Pipe & Cable Finders: trace hidden cables and metal pipes through walls, floors and ground
A pipe and cable finder follows a specific cable or metal pipe along its whole route, so you can see where it runs, where a junction box has been plastered over, which breaker feeds a circuit, and exactly where a cable is broken or shorted. You find the fault before you chase a wall, lift a floor or dig a trench.
What is a pipe and cable finder?
A pipe and cable finder (also called a cable locator, wire tracker or cable tracer) is a two-part instrument. A transmitter connected to a cable or metal pipe sends a coded signal along the conductor. A handheld receiver detects the electromagnetic field around that conductor, so you can follow its path behind plaster, under a screed or in the ground, and see where the signal stops.
Because it traces one chosen conductor rather than sensing whatever happens to be behind a wall, a cable finder answers questions a voltage pen or stud finder can't: where does this cable go, where is it broken, and which breaker is it on? It works on dead (de-energised) cables as well as live ones, which is what makes it useful for fault-finding.
The signal travels along metal only. A cable finder traces copper cable and steel, copper or galvanised pipe. It cannot trace plastic (PVC, HDPE, PEX) pipe unless a metal tracer wire was laid with it.
Mastech MS6818 Pipe & Cable Finder: wire tracker, metal pipe locator and AC/DC voltage tester
The MS6818 is a transmitter-and-receiver cable locator for electricians, maintenance teams, plumbers and builders. The transmitter injects a 125 kHz signal into the cable or metal pipe you want to trace. The receiver follows it through walls, floors and soil and tells you where the conductor runs and where the signal stops.
The transmitter doubles as an AC/DC voltmeter (12 to 400 V). When you connect it, it shows the voltage on the conductor, whether it is AC or DC, and a warning symbol if mains voltage is present. Both units have a mute mode for hospitals, offices and occupied homes, and a built-in flashlight for ceiling voids and distribution boards.
- 0–2 msingle-pole depth
- 2.5 mmax, single loop line
- 12–400 VAC/DC voltage ID
What it does
- Traces cables, electrical wiring and metal water or gas pipes buried in walls, floors or the ground
- Finds open circuits (breaks) and short circuits in buried cable, including underfloor heating cable
- Identifies which fuse or circuit breaker feeds a socket or circuit
- Locates sockets, junction boxes and distribution boxes that have been plastered over
- Receiver detects mains voltage on its own at about 0 to 0.4 m, with no transmitter connected
- Manual or automatic receiver sensitivity, with automatic frequency sweep
- Transmitter self-test, plus a display of transmit power, code, battery and detected voltage
- Receiver shows the transmitter's power level, code and battery, and has a backlit LCD
- Extra transmitters available to extend the signal or tell several signals apart
- Receiver switches off after 10 minutes without a key press to save battery
What a cable finder does on the job, and why it's the right tool
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Tracing wiring in brick and plastered walls
Most South African homes and commercial buildings are masonry, with cables chased into the brickwork and plastered over. The MS6818 follows a circuit through the wall so you can drill, chase or fix mounts without guessing, and find old junction boxes that were plastered in during a renovation.
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Finding which breaker feeds a circuit
Connect the transmitter at the socket and scan the distribution board with the receiver to pick out the right breaker or fuse. This is useful when boards are unlabelled, when labelling a board for inspection, and before adding an inverter, solar or backup-power circuit.
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Locating breaks and short circuits
On a dead circuit, the signal stops at an open circuit, so the point where the receiver loses it marks the fault. You open one small section of wall or floor instead of replacing the whole run. It works the same way on garden lighting, gate-motor and borehole-pump supply cables buried in the ground.
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Underfloor heating faults
Detecting breaks and short circuits in floor heating is a listed function. Pinpointing the fault under tiles or screed means lifting a few tiles rather than the whole floor.
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Metal water and gas pipes
Trace the route of copper, steel or galvanised pipes before drilling or excavating, or follow a supply line to find where it runs under a slab. For a leaking pipe, first use a thermal camera to find the leak area, then trace the pipe to plan the repair.
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Communication and data cables
Follow telephone and copper data cable through ceilings, trunking and walls during maintenance and fit-outs. Mute mode keeps the work quiet in hospitals, offices and occupied buildings.
Before you excavate: a handheld cable finder traces cables you can connect to, at shallow depth. It does not replace utility service drawings. Get the municipal and utility records (electricity, telecoms and fibre, water) and any wayleave approvals the site requires before digging, and hand-dig near expected services.
Tracing modes: single-pole, dual-pole, loop and mains detection
How you connect the transmitter decides how deep and how precisely you can trace. Choose the mode for the job, and see the operating manual for the exact connection diagram for each.
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| Mode | How the signal is applied | MS6818 tracing depth | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-pole | Signal on one conductor, returning through earth | About 0 to 2 m | Following a cable or metal pipe in walls and the ground; finding breaks |
| Dual-pole | Signal across two conductors of the same cable | About 0 to 0.5 m | Picking out one cable where many run together; shallow, precise tracing |
| Single loop line | Signal around a closed loop of conductor | Up to 2.5 m | The deepest tracing on the MS6818 |
| Mains voltage identification | Receiver alone, no transmitter | About 0 to 0.4 m | Quick check for live mains cables before drilling |
Depth depends on the material around the conductor and the application, so treat the figures above as best-case values.
Step by step: finding a break in a buried cable
- Isolate the circuit and confirm it is dead. The transmitter's own voltage display and warning symbol help here.
- Connect the transmitter to the faulty conductor using the mode that suits the depth.
- Set the receiver sensitivity (or leave it on automatic) and pick up the signal near the connection point.
- Follow the cable route, keeping the signal at its strongest. Turn the sensitivity down as you get closer for a sharper reading.
- Mark the point where the signal drops away. That is the break or short. Open up only that section.
MS6818 specifications
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| Transmitter | |
|---|---|
| Output signal | 125 kHz |
| External voltage identification | DC 12 to 400 V ±2.5%; AC 12 to 400 V (50 to 60 Hz) ±2.5% |
| External voltage withstand | Max 400 V AC/DC |
| Overvoltage category | CAT III 300 V |
| Display | LCD with function display and bar graph |
| Power supply | 1 × 9 V battery (IEC 6LR61) |
| Current consumption | About 31 mA min, about 115 mA max |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 190 × 89 × 42.5 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 420 g including battery |
| Receiver | |
| Tracing depth, single-pole | About 0 to 2 m |
| Tracing depth, dual-pole | About 0 to 0.5 m |
| Tracing depth, single loop line | Up to 2.5 m |
| Mains voltage identification | About 0 to 0.4 m |
| Display | Backlit LCD with function display and bar graph |
| Power supply | 6 × 1.5 V AAA batteries (IEC LR03) |
| Current consumption | About 32 mA min, about 89 mA max |
| Auto power-off | After 10 minutes without a key press |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 241.5 × 78 × 38.5 mm |
| Weight | Approx. 350 g including batteries |
| Both units | |
| Operating conditions | 0 to 40 °C, max 80% RH (non-condensing) |
| Storage conditions | −20 to 60 °C, max 80% RH (non-condensing) |
| Altitude | Max 2000 m |
| Pollution degree | 2 |
| Kit contents | Ask Ecotao to confirm the current kit contents and accessories |
How to choose a pipe and cable finder
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1. Is the target metal?
Signal-injection locators trace metal conductors only: copper cable and steel, copper or galvanised pipe. For plastic pipe you need a tracer wire, or a different method such as thermal imaging for leaks.
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2. Can you connect to it?
A transmitter-and-receiver finder needs access to the conductor at one point, such as a socket, an exposed cable end or a pipe valve. If you can't connect, the receiver's mains detection still finds live cables at shallow depth.
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3. How deep is it?
Walls, floors and shallow trenches suit the MS6818 (about 0 to 2 m single-pole, up to 2.5 m on a loop). Deep utility mains need a dedicated utility locator and service drawings.
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4. Live or dead circuit?
Fault-finding is done on dead cables. Built-in voltage detection with a live-line warning, like the MS6818's 12 to 400 V AC/DC function, protects the user and the instrument when you connect.
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5. Many cables together?
In trunking or busy walls, dual-pole mode and adjustable sensitivity let you pick out one cable. Extra transmitters with different codes tell several signals apart.
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6. Where will you use it?
Mute mode matters in hospitals, offices and occupied homes. A backlit display and flashlight help in ceiling voids, roof spaces and dark distribution boards.
Cable finder vs voltage detector vs wall scanner vs thermal camera
These tools are often confused. They answer different questions, and many jobs use two of them together.
