Main Applications - Amprobe AT-6010-EUR Manual De Usuario

3. MAIN APPLICATIONS

IMPORTANT NOTICE, PLEASE READ BEFORE STARTING TRACING
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Avoiding signal cancellation problems with a separate neutral or separate ground connection
The signal generated by the Transmitter creates an electromagnetic field around the wire. This
field is what is detectable by the Receiver. The clearer this signal, the easier it is to trace the wire.
If Transmitter is connected to two adjacent wires on the same circuit (for example, line/phase
and neutral wires), the signal travels in one direction through the first wire and then returns (in
opposite direction) through the second. This causes the creation of two electromagnetic fields
around each wire with opposite direction. These opposing fields will partially or completely cancel
each other out, making wire tracing difficult if not impossible.
Figure 3a
To avoid the cancellation effect, a separate neutral or separate ground connection method should
be used. The red test lead of the Transmitter should be connected to the line/phase wire of the
circuit you wish to trace, and the green lead to a separate ground or neutral (such as water pipe,
ground stake, metal grounded structure of the building, or ground connection of an outlet) on
a different branch. It is important to understand that an acceptable separate neutral/ground is
NOT the terminal of any receptacle on the same branch as the wire you wish to trace. If line/phase
wire is Energized and the Transmitter is properly connected to a separate neutral/ground, the red
LED on the Transmitter will light up. The separate neutral/ground connection creates maximum
signal strength because the electromagnetic field created around the line/phase wire is not being
cancelled by a signal on the return path flowing along an adjacent wire (ground or neutral) in the
opposite direction, but rather through the separate connection.
TIP: In circuits protected by RCD you must use always separate neutral connection instead of
separate ground connection. Otherwise you will trip RCD.
Please refer also to Special Applications, section 4.1 "RCD-Protected Circuit Wire Tracing" for
alternative tracing methods.
RCD
Figure 3b: Example of separate neutral connection (prefered)
Figure 3c: Example of separate ground connection (alternative)
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