how to track cables?

Scruff

I have a few dozen co-ax and satellite cables coming into a central distribution point in my house but no idea which goes where as they arent labelled and most of the connectors were snipped off by previous owner or never attached in the first place.

Do i need something like this:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/cable-tracker-with-tone-generator-n74cc

or can someone recommend something better/cheaper for diy jobs?

tomdempsey200

yes...that's the quickest


you can use a basic multimeter but it's a lot slower

Irish Steve

Cable (tracker,tracer) on e-bay will show up some items, and there are some that are basically the same, and considerably cheaper, even allowing for the Parcel Motel fee for local delivery.

A lot will depend on how urgent the job is, delivery from china takes a while, from the UK I've had things arrive in 3 days including Parcel Motel time.

KK4SAM

Kellihers Electrical Wholesalers have them I think. + Radionics & Farnell

ted1

If your sure that there's nothing connected anywhere.
And As you don't have the tool the easiest thing would be to short out one end if the cable . Connect the screen to the centre cable. Go to opposite end of cable with a multi Meyer set to buzz. Touch one lead if the centre pin and one of the screen/ outer part if co axial connection. If it buzzes that's your cable

tomdempsey200

ted1 wrote: »

If your sure that there's nothing connected anywhere.
And As you don't have the tool the easiest thing would be to short out one end if the cable . Connect the screen to the centre cable. Go to opposite end of cable with a multi Meyer set to buzz. Touch one lead if the centre pin and one of the screen/ outer part if co axial connection. If it buzzes that's your cable

prob right if he has a multimeter


once off with a few dozen cables would