Locate buried water pipe plastic

[Hossfly]

Anyone ever use a tone generator to locate a buried water pipe PVC 1’’ and 20 years old. When I buried it 20 years ago about 12’’ deep with ditchwhich I had the foresight to lay a locator wire down #12 copper

Now I need to find it, actually a T, in run about 900’ in length, to cut out one area that leaks and not needed anyway.

Have an old tone generator borrowed but will work with new batteries. Just don’t know if this tool will work very far, or how accurate it will be for less digging.

Or try the witching method with a coat hanger wire?

[ascast]

trty it and report back, I have done similar but buried old nails, bolts, hunks of pipe. etc with pipe, just toss one in every 2 or 3 feet.

[Froogal]

I just use a couple lengths of heavy wire, bent into an "L" shape. Hold one loosely in each hand, with the wire pointing forward and start walking. When you approach the buried line, the wires will cross. Mark that spot, and then walk further, turn around and approach the marked spot again. You will be close enough. That method has always worked for me, and my wife can do it also.

[rancher1913]

if you have a "trace" wire buried with it as you say, the best and most sure fire method is to hire an electrician with a locator because unless you know how to use the pipehorn you could be 10 or 20 feet off very easily. the last time I need it done it cost 50 bucks for him to come in and locate. you could also find somebody marking lines along a roadway and see if they would mark it for 20 bucks cash.

[Joe504]

Check Facebook for a local metal detector group. Those guys could probably find it quick, then you let them search your property and split whatever they find.

Source, I did something similar to an abandoned house we thought the previous owner had buried guns on.

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[sharpsguy]

Use the coathangers. It works. Trust me.

[Mal Paso]

A backhoe will find it in seconds, you just have to be ready to fix the break.

If you are talking about a phone line tone generator you usually need to be closer than 12 inches. It's for picking out a pair of wires in a bundle.

I have a Pipe and Cable locator that works the same way but more power. Attach the transmitter to that buried wire and use the receiver to track. The signal Nulls (goes quiet) directly over the wire with a loud signal on either side.

My buddy who is usually a good dowser went over an area all afternoon and could not find the 1" steel water pipe. Started the backhoe and pulled it up with the first scoop. LOL Figure out where you would install a new pipe, that is where the old one will be.

[bosterr]

I was the line locator for the gas company for years. If the tone generator you have is what I call a curb box locator it won't find copper wire. The curb box locator is used to find the cast steel lid for the valve we put in your yard. I used two different Fisher locators for finding plastic pipe buried with tracer wire on "conductive". The transmitter is connected to the wire above ground and the receiver is passed in a zig-zag pattern and you get a null in the tone over the wire like Mal said. The Fisher on "inductive" will not find wire. 1 inch pipe is too small to find with dowsing rods IMO. Hire someone with the proper equipment and it will be a 1 minute job.

[Digger]

Son of a gun .... thought I was the only one here..
Been a metal detector fan since teenage years .
Still have two line detector sets in the shop and a fisher gold bug .
Wish i could get out more and enjoy the "bug"

[bakerjw]

OT a bit. Back in Illinois, when a buried power line would break and leak to ground, they would disconnect all feed to and from it and use a thumper. Basically dumping high current pulses into the line. Worked would walk the line until they felt a thump in the ground and they'd have an approximate idea of were to start digging.

[bedbugbilly]

Another vote for the two pieces of coat hanger in an L shape - "witch" it. The first time I saw this done was when I had to drive a shallow well - a friend of my Dad's taught me and it works. I later used it a number of times on the flarm to locate buried waterlines. I used pieces of coat hanger ut to about 12" - bent so they mad an L with each leg being about 6". Make a fist with each hand with the L held loosely in the fist so they will swing - point the leg of each straight forward and you can actually feel the pull on them when you find your target and they will cross over each other.

I also buried a gas line from my house to the shop - about 120'. When I trenched it in I laid a #10 coper wire in with it to locate it if needed. A few years later, I was going to dose work and needed to know where the gas line was. My wife had given me a "treasure finder" (neat detector)
that I like to play with - I got that out and had no problems locating the gasoline as I could easily pick up the #10 copper wire. You might put some feelers out to see if someone in your area has a metal detector - lot's of folks have them and most would be willing to help you out.
Good luck!

[Hossfly]

Tried the tone generator this morning and it will sound off anywhere near the exposed wire but 3’ down the run under 12’’ of dirt nothing.

[popper]

Metal detector will work but line tracer is faster/better. Here, most anybody - cable/gas/water have them required before any digging. Lawn sprinkler guys have them too. You could cheat. If a local AM station nearby, transistor radio and earphones will work.

[quilbilly]

If I was closer to you, I would dowse it for you. I have done it many times for neighbors and even couple historical societies. Don't know why but it works. I use bent copper wire from Home Depot.

[jonp]

I just use a couple lengths of heavy wire, bent into an "L" shape. Hold one loosely in each hand, with the wire pointing forward and start walking. When you approach the buried line, the wires will cross. Mark that spot, and then walk further, turn around and approach the marked spot again. You will be close enough. That method has always worked for me, and my wife can do it also.

+1. Heavy power pole copper grounding wire works. Put the ends your going to hold in
6-8 in pvc pipe so the wire swings freely. think about the water line and walk slowly holding the wires out front of you level to the ground. When they cross you've found your line.

Sounds silly and I thought so but I tried it and located not only my water line but sewer line

[RoyEllis]

Louisiana One Call System is what you need to call. It's free, they will send utility reps out to mark any & all lines buried in your work area. Be onsite, you can slip one of the locator techs a few bucks & he will mark your water line for lunch money. Plus side...if there's a utility line you didn't know was there it will get marked and if it's missed or not marked, you won't be financially liable for the utility damage.

[Mal Paso]

Louisiana One Call System is what you need to call. It's free, they will send utility reps out to mark any & all lines buried in your work area. Be onsite, you can slip one of the locator techs a few bucks & he will mark your water line for lunch money. Plus side...if there's a utility line you didn't know was there it will get marked and if it's missed or not marked, you won't be financially liable for the utility damage.

There you go. Let someone with a $2000 rig find it for you.

[WheelgunConvert]

Lawnmower and an am radio. Wrap a piece of insulated copper wire around the spark plug wire 8-10 times and attach the other end to the trace. You can track the signal with the am radio.

[Mal Paso]

Lawnmower and an am radio. Wrap a piece of copper wire around the spark plug wire 8-10 times and attach the other end to the trace. You can track the signal with the am radio.

Too Cool! I'm going to remember that one. Do they still have AM Radio?

[elmacgyver0]

Lawnmower and an am radio. Wrap a piece of insulated copper wire around the spark plug wire 8-10 times and attach the other end to the trace. You can track the signal with the am radio.

Sounds like something I would do.

[Pipefitter]

The dowsing or witching will work better if the water is running through the pipe. I always used a couple of welding rods.
Some years back my next door neighbor spent over $400 on a metal detector to find a buried pipe. Metal detector didn't work, but 50 cents of welding rod in my hands did find the pipe.

[CLAYPOOL]

I "SECOND", the back hoe. None of this "AMATEUR" attempts.. I guarantee it will locate a line or wire every time..

[NyFirefighter357]

Lawnmower and an am radio. Wrap a piece of insulated copper wire around the spark plug wire 8-10 times and attach the other end to the trace. You can track the signal with the am radio.

I know this works with a broken wire too!

Problem I had was finding an AM portable radio!

[wgr]

why is it that deep

[samari46]

Used two 20" pieces of brazing rod with one bend to form the handle. Used it at work to locate buried water lines and underground oil lines. And now that I'm retired to locate PVC water lines from the meter and buried lines from the pool. Even showed my wife's niece and she found lines as well. Louisiana's one dig when called will come out and locate any underground facilities such as water and gas lines. Most if not all power lines are still mounted down here on poles. And not uncommon if the power goes out it's usually a safe bet some fool has hit a pole. Heck even the guys who drive tractors with cane carts have been known to take down the odd pole or two. By the way failure to call Louisiana one dig can net you some hefty fines and replacement costs if you take out any underground water and gas lines. Not uncommon for someone to dig up a water or gas line or get injured. Then it really becomes expensive. Frank

[jessdigs]

I am a backhoe operator for PG&E, the nation's largest utility. If there is a tracer wire with it, you can locate it to 95% certainty. What kind of locator are you using? Metrotech? Pipehorn? If you need help feel free to pm me. We use pipehorn and metrotech every day to verify before excavating.

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[Hossfly]

May try the lawn mower method, I think I have old portable radio in shop. Just will need batteries and try to get some noise out of it. If can get within a couple feet then will break out manual shovel, to hot today to do many test digs. Will be 94’ today with usual mosquitoes and other vermin in the woods. Other option would to just cut off the H2O to this line and let dozier find the line and patch or reroute later.

[Hossfly]

May try the lawn mower method, I think I have old portable radio in shop. Just will need batteries and try to get some noise out of it. If can get within a couple feet then will break out manual shovel, to hot today to do many test digs. Will be 94’ today with usual mosquitoes and other vermin in the woods. Other option would to just cut off the H2O to this line and let dozier find the line and patch or reroute later.

[popper]

am radios use a rod antenna so you will get a null or a peak depending on how you hold it. Basically same as pipe tracer.

[WheelgunConvert]

If you have any HAM operators within a couple hundred yards you may want to give them a heads up. It won’t damage anything but could send them on a snipe hunt for nothing.

[WheelgunConvert]

You can often find the little pocket am/fm radio on the clearance rack in the back of Walmart or dollar stores. Old hardware stores usually have them.

The little weather emergency radios would also be useable after the task

[peachhead]

Coat hangers or copper wire works. Don't know why and some people just can't do it apparently. As mentioned, it does work better if there has been water in it recently.

[Lloyd Smale]

OT a bit. Back in Illinois, when a buried power line would break and leak to ground, they would disconnect all feed to and from it and use a thumper. Basically dumping high current pulses into the line. Worked would walk the line until they felt a thump in the ground and they'd have an approximate idea of were to start digging.

i was a lineman and we used thumpers often to find faults. But they arent locators and you sure wouldnt want to stress a good cable hooking one up to it. The locators we used had to be clamped on a wire above the ground and sent a signal through it that the locator picked up. It wouldnt work on plastic because i doesnt conduct. I guess the new ones are more like ground radar and would probably work. As to "witching" ditch the coat hangers and get a chunk of #6 solid copper and make a 90 degree bend to hold them in your hands and youll be suprised how well they worked. Guys at work would shake there head at things i found with them that the fancy locator wouldnt. Even power lines burried so deep the locator had problems finding.

[Bookworm]

I agree with the dousing rods to find buried pipes.

My late Grandfather was a drainage contractor back in WW2 era. He showed me the trick about 2 bent rods. I've used it many times to find PVC piping, electric cables, even keys lost in tall grass. It works, but not for everyone.

My father can't make it work, I can.

[skeettx]

Following this thread,

[sparky45]

What a beautiful job of digging.

[beshears]

1-800 dig rite in Missouri

[rancher1913]

the problem with call 811 to get locates is they only do the right of way on your property, not your whole property so they are useless if the line you are locating is away from a road.

[MT Gianni]

Bare #12 copper in MT soils will be gone in a year. Coated, rated for direct bury with no voltage might get 15 years. Wire with the proper rating is not easily found. Good luck.
I believe coat hangers/copper wires will find disturbed ground. That means any and all trenches. Call your local 811 for a free locate to get the utilities located. Slip the locator $15 to trace your wire out.

[elmacgyver0]

OT a bit. Back in Illinois, when a buried power line would break and leak to ground, they would disconnect all feed to and from it and use a thumper. Basically dumping high current pulses into the line. Worked would walk the line until they felt a thump in the ground and they'd have an approximate idea of were to start digging.

I thought thumpers were used to call giant sand worms!

Let's see if anyone knows what I'm talking about.

[nicholst55]

I thought thumpers were used to call giant sand worms!

Let's see if anyone knows what I'm talking about.

Dune.

And FWIW, I vote for the free Utility Locator method. I did that for a few months years ago, and I know that for $20 cash, I would have located anything the land owner wanted!

[abunaitoo]

Dowsing, or Witching, works..................For most people.
Once at work they had to find a water line.
Bunch of guys came with some fancy, expensive looking equipment.
Paint lines all over the place.
Dig here............
Nothing.
Dig here............
Nothing
Dig here............
Nothing.
Machine broken, need to get another from the shop.
Hop tow operator get two wires and starts walking around.
Finds the water line nowhere close to any of the painted lines.
Not on work out of those fancy collage boys and their expensive toys.
I've tried it a few times with mixed results.
About 50/50. Hit and miss????
But I really don't know what I'm doing.
Give it a try.

[wildwilly501]

Did you fix it yet.Is in a wet area.Maybe your soil is different than in Pa around here a leak in a pipe a foot under ground would take about 5 minutes to find that shallow the water would be coming to the top very close to the leak,Sometimes in a deep ditch it will travel a ways before coming up but it not hard to follow a foot deep pipe.The rods do work.As far as locater services they are better than they used to be put I've pulled up phone lines as big around as your arm when the flags and paint were 30 feet away.

[Texas by God]

Piece of cake to find the path with a valve locator/ wire tracer since you had the foresight to install the copper wire in the ditch. Some irrigation supply houses rent them out. The bent wire witching works if your voodoo is correct- seriously. BUT- as stated above- the 100% accurate way is to try to NOT hit it with the backhoe!

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