M1 installation

[BB22]

Hi all, Im trying to instal my M1 in my new home but I am having a hard time identifying each wire. The previous owner had the house wired. I wasnt successful with a wire finder.

My plan now is to connect one wire at a time to the M1 is then walk around the house to test each wire for current until I identify all my wires. What kind of device do I need to test for current. I have a Fluke 1ac but I believe this is mainly for electricity and not low voltage. Can some one help to identify the right tester for this?

Thanks

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Something like this should work.  Put the leads on the sensor end then just use the probe end to locate the cable at the demarcation point with its tone

 

[BB22]

So would my Fluke 1AC work or do I need something that detect lower voltage?

 

[ano]

So would my Fluke 1AC work or do I need something that detect lower voltage?

Nope you need a wire tracker as linked above.  The 1AC is a voltage tester. You could, in theory, apply some 24VAC signal to each wire and find it, but overall not the best way to go. Invest in a wire tracker. You will use it a lot.

 

[BB22]

Thanks - will give it a try. I wasnt successful with my first attend. My issue is that I only have 2 wires that go to my control box. I have 2 key pads one motion detector, one patio door and the main door that have a sensor so Im not sure why only 2 wires are going to the panel location. I see what I can do with the wire tracer

 

[BB22]

I ordered the Fluke Pro 3000, should get it by Friday and ready to test. Thanks

 

[mikefamig]

Tee Fluke tool has an RJ-11 male plug for telephone cable testing. You may want to make an adapter for RJ-45 while you're waiting for it to be delivered.
 
Mike.

 

[BB22]

Sorry Mike. Not sure I follow. Im a beginner with all this so sorry for my question. What do you mean by that and thank for the help.

Thanks

 

[mikefamig]

Sorry Mike. Not sure I follow. Im a beginner with all this so sorry for my question. What do you mean by that and thank for the help.

Thanks

The Fluke toner has two ways to attach a pair of wires to it. It has a pair of alligator clamps that you attach to bare wires and it has an RJ-11 male plug.
 
1 I think that the clamps are self explanatory.
 
2. The Rj-11 plug is a standard telephone line plug. That is the plug used on the wire that attaches the phone to the wall. It looks similar to an RJ-45 ethernet plug but it is physically smaller. Your Elk system may use some RJ-45 plugs in addition to an RJ-11 line to the phone system to dial out to a monitoring system. If you want the convenience of testing a cable with either an RJ-11 phone line plug or RJ-45 ethernet plug you will need a cable adapter to attach the cable to the RJ-11 plug on the toner. Otherwise you will need to remove the plug from the cable and use the alligator clips.
 
Mike.

 

[BB22]

Got it - thanks. Much appreciated

 

[mikefamig]

I use a female RJ-45 to female rj-45 connector with the Fluke toner. The RJ-11 male plug on the toner can be plugged into an RJ-45 female socket/adapter and it will work. Then plug the wire that you want to trace into the other side of the female adapter. This allows me to test both RJ-11 and RJ-45 type cables.
 
Mike.

 

[BB22]

Hi all, feeling discouraged. I received my Fluke 3000 today and started the wire finding process. Not sure if I am doing something wrong, but couldnt find any wires. Seems like a very straight forward tool to use so I know its not that. I have two wires that go to my control panel. I connected the alligator clips to each of the wires, separately, and went around the place looking for the right wire. One of the wires I get a small sound but its not clear to Im guessing it must be touching the wire I need but dont get a 100% reading. Any ideas what I can do?

Thanks

 

[mikefamig]

Hi all, feeling discouraged. I received my Fluke 3000 today and started the wire finding process. Not sure if I am doing something wrong, but couldnt find any wires. Seems like a very straight forward tool to use so I know its not that. I have two wires that go to my control panel. I connected the alligator clips to each of the wires, separately, and went around the place looking for the right wire. One of the wires I get a small sound but its not clear to Im guessing it must be touching the wire I need but dont get a 100% reading. Any ideas what I can do?

Thanks

The toner is meant to be connected to pairs of wire inside of an insulating jacket. Turn up the signal on the toner and then touch the probe tip to each wire. the loudest one is the correct wire.
 
If you are tracing wires behind sheet-rock you heed to cut the wallboard to access the wires and then touch the probe to each pair until you find the one that you're looking for. If the wires a accessible then just touch the probe tip to each wire to find the one that makes the loudest sound.
 
Try connecting the toner to any long cable that you have laying around and touch the probe to the wire while adjusting the signal strength on the toner. You should get a good loud beep.
 
Mike.

 

[BB22]

When I try it on the installed wires I get a weak signal. The only signal I get thats clear is the wire from the main door to the keypad but then dont find it to the panel. I feel like new wires would need to be installed but I would rather not go that route.

 

[RAL]

If the cable is twisted pair, the twists cause the signal to cancel out.  Instead of connecting the tone generator to both wires in the pair, connect it to just one of the wires and connect the other lead of the generator to ground.   Sometimes, just letting the second lead from the generator dangle in the air works, too.

Also, the wires you are trying to trace should not be connected to anything at either end. If you were trying to trace a cable that's connected to a door or window contact, and the contact is closed, it's shorting out the two wires and that'll pretty much kill the signal.