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| Tool | What it detects | Works on dead cables? | Follows one specific line? | Finds breaks / shorts? | Plastic pipes? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pipe & cable finder (transmitter + receiver, e.g. MS6818) | Signal injected into a chosen cable or metal pipe | Yes | Yes | Yes | Only with a metal tracer wire |
| Non-contact voltage detector | Electric field from live AC conductors | No | No | No | No |
| Wall scanner / stud finder | Objects or density changes just behind the surface | Partly (metal objects) | No | No | Some models, at shallow depth |
| Thermal camera | Surface temperature differences | Not applicable | No | Finds hot spots, leaks and damp | Yes, via temperature or damp patterns |
| Inspection camera / borescope | Visual view inside a pipe, duct or cavity | Not applicable | Yes, when fed through the pipe | Visual damage and blockages | Yes, from the inside |
Pipe and cable finder questions
What is a pipe and cable finder and how does it work?
A pipe and cable finder (also called a cable locator, wire tracker or cable tracer) is a two-part instrument. The transmitter is connected to the cable or metal pipe and sends a coded signal along it. The handheld receiver picks up the electromagnetic field around the conductor, so you can follow its route through a wall, floor or the ground and see where the signal stops. The MS6818 transmits at 125 kHz.
How deep can the MS6818 detect cables and pipes?
About 0 to 2 m in single-pole mode, about 0 to 0.5 m in dual-pole mode and up to 2.5 m on a single loop line. Real depth depends on the material around the conductor and the application, so treat these as best-case figures. The receiver identifies mains voltage on its own at about 0 to 0.4 m.
Can a cable locator find plastic (PVC or HDPE) water pipes?
Not on its own. A signal-injection locator such as the MS6818 needs a metal conductor to carry the signal, so it traces copper, steel and galvanised pipes but not plastic ones. For a plastic pipe you need a metal tracer wire laid with it, or a different method. To find a leak in a plastic water pipe, a thermal camera is usually the first step.
What is the difference between single-pole and dual-pole cable tracing?
In single-pole mode the transmitter signal goes onto one conductor and returns through earth. This gives the strongest field and the greatest depth (about 0 to 2 m on the MS6818), but the signal can spread to nearby conductors. In dual-pole mode the signal goes onto two conductors of the same cable. The field is weaker (about 0 to 0.5 m) but more tightly focused on that one cable, which helps where many cables run together.
Can the MS6818 find which breaker or fuse feeds a socket?
Yes. Detecting fuses and assigning circuits is one of its listed functions. You connect the transmitter at the socket and scan the distribution board with the receiver to find the breaker or fuse carrying the signal. The transmitter measures the circuit voltage (12 to 400 V AC/DC) and shows a warning symbol when mains voltage is present. Work on electrical installations should be done by a qualified person, following the operating manual.
How do I find a break or short circuit in a buried cable?
Connect the transmitter to the faulty conductor and follow the cable with the receiver. At an open circuit the signal drops away, so the point where the receiver loses the signal marks the break. A short circuit shows up the same way, where the signal changes or stops. The MS6818 does this for cables in walls, floors and the ground, and for underfloor heating cables.
Is a cable locator the same as a stud finder or voltage detector?
No. A non-contact voltage detector only tells you a live conductor is nearby, and a wall scanner or stud finder detects objects just behind the surface. A transmitter-and-receiver cable locator follows one specific cable or metal pipe along its whole route, works on dead cables as well as live ones, and pinpoints breaks, shorts and hidden junction boxes.
Can I use more than one transmitter with the MS6818 receiver?
Yes. Additional transmitters are available to extend the signal or to tell several signals apart. The transmitter sends a code and the receiver displays it, so you can identify which cable carries which transmitter.
Does Ecotao deliver pipe and cable finders outside Cape Town?
Yes. Ecotao supplies from Cape Town to customers throughout South Africa and to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini. Call +27 21 911 5835 or email sales@ecotao.co.za for availability and delivery.
Need help choosing a cable finder?
Tell us what you're tracing (cable or pipe, live or dead, wall, floor or ground) and roughly how deep, and we'll confirm whether the MS6818 suits the job. Supplied from Cape Town throughout South Africa and to neighbouring countries.
- Head Office: +27 21 911 5835
- Zak: 086 142 8716
- Zaid: 082 390 3989
- Email: sales@ecotao.co.za · aqua@ecotao.co.za