Found a two wire circuit that is labeled FREEZE

[urbanscribe]

trying to reuse 30 year old wiring coming into a basement JB with poor labelling
several of the circuits are labelled LIBRARY FREEZE and KITCHEN FREEZE
what would these be?  i'm assuming some kind of low temp sensor but where physically would they be (don't see anything on the walls/ceilings)
what would they look like
trying to identify all the home wiring runs.
thanks in advance.

 

[wkearney99]

You don't mention what KIND of wire.  Is it AC wiring or low voltage?  Stranded or solid?  What gauge (thick or thin).
 
I'm guessing those two locations could be prone to cold weather problems?  Where, for some reason, someone previously wanted to keep track of whether the temp dropped to freezing?  I'd imagine if there's sensors on there now you'd want to be careful to find all ends of the wire before attaching anything.  First thing I'd do would be make sure there's no line voltage on them.  Start with a tester designed to detect live outlets/wires passively (as in, not clipped to anything).  Then move on to using a multimeter to check for both AC and DC voltage.  Don't test for continuity lest you short out or otherwise damage whatever might be on the other end.
 
A line tone probe could help find the other end.  I've got a Greenlee but there are others.  Thing is, the pickup expects to be within a few inches of the wire (typically less than 6").  They're useful for finding a specific cable in a bundle of others.   So you'd have to have at least some idea where to start waving the probe around in hope of being close enough to pick up the tone signal being sent from the other end.  

 

[urbanscribe]

howdy.  sorry.  looks like low voltage 2 wire.  stranded 20-22 AWG probably
 
yeah i'm guessing the same.  i'm just not visualizing what sensor would have been at the end of this?  currently don't see anything in the room and can't tone/probe my way to anything in the room either.  using a fluke.  

 

[wkearney99]

If you already have a Fluke then you probably have a reasonable idea how to find the wires!
 
Me, I'd start with places where the temp would have been a problem.  Like near a point where radiator or water lines travel along an outside wall.  As in, where the previous owners knew they had to keep tabs on the temperature to avoid pipes bursting.
 
Stuff like an inexpensive thermal camera might help.  I've got a seek thermal that does a decent job of finding gross heat loss areas.

 

[linuxha]

If nothing else makes sense (low voltage does begin to sound like a sensor more than lights). You might also want to consider that the previous person who marked the wires might have mean frieze instead of freeze. This might indicate something along the ceiling.

 

[urbanscribe]

thanks guys.  much appreciated.  

 

[wkearney99]

And while it's not your fault, I keep misreading your username as 'unsubscribe' every time I see it as a message in my mailbox...

 

[urbanscribe]

@wkearney99:  its a trick to flesh out the dyslexics from a dyslexic

 

[Neurorad]

Check in the basement below the library and kitchen, and outside those rooms.

I have an exterior spigot between 2 garages that is prone to freezing. Seasonal cutoff valve is in garage ceiling (fire rated access panel), below kitchen. I have considered running 4 wires there, for a solenoid valve, but not 2 wires.

Ice maker in the library? Could be a 2 wire water sensor, behind an ice freezer thingy, aka ice maker.