# Finding speaker wires in ceiling



## O.C.Inc. (Jan 21, 2008)

I'm a GC and a customer had a bedroom ceiling re re sheetrocked and he installed wiring for ceiling speakers a couple of years ago. NOW he wants to install the speakers and has no record of where the wire is..... There is NO access above ceiling.. 
How can I find them? 
I was thinking of a toner used in telephone work??? 

Ideas? 
Thanks! Patrick


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## O.C.Inc. (Jan 21, 2008)

*Finding in ceiling speaker wiring*

A good customer of mine had a roof leak years ago, re rocked the ceiling and had some inwall speaker wiring placed in the ceiling. He since lost the diagram, so I have no way of finding it without a sawzall... 
I was thinking of a telephone tone generator or I have that cheapo 120V locater found in Depot stores but I don't think they would be strong enough. The wires are supposedly above the insulation...


Suggestions?? 
Thanks! 
Patrick


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## dlcj (Oct 1, 2007)

Has he forgotten where he wants the speakers to be? Get him to decide on the locations and start there. The wires should be there if he has not completly changed everything around. If not then at least you needed the holes there anyway for when you do find the wires. I dont know of any other way unless you use something like the utility companies use to locate underground wires, pipes, etc.


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## GregS (Oct 1, 2006)

So if it's in the ceiling above the insulation, why not go into the attic and locate it? Should be sitting right there shouldn't it?

Otherwise yes, use a toner and a reverse-induction pickup.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

A toner and probe is what I normally use. Matter of fact, if you pump music through those wires at a high volume, that sometimes works better than putting the toner on the head end. Try the toner first, but keep that in mind if you're having trouble. Just for information's sake, you can use the 'probe' part to "listen" to anything being pumped through an audio wire. Be that a phone conversation, PA music, 60hz hum, etc. Easy way to "tap" a phonecall without any actual mechanical connections. I use this technique to troubleshoot a dead PA speaker. Just listen to the cable at various points to figure out where the bad junction is.


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## mickeyco (May 13, 2006)

Question: Should you check for continuity between the wires first in case whoever pulled them stripped and tied them together for pulling purposes?


.


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

mickeyco said:


> Question: Should you check for continuity between the wires first in case whoever pulled them stripped and tied them together for pulling purposes?
> 
> 
> .


Yeah, but if you use a toner first, your tone will go to nothing right off the bat right at the toner, so you'll know if that's the case right away. I think the installers who prewire this stuff know better than the keep the ends tied, but it's hard to say for sure. Some LV installers are just a notch above Piltdown Man on the evolutionary chart.


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## GregS (Oct 1, 2006)

mdshunk said:


> Some LV installers are just a notch above Piltdown Man on the evolutionary chart.


Some electricians are the same way when it comes to LV


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## mdshunk (Mar 13, 2005)

BuildingHomes said:


> Some electricians are the same way when it comes to LV


Agreed. A man's got to know his limits. What is normally the case is the guy actually think's he's doing a good job, but it couldn't be more messed up.


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## Aiken Colon (Jul 14, 2008)

I personally do not stock or carry these, but I am pretty sure you could get away with this:

http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=62-140

Pretty cheap too. Based on cost, I am guessing you would be able to find it for around $35-$40

If you wanted a nicer and a little more powerful one you could go with the 33-862 or 33-864. They are the same, the 864 comes in a pouch and the 862 in a case. I will let ya in on a little secret they are the same price cost wise, so if you decide on one of those, I would think the case one would be nicer.

I am assuming it is a one time deal so you might want to check out amprobe also. They are owned by Fluke, but are way more economical.

Good luck

JJ


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## O.C.Inc. (Jan 21, 2008)

I found them by using a tone generator I borrowed from a retired AT&T employee. The tone was very weak as the wire was above the insulation, but with a dead quiet room I found them! 
Patrick


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## Speedy Petey (Sep 30, 2003)

Duplicate thread.
On going thread here: http://www.contractortalk.com/showthread.php?t=43733


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## TMG1 (Aug 17, 2008)

Fluke has a nice toner and probe http://www.flukenetworks.com/fnet/en-us/products/IntelliTone%20Toner%20and%20Probe/Overview
if you're not in a rush check out ebay they're selling these cheap especially if youre using this once only - why but it new?


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