Any site activity involving excavation will inevitably put construction personnel in close contact with buried utilities (electricity, gas, telecommunications, and water pipes). Before beginning the excavation operation and during its duration, the technician must pay careful attention to determining the precise placement of any underground utilities. Electric shock, electrical arcs (which might result in an explosion), and flames are all potential hazards resulting from damaged underground cables. These hazards can kill or harm people. Even when protective equipment is worn, this frequently leads to severe burns on the hands, face, and other body parts.
Damage can be done to a cable when it is:
● Cut through by something sharp, like the point of a tool.
● Crushed by something heavy or a powerful machine.
When digging or disturbing the ground, take care not to damage underground services. Underground electrical wires are hazardous since they frequently resemble pipelines, and it is impossible to detect if they are electrically live simply by looking at them.
What steps should be taken to prevent any hazards while doing digging work?
Before any digging or excavation work can begin, underground wires must be found, identified, and clearly marked.
The locating device should be able to pinpoint the location of the cable as precisely as possible within or near the proposed work area. Plans and other materials can be used as guides for the possible site of services and for figuring out what the signal means.
Keep in mind that during the course of the work, the locating tools should be utilized regularly and persistently.
Why take the risk?
Noyafa recognized the need for an underground utility locator that was simple enough to operate and applicable to a wide range of locating needs; cost-effective; and, most importantly, safe. This realization was prompted by the ever-increasing number of buried utilities that needed to be identified and accurately mapped. This resulted in the development of the NF-826 series underground utility locator, which enables you to safely connect and properly trace electrified lines and discover additional utilities. As a result, you are able to know exactly what is underground before you dig.
Before we take a deeper look at the underground cable locator, let us first see how the cable locator device works.
How does a cable detector work?
Traditionally, a cable locator would include two components: a transmitter and a receiver. An electrical signal is sent via the cable and picked up by the receiver, allowing the operator to track the wire’s course by following the signal. Even though there are many different kinds of underground cable locators, this article will talk about the basics of NF-826.
NF-826 overview:
The NF-826 is a non-contact underground wire locator that can trace the path of de-energized wires behind walls and underground. It can also locate network cables and water/gas/heating supply pipelines buried in the earth or wall. It can also validate dig locations, pinpoint wires before drilling, and locate a specific circuit breaker. The usable depth range is from 0.1 to 2 meters, and the usable length is up to 1000 meters. Key features of the transmitter include buttons within the thumb’s reach, a transmitter switch, and alligator clip leads. The transmitter’s alligator clip leads can be attached to practically any kind of wire or cable, including those used for electricity, communication, water management, or even heating and cooling systems. The tracking antenna is attached to the receiver, with easily accessible controls.
The principal uses of the NF-826 Series Underground Utilities Detector
1. Residential or Commercial Constructions:
Engineers on a project are required by law to conduct a utility survey and create a utility map before beginning excavation in a developed area. This precautionary measure ensures workers’ safety and the efficiency of the excavation process. Electrical lines, along with gas, water, and other utilities, can be located by surveyors using the NF-826 receiver, with or without the transmitter. Using the receiver and the transmitter, you can even tell within 1000m where these utilities are.
2. Installation and Maintenance of Cabling Systems
Electrical cables frequently experience ground problems. Using the NF-826 series transmitter, surveyors may quickly identify leakage spots, faults, and other issues with the hidden wires. They can configure the transmitter to apply a fault-finding signal to the utility under test via induction, signal clamp, or direct test lead connection modes. The NF-826 will find where the metal conductor of a cable (either the sheath or the metal conductor of the wire) hits the ground. It may also find other ground faults, such as coating flaws on pipelines.
Underground cable detection works on the following two basic principles:
● Passive location: Used to locate a utility’s existing electromagnetic field.
● Active location: Signals are injected from a signal transmitter onto a preexisting utility system.
Active/passive location:
Passive location only requires a device that can pick up signals. This method is beneficial because it means that it is easy to use. It makes it possible for a digging crew to be given an easy-to-use locator that will help them avoid hitting buried lines. The technicians and users protect against accidentally touching a live power cable and prevent the disruption and loss that would come from cutting a line.
A two-part locator consisting of a transmitter and a receiver is required for the active location. Target lines must be found and followed with certainty using the active location method.
Steps to Use the NF-826 Underground Cable Detector:
As was previously indicated, the NF-826 underground cable locator’s primary goal is to locate and trace underground hidden and/or buried wires. The following steps illustrate the operation of this cable locator by the technician:
1. Set the transmitter to cable detection/scan mode with a high-tone volume.
2. Attach one alligator clip of the transmitter to the cable and the other to an independent grounded earth with a grounding stake or screwdriver or one conductor with a grounded earth on a non-shielded drop wire.
3. Move the receiver’s antenna close to the ground and about 10 to 15 feet away from where the transmitter is. (You will hear the tone on both sides of the path, with a null directly over the cable path.)
4. Following the path’s determination, mark the ground at each null point.
Endnote:
Accurate locating is constantly needed for emergencies, road construction, and the installation and maintenance of facilities. As a result, the NF-826 underground cable locator performs a crucial role in the telecom sector. This NF-826 underground cable locator, which is accessible, can quickly locate the target wire buried underground.
Noyafa NF-826 Underground Cable Locator Purchase Link:
https://www.noyafa.com/products/underground-wire-tracker-nf-826.html
