Electricity in our modern time plays an important role, because a lot depends on it. We all use electrical appliances that greatly simplify our lives. In addition, any industrial sphere cannot do without this type of energy. But from time to time the question may arise - how to find a broken wire in the wall? In houses in the residential sector, wiring is open or hidden, with the latter option occurring in most cases.
To solve the problem, it is not necessary to have professional skills or call a qualified specialist to your home. Sometimes a simple desire and some effort are enough, and then the wiring will become “open to the eye”. Moreover, you can even do without the use of special devices.
When the need arises
The need to search for hidden wiring usually arises for various reasons:
- carrying out redevelopment;
- open circuit;
- drilling the partition.
Remodeling is usually done by those tenants who, over time, are not satisfied with their situation, and they want to bring something new to their home. For example, to make a doorway in a new place. To do this, you need to know how to find the wiring in the wall in order to avoid trouble. There are also other reasons for such work.
As for the open circuit, that's a real problem. It is necessary not only to find the location of the wiring, but also to determine exactly where the phase or neutral conductor was broken.
The need to drill a partition arises when you want to hang a wall mount for a TV or other household appliances. This may also be relevant in the case of mounting wall lights, if you need to hang a picture, a shelf, etc. And since in this case you need to make several holes, you should know how the wires are located. Otherwise, it is fraught with many troubles, including the risk to life.
Such a need still arises when buying a new apartment, since the new owner must know all the technical equipment of his home. And the first thing is to know exactly where the electric line passes.
Fault pattern
Many home craftsmen are interested in how to find and fix a broken wire in the wall with their own hands. But it is also important to understand what is meant bymains failure.
As a rule, problems are caused by a number of factors:
- wrong installation;
- damage to the insulating layer;
- wire break;
- violation of the integrity of the circuit elements;
- high wiring load.
The symptoms of the malfunction themselves are as follows:
- no sign of zero or phase;
- no phase, no zero;
- presence of sparks;
- short circuits;
- Automatic safety devices operate regularly.
Often the cause of wiring failures is a violation of the technology of laying electrical networks. Either the wrong section was selected for installation and connection, or the good old technique known to many home craftsmen was used - twisting the wires.
For this reason, if the apartment was purchased on the secondary market, the desire to know how to find a broken wire in the wall with your own hands will be more than justified. If necessary, it is better to immediately correct all the shortcomings after moving to a new place.
Classification of faults
In most cases, breakdowns are localized at the junction of wires with light switches, sockets. Also, a malfunction may be in the area of \u200b\u200bthe location of the junction boxes and in the areas where the wiring is connected to the automatic devices of the electrical panel. This type of breakdown is classified as Class I, which accounts for more than half of all electrical wiring problems.
II class of faults are problems with hidden wiring. In turn, this is due to the installation work during the repair, when the craftsmen are forced to violate the integrity of the concrete floors. For example, a wire can be easily damaged when driving a screw or drilling with a drill, which leads to a violation of its insulation.
As a result, it ends up with a short circuit in the wall. Moreover, the problem itself may not begin to appear immediately after the repair is completed, but much later.
That is, a violation of the insulating layer of wires after contact with a drill or screw will fully make itself felt after a few months.
How to find a break in hidden wiring in the wall? Here we smoothly move to the III class of breakdowns, which is usually not associated with the intervention of third-party objects or equipment. Fortunately, this phenomenon is quite rare and occurs as a result of wear of aluminum wires or increased load on the electrical network. In this case, it is almost impossible to find the place of the break without the use of special instruments.
The most innocuous thing that can happen as a result of a break is the absence of voltage in any part of the circuit. But sparking and short circuits are a more serious problem.
Ways to determine the posting
If it became necessary to find hidden wiring in the apartment, then you can involve a specialist in the matter, although everything is not so difficult to do on your own. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with different methods. And howwith the involvement of additional devices, and without their help.
Time-tested simple ways to find a broken wire in a wall are still a success. But which one to use depends on the situation.
Method of our ancestors
The high cost of professional appliances is not affordable for every home master. And so they are looking for ways to find the right wiring in the wall without the help of special equipment. But the old-fashioned methods have been repeatedly tested by time in practice and have proven themselves well.
This is now, when progress has stepped far forward, many devices and tools have been implemented, and then, during the USSR, there was no such variety. Our grandfathers and great-grandfathers did very well without special technical equipment. But even in our time, old methods can come to the rescue, and each of them differs in the degree of accuracy.
Visual diagnostics
Usually this technique works in the event of a planned overhaul. Moreover, it is relevant for the most part in relation to brick or concrete walls. How to find the wiring in the wall without a do-it-yourself device? To do this, just remove all the old wallpaper and carefully inspect the walls.
