[Deano85]

Ok you are finishing someone's work. There is a coiled up mc cable, whats the best why to identify if its live?

 

[FrunkSlammer]

Best as in sure fire way to tell if it's hot, or best as in safest?

TONGUE TEST = BEST

 

[rrolleston]

Ok you are finishing someone's work. There is a coiled up mc cable, whats the best why to identify if its live?

Cut into it with your favourite pair of pliers.

 

[Deano85]

Safest way without tracing it back.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Use a volt stick !

 

[rrolleston]

Strip the outer sheathing and test the wires with your meter.

 

[Deano85]

Strip the outer sheathing and test the wires with your meter.

Ya but its easy to cause a short.

 

[FrunkSlammer]

Just assume it's live then.

Everything is live until proven otherwise.

 

[eejack]

Safest way without tracing it back.

There is no safe way without tracing it back. If you can get to the ends maybe an non contact tester ( idiot stick ) will tell you, but in order to do so you probably have to handle the wire.

Assume it is live, trace it back to a point you can test.

 

[chewy]

Volt stick, then T5 to confirm, if no voltage present then I do a continuity test across earth and neutral and that will tell you if it goes back to a panel.

 

[chicken steve]

Ok you are finishing someone's work. There is a coiled up mc cable, whats the best why to identify if its live?

We'll walk into reno's where a multitude of hanging wires, some still with devices , and nobody knows nuthin'

As nobody really cares about our safety, i put it in $$$ terms

meter out one by one & cut it all back = 3-4 hrs

shut off the main , and do the same = 1/2 that time

~CS~

 

[Deep Cover]

Turn the main off.

 

[Southeast Power]

Ok you are finishing someone's work. There is a coiled up mc cable, whats the best why to identify if its live?

It's hot until proven otherwise.
But,
I would crack it open and stuff a non contact tester in between the metal.

 

[cultch]

It's hot until proven otherwise.
But,
I would crack it open and stuff a non contact tester in between the metal.

That's about all you can do. Usually it would be impractical to shut the main off, on big jobs that i'm usually on.

I almost bit it in my 1st yr with this. Try very hard to never have a piece of mc hanging like that.

If I have this situation I do like jrannis said. Using channel locks or something crack the metal and stick your dummy stick on the thhn. If 277v your dummy stick will usually start chirping if you can just get it close to the thhn.

 

[big2bird]

Ok you are finishing someone's work. There is a coiled up mc cable, whats the best why to identify if its live?

Hire an electrician. It's quite obvious you are not.

 

[cultch]

Hire an electrician. It's quite obvious you are not.

You ever think this dude may just be starting out? Don't be one of those guys.

 

[big2bird]

You ever think this dude may just be starting out? Don't be one of those guys.

If he doesn't know what a ticker is, he should not be finishing up a basement.

 

[Deano85]

You can't use a volt stick on the outside and it doesn't always work jammed in the end.

 

[Calebxx12]

You can't use a volt stick on the outside and it doesn't always work jammed in the end.

But you can strip the bx/mc pretty easy.

 

[cultch]

But you can strip the bx/mc pretty easy.

Right...and I think it's a very good question for some one just starting out to ask cause like I said I almost bit it in my 1st yr with this same thing. Really no one should ever leave an mc like that but...Deano...use insulated channel locks or something to break the steel or aluminum so you can get your touch stick to reach the wires inside.

Bigbird..who said he was in a basement?