Testing Low voltage wire?

[kona12]

Is there an easy/cheap way to test low voltage sprinkler wire to make sure it hasn't been compromised?

I don't have the sprinklers or timer yet but the previous owner put wire in and ran it out to the front of my house and I could save a moderate amount of work if I can figure out if that line is still good. Unfortunately if I wait until the sprinklers and timer are ready and the wire ends up being bad, it could cause even more work.

So being a total electrical jong I am wondering if there is a way to test if the wires are still good?

Thanks for any help!

[2FUNKY]

Get a alligator clip mini light from ace hardware and a 9v battery. Connect one lead to the + and one to the -. Go to other end of wire and clip the light to the corresponding tags. If it lights up, alls good, if not, yer fukt. Cost: $6.00 Keep doing this to all wires to find out what's up.

[powder4breakfast]

You can buy a low voltage meter for cheap. I have one that I used for the same purpose - It looks like a pen and lights up and beeps when voltage flows. Just make sure you get one for low voltage.

Either that or what was described by 2 funky... either one should be cheap and easy to use.

[Hugh Conway]

buy a cheapo multimeter for $10 at the hardware store

[krp8128]

Get a alligator clip mini light from ace hardware and a 9v battery. Connect one lead to the + and one to the -. Go to other end of wire...

..and lick. If it tingles, it should still be good.

Don't use this method with high voltage.

[Snow Dog]

There's two things to check: an open circuit (wire broken) and short circuit (wires crossed). Like others said, get a cheap multimeter.
1. expose the wire ends and strip the wires (leave them in the air)
2. set the meter to ohms (x100 or x10)
A digital meter will show 1. to mean infinite resistance (open circuit)
An analouge meter (with a needle and dial) will have the needle on the left
Short the leads together and the meter should indicate 0 or close to it. There's usually a knob to zero the meter.

3. measure the resistance (one meter lead to each wire). If should be infinite.
4. twist the wire end together and measure the reistance at the other end. It should be close to zero.
If it passes 3 & 4 then it's good to go.

[BigLineSeeker]

^ or use the multi-meter to continuity test each of the two wires one at a time. Typically you will hear a loud beep indicating continuity when the multimeter is on ohms.

[doughboyshredder]

^how would you continuity test one wire at a time? Just curious.

Snow dog is 100% on the money. You could also check for resistance to ground from each wire which should also be infinite.

[Pow4Brains]

^how would you continuity test one wire at a time? Just curious.

Snow dog is 100% on the money. You could also check for resistance to ground from each wire which should also be infinite.

You cant without a really long alligator clip. But if you tie the two together at the load and check for continuity at the source it should be little or nothing.

[2FUNKY]

Snow Dog nailed it. Was gonna say multimeter but you wanted cheap hence the clip light. If you are going to get a multimeter spend at least $30 for one. You will use it more often than you think. A low end Fluke can be had on ebay for around $30-50.

[BigLineSeeker]

You cant without a really long alligator clip. But if you tie the two together at the load and check for continuity at the source it should be little or nothing.

I forgot we were testing a buried wire, my bad

[TeleHoar]

What does the buried wire terminate to? Is there a solenoid buried out there?
Should be able to measure Ohms through the solenoid.
Are you putting a zone valve/ manifold out there?

If he just buried wire with open ends then you will have to find the end of the wire to test, or twist together like mentioned above, which is where you will dig a valve box hole and set up your manifold and zone valves.

You'll probably want to run more wire anyway; easier and cheaper than running plumbing to the various zones.

Sounds like you have nothing in place but a buried wire. Just start over, you are going to have to trench for your PVC lines and Valve boxes anyway. You can lay new wire down then. Wiring is the QUICK and EASY part of the job.

Good luck.

[doughboyshredder]

to test the continuity of any single wire do the following:

First make sure that the wire is isolated from ground by using a multimeter. Make it easy by putting it on the continuity beeper. One lead to either end of the wire, the other lead to ground. If you have no continuity then you know the wire has not been shorted to ground. Now connect one end of the wire to ground. Test for ground on the other end of the wire. If you have it then your individual wire is fine.

This doesn't necessarily apply here, but it's fun.

[kona12]

Thanks, A lot of good advice but I think the Alligator clip and 9v is going to have to do because I think some of you missed that I have nothing hooked up on either end(no electricity) so I don't think any of the multi's will work. I will make sure to report back!

[TomK]

Thanks, A lot of good advice but I think the Alligator clip and 9v is going to have to do because I think some of you missed that I have nothing hooked up on either end(no electricity) so I don't think any of the multi's will work. I will make sure to report back!

Multi-meters have thier own built in battery/power source for resistance measurement. (Stand-alone voltmeters on the other hand...)

[kona12]

Multi-meters have thier own built in battery/power source for resistance measurement. (Stand-alone voltmeters on the other hand...)

After all of these years, I continue to learn something new everyday!