How do I find a broken wire.

I have a 100 foot orange extension cord that doesn't work.

Usually when I cut one in half with a hedge trimmer, it's fairly easy to find the defect. And then I fix it.

Other times I use pins to check continuity near the plug or socket, where cords usually break.

But this time the problem is somewhere in the middle! If I worked for the electric compnay, or the cable company, or even probably the gas company, I'd have some clever tool that find open circuits in the middle of wires, even underground.

Is there something I have around the house or can buy cheaply that will do this?

I found for only 45 dollars an Armada Tone Probe, that works with a tone gneerator, but I guess I want some method that is cheaper!

Reply to
mm
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The cheaper method is to throw it out and buy a new one for $6, you aren't going to buy a time domain reflectometer to fix a cheap extension cord.

Reply to
General Schvantzkoph

If there is one bad section there will be more. What's more troubling is that an 'almost bad' section is the most dangerous as that can cause a fire.

There are tricks to find the broken wire but if you know how you should then know the false wisdom of making the repair.

Reply to
NotMe

I only use this cord outside, where a fire would not be a problem, plugged into a GFI cirucit.

So could you tell me the tricks for finding the open in the middle of the cord?

Reply to
mm

I've never seen a 100' extension cord for 6 dollars. This costs more like 40 dollars.

Reply to
mm

OK, $16 not $6, but that's still a lot cheaper than a TDR

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Reply to
General Schvantzkoph

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That thing wouldn't be good for more than maybe a worklight, corded drill, or string trimmer. I certainly wouldn't try to run a circular saw on it let alone a compressor. For real work @100' you need at least #12 preferably #10, at least then a worm drive Skil framing circular saw would work properly without risking motor damage.

Reply to
Daniel who wants to know

You may not plan to do otherwise but that does not forestall someone that does not know what you did from trying to use it on a heaver and unsafe load.

Recall I *KNOW* what I'm doing and would not 'fix' this extension cord myself nor would I let anyone near or dear to me near this patch job.

Last the tricks work only if you know, well, what you're doing. The fact that you ask is a clear indication you don't know and could very well harm yourself or others in the process.

I'm not trying to be a horse's rear end but those are the facts.

Reply to
NotMe

You may not plan to do otherwise but that does not forestall someone that does not know what you did from trying to use it on a heaver and unsafe load.

Recall I *KNOW* what I'm doing and would not 'fix' this extension cord nor would I let anyone near or dear to me near this patch job.

Last the tricks work only if you know well what you're doing. The fact that you ask is a clear indication you don't know and could very well harm yourself or others in the process.

Reply to
NotMe

How can I recall this when I know nothing about you?

Oh, yeah, sure.

LOL

I read a lot of "facts" on the net.

Yes, it's hard to believe that the copper wire just broke for no good reason, so if it broke in one place it must be totally deteriorating. As you put it, "If there is one bad section there will be more."

A) I don't think copper does that. B) The insulation could be falling apart everywhere, but it's not, and the cord is not shorted. It's open. C) When I find the location of the break, I'll likely know a lot more about what happened.

I apologize to everyone. I posted this in the wrong ng, and it was OT. I asked elsewhere and got some very good ideas, including the use of a non-contact voltage indicator, the use of an AM radio to pick up interference from the cord, and feeling the cord for a bump where it was bent sharply and the wire broken, but the insulation has partially recovered.

I don't know if any of these will work but it will be fun trying, when it's warmer and I can stretch out the 100 foot cord.

And even the suggestion to keep cuting the the cord in half and have one good 50' foot cord, one good 25 foot cord, one good 12 foot cord.

Reply to
mm

True but then you lack common sense.

It's does and that failure is documented in both fire and insurance claims.

Like I said IF you knew what you were doing it would not be necessary to ask.

True but not everything,

I'd vote for that but with the qualification the longest element be less than 1 ft long.

Would you take a bungee cord that had a stress failure, tie a not at the break and jump from a bridge with that 'fix'?

Reply to
NotMe

A very funny post. Thanks for the chuckles.

Reply to
mm

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