finding a break in a wire in a wall

[jackso11]

Nothing to do with supras or cars but maybe someone can help.

 

We had builders in, fitted a new kitchen, new bathroom, re plastered....loads of work...fitted under floor heating in the bathroom but there is an error code on the control unit that means there is a short in the circuit. Builders electrician tested it and said there is a break in the wire in the wall from the floor to the control unit so the floor doesn't need to come up, just that wire replaced which will be done the following day.

 

Then the builders vanished. We still have some of their tools, all work is finished except the heater control and we haven't paid them. They have been gone for almost 2 months and we haven't heard a thing!

 

So now I am giving up, we owe them money and they don't seem to want it. Going to fix it myself.

 

What I want to know is where can I get my hands on something to test if the wire in the wall is the problem? I think there is a tester called a 'fox and hound' that emits a signal down the wire that can be detected without having to dig the wall out to get to the wire? is that right?

I am guessing its a bit like a better multimeter. If so, can I get one from someone on loan to fix this? pretty please.

[Matt H]

Umm, that sounds tricky. As there's a break somewhere, there won't be any current flowing around the wires broken or not. I wonder if it's possible to distinguish?

[Rob]

Presumably gone bust.

 

We had a break in the wall, probably a rat chewing. All the sparky could do was turn that bit of the ring into two spurs, as it was in our conservatory with little loading and we didn't want to start demolishing plasterboard.

[supradibbs]

Only thing in my opinion is run a contuinity check from the box to the source but if am honest mate you are going to have to pull the wire out unless you have a mega

[jackso11]

I am happy to pull the wire out, happy to dig it out the wall to replace then replaster, I just need to confirm somehow that it is in the wall section of the wire and not in the underfloor part i.e the tiles on the floor will then need to come up.

 

the wire is sticking out the wall at kind of head hight outside the bathroom and sticking out the wall behind the bath panel near the ground, then goes off under the tiles.

 

can I attach a bettery or something to the wire outside the bathroom and then check fir current at the base in the bathroom without cutting the wire?

 

would something like this work?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Non-Contact-AC-Voltage-Volt-Detector-Tester-Pen-Stick-/260591784294?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cac7b1166

[Rob]

There's loads of Sparkys on here, they're probably all out right now, sucking through their teeth and generally doing a poor job of placing fixings where the architects would like them or where is bleeding obvious aesthetically.

Wait till after teatime for betterer answerers.

[edge]

I am happy to pull the wire out, happy to dig it out the wall to replace then replaster, I just need to confirm somehow that it is in the wall section of the wire and not in the underfloor part i.e the tiles on the floor will then need to come up.

 

the wire is sticking out the wall at kind of head hight outside the bathroom and sticking out the wall behind the bath panel near the ground, then goes off under the tiles.

 

can I attach a bettery or something to the wire outside the bathroom and then check fir current at the base in the bathroom without cutting the wire?

 

would something like this work?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Non-Contact-AC-Voltage-Volt-Detector-Tester-Pen-Stick-/260591784294?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3cac7b1166

 

That stick will just tell you when its near something live.

 

Are you able to access both ends of this wire in question?

Does the controller light up?

 

Is it a supply to the controller or from the controller to floor ?

If it is what type of cable is it? got any pics?