house. I have seen 4 breakers hang in my career, not going to go to far in to it. 3 of them were from one manufacture. I had 2 cases at 2 different companies were people doing work used a kill switch in a commercial setting and burnt up the wiring in the pipes. More then 1 case of people labelling breakers using a kill switch burnt a house. Friends company they had a brand new house burn down, the guys admitted that they were using a kill switch. Just do not do it.
 
A kill switch, also called a breaker tester is simply a cord end on a piece of cord, usually an 1110 box with a light switch in it. Its wired as a dead short between line and ground, some times line and neutral. Depends on how they are made. I have seen ones made with a push button and contactor even. I have pictures of one that literally blew the cord end and receptacle apart, by a jman I had working with me at the time. Just happened to show up just after the did it. Other wise I am pretty sure he would have fixed the damage with out telling me.
 
Person & cell phone in each room with all appliances/lights on as you turn each breaker off. Make a list of what goes off ad each breaker is thrown.

Or you can do it all yourself if you want to get steps in.

This system works for hardwired devices too.
 
djberta said:
A kill switch, also called a breaker tester is simply a cord end on a piece of cord, usually an 1110 box with a light switch in it. Its wired as a dead short between line and ground, some times line and neutral. Depends on how they are made. I have seen ones made with a push button and contactor even. I have pictures of one that literally blew the cord end and receptacle apart, by a jman I had working with me at the time. Just happened to show up just after the did it. Other wise I am pretty sure he would have fixed the damage with out telling me.
Click to expand...
From your description I certainly would never introduce a deliberate dead short to a breaker or fuse for that matter. An absolute no no.
I used to work for an electrical distributor we would check some of the new breakers right out of the box by holding in one hand and slapping it against our other hands palm. The breaker would trip to off. Mind you all this checked was the mechanical portion of the breaker not the electrical side. Most of the breakers were of the CEB brand and some Square Ds.
 
I have a Klein. It works but isn't perfect. Sometimes I have to resort to lights and lamps. I have created a circuit map for every home and outbuilding I ever owned. I tape a copy to the back of the breaker box door.
 
Good question, we'll need to wait for one of the resident electrician types to answer. The tester has lights and sound for signal strength but there are still some circuits that are to close to call covering two or three breakers.
 
I have the Fluke BK120 and once you understand how it works (swiping up and down the panel slowly), it's pretty well spot on accurate. I tried the Extech one a while ago and it was nowhere near as good and got returned. If you're going to buy one, just get the Fluke and don't waste your time on other brands. ITM Instruments has them on for $88.66 right now:

Fluke BK120 SmartTrace™ Breaker Finder, CAT III, 150 V

Fluke BK120 SmartTrace™ Breaker Finder, CAT III, 150 V. Great savings and get fast delivery when you buy now from ITM.com. In stock, fast shipping!
www.itm.com www.itm.com

YYCHM said:
How can a circuit span multiple breakers?
Click to expand...

It's just putting a "tone" on the line at the plug and then the receiver part "listens" for that tone and finds where it's loudest, hence getting you close to the right breaker.
 
Ideal industries has a unit that looks for the strongest signal to find the target breaker. Sounds like an accurate way to locate the correct breaker. I'm going to keep researching, but I might spring for the Ideal from Amazon I can always return it if its a dud.
Thanks to all that responded.

Circuit Breaker Finder 120V AC | IDEAL Canada

Automatic Circuit Breaker Finder The IDEAL 61-535 is a 120V AC Circuit Breaker Finder that automatically identifies a circuit breaker/fuse protecting a live branch circuit. It consists of a transmitter and a receiver. The Transmitter sends a signal over t
www.idealind.com www.idealind.com
 
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