As a rule, a hidden laying of wires can be detected immediately - it is given out by strobes, under which the wires are located. These lines are not so difficult to notice, as they stand out against the general background: the putty in these places is rougher, the shade is also different.
Listening to the walls
When using this method, you will need a radio receiver, which should be tuned to a specific frequency (100 kHz). The device should be carried out along the walls, in the places of the proposed electrical wiring. Where there is voltage, the receiver will begin to make noise.
Also, as a good alternative to the radio, you can use a microphone connected to the radio. The technology here is the same - carefully guide it along the surface of the walls. When entering a zone with current, a crackling or noise will be heard - the electrical network has been found.
When deciding how to find and fix a broken wire in the wall using a microphone or radio, you should take into account the high error - 150 mm. In this regard, guided by the signals from these devices, it is advisable to take precautions. Step back a little to avoid electric shock.
Logic to help
You can find the location of the wiring by connecting a bit of logic. If a professional was involved in the installation of the electrical network, then all the wires are usually located in a horizontal or vertical plane in the partitions of an apartment or house. At the same time, every electrician knows that all turns must be made exclusively at right angles (90 °).
To decide how to find a broken wire in a wall, the chain of logical reasoning is as follows:
- From any switch or socket, the wire rises up, and then near the ceiling it is directed to the sidedistribution box. In this connection, in this place it is better not to drive in nails, not to screw in screws and not to work with a drill.
- According to regulations, the electrical line is 10-15 cm from the ceiling and 10 cm from the floor.
- With all the defined electrical points, you can visualize the entire wiring diagram by sketching it on paper.
At the same time, this visual perception cannot be called completely safe. It is better to consolidate the information received by proven antiquated methods. However, it is still safer to use special devices.
"Continuity" of electrical wiring or how to find the break point with a multimeter
This technique for determining the wiring in an apartment or a private house will appeal to many radio amateurs. Here you will need to use a multimeter - this device combines the functions of several electronic devices (ammeter, ohmmeter, voltmeter). Among them, the most widely used models:
- LA-1014 - is able to accurately determine the location of not only the electrical network, but also to detect breakage points. With it, you can evaluate the state of a computer or telephone line, as well as places where there is a short circuit.
- PMV-504Fb PMV-503b PME-92b MZ-440 - using these devices, you can also find wire breaks and assess the condition of hidden cables.
Naturally, professional instruments are expensive, but for our purposes, you can use a cheap analogue - any Chinese multimeter will do. You also need a field effect transistor brandKP103A, KP303, 2SK241.
The device should be switched to the resistance measurement mode (200 kOhm), and the probes should be connected to the contacts of the electronic part - one to the left (drain), the other to the middle (source). The right pin is used as an antenna.
How to find a broken wire in the wall? The principle of operation is based on the following - as soon as the field effect transistor enters the electromagnetic field, its internal resistance changes. This is easily fixed with a multimeter. Such a handheld device should also be driven along the walls, as when using a radio or microphone. And in the place where the tester shows the maximum value - the wiring is found. By attaching a piece of copper wire to the free terminal, you can significantly increase the sensitivity of the device.
Special instruments
When using special devices, the location of the wiring or even a break will be detected with a high degree of accuracy. And if the means allow, it is worth using them. And the first thing that comes to mind is a metal detector. As you know, wires are made of metal, due to the good conductivity of the material. Therefore, the power grid is easy to detect with this instrument.
However, it makes no sense to think about how to find a broken wire in relation to reinforced concrete walls - there is a lot of metal here. However, in most cases, the device is considered almost indispensable. In addition, many people have such a device for various purposes.
Thermal imagers are more accurate, but their pricevery high to use them in everyday life. It is more rational to call the master at home, which will cost much less than the cost of an expensive thing. In addition, it will be necessary to use such professional equipment in rare cases, and therefore this waste is completely unjustified. At the same time, specialist services are also expensive.
Available options
A device such as the E-121 signaling device or the well-known "Woodpecker" will be the best option for finding hidden wiring in your apartment or house. The price-quality ratio of such a device is at an optimal level. Moreover, with the help of this detector, you can not only determine the exact location of the wires, but also detect the places of their breakage. The depth of the electric line with which the device is capable of working is up to 70 mm, which is more than enough for most apartments.
Another no less useful assistant in solving the problem of how to find a broken wire in the wall is the MS signaling device from a Chinese manufacturer. Only such a tester should be adjusted, since the device reacts equally to wiring and to a nail driven into the wall. Having stuffed your hand, you can already distinguish signals.
The device is not able to find wires "dressed" in a foil screen, and therefore many electricians bypass it. However, in domestic conditions, the use of a signaling device justifies itself.
In addition, you can find the wiring with an indicator screwdriver. Only the method works with a shallow occurrence of conductive wires. In addition, de-energized andshielded wires, this tool is also not able to determine.
