And I would be in hopes it wasn't "URD"
"URD" as a sole type cable is not a NEC recognized wire and should not be used on installs required to meet NEC rules.
(Many "URD" cables are also listed as RHW and thus acceptable)
All the ones I see not marked with RHW are still marked USE and still are a NEC recognized conductor - you just can not enter a building with conductors marked USE only.
Well I've thought off and on about buying fault locator for the past 25 years, never got motivated enough to turn loose the cash, I don't really get many of these kinds of calls, maybe 1-4 a year.
That was Sunday when I went over and told him problem was broken wire in the ground. Today my curiosity won out and I called to find out what happened. He called an electrical contractor that I mentioned that I thought would have a locator. Ec couldn't find it Monday, said he was getting bad readings because the end of the wire must be fused together? Went back today and found where he thought it was, planning to go back out tomorrow (Wednesday) with machine to dig it up.
So if I had known it was a minimum of a 3 day job maybe I would have bought or rented locator, here lately I've mostly been doing one two three and four hour jobs.
Learning how to use a fault locator is another thing. Sounds like the EC you did get has not learned everything yet.
One of first things you learn is to totally isolate the line you are locating - especially if other lines are nearby, or you may end up following the wrong line, or have signal that is hard to follow because you are actually picking up more than one buried cable.
You also learn that it is common to have a fault near one of the ends of the run of direct buried cable where it turns upward to emerge from the ground. If you have trouble pinpointing the fault this may be the case.
Unless you have classic by the book success finding the fault, make sure to trace from both ways.
Make sure the soil is moist. If extremely dry you don't get as much fault return current through earth, making your signal weak and hard to find the fault. One time I remember having trouble pinpointing a fault and dug three different holes only to find nothing. Sandy soil and was pretty dry at that time (not this year but it is dry enough it would be a problem this year). After three unsuccessful holes I placed lawn sprinkler over the path of the conductors and came back later in the day. Found the right spot immediately this time. You have to learn the hard way sometimes.
I have not had problems finding faults in PVC. Everyone always says there will be no return to pick up or will return through a coupling away from the actual conductor damage. My experience has always been if in raceway and it burns the conductor to an open condition enough heat was produced that you also have a damaged raceway and you still have return detection current through the damaged point of the raceway, and find it with little troubles.
If looking for someone to locate, some POCO will do it for you, may have to be a customer they serve, or you can pay me to come half way across the country :happyyes:
