View Full Version : Locating a live wire in wall
Johnny47
Apr 29, 2011, 06:23 AM
I remodeled my home. I ran all new outlets in bedroom(new addition). I installed an outlet for the outside patio and it Got covered over with sheeting before I could hook up the electrical outlet. The 4" box is there and the wire is ran to it and is live. But the carpenter covered it up with sheeting. I know the general location but I don't know the exact location. Is there a way to find location without ripping apart drywall? Please Reply.
ma0641
Apr 29, 2011, 01:16 PM
Assuming the walls are studded at 16" centers, the outlets are most likely on one of them. A good quality inductance tester might find the hot wire. Since boxes are set at 12-16" off the floor, another possible way is to find a wall stud, drill a very small hole in the drywall, about 14" off the floor, on either side of the stud. Turn off the power before doing this. Insert a coat hanger bent to 90 degrees and with a tail of 4". Slowly rotate the hanger and if it hits something at about that height, you have probably found the box.
Missouri Bound
Apr 30, 2011, 01:41 PM
If you can disconnect the wire at the panel, both hot and neutral, you could use a signaal generator like used for tracing low voltage wire runs, such as telephone wire. Often called a "tic tracer" it would send a tone through the pair and you may be able to locate it, including where it ends with a tracer of this type.