[SEL] OT! Electrical troubleshoting

[David Rotigel]

I'd second that Bill!
	Dave

On Oct 28, 2010, at 8:44 AM, bill at antique-engines.com wrote:

> I guess I'd be afraid of the whole thing....
> Bill
>
>> Hey guys and gals,
>> Since the SEL is a vast pool of knowledge to draw from, I need help  
>> with
>> troubleshooting an underground wire at the new place. From the  
>> house is a
>> 12 ga wire that goes underground a couple of hundred feet to feed a  
>> couple
>> of pole lights. This is that gray outdoor wire.
>> The lights quit working and after some troubleshooting was  
>> surprised to
>> learn the wire itself is bad. That's highly unusual as wire rarely  
>> goes
>> bad. After disconnecting at each end and using jumpers and a ohm  
>> meter, I
>> have determined the black wire is the one bad. The white (neutral)  
>> and
>> ground wires are both good.
>> Yesterday I had a fellow come over with a signal generator and  
>> tracer. We
>> hooked the signal to the black wire and the other to a grounding rod.
>> Strangely the signal went all the way to the pole light. This wire  
>> will
>> conduct the trace signal, but not a bit of current will pass.  
>> Perhaps the
>> wet dirt is creating a bridge for the break in the wire allowing the
>> signal to continue on past the break. We've had several inches of  
>> rain the
>> last days.
>> So, how do I identify where the break is w/o digging up the whole  
>> yard?
>> Is there a way to completely "burn" this wire at the bad place, so  
>> the
>> tracer signal can no longer pass across the bad place?
>>
>> Looking forward to your creative ideas.
>> Curt Holland
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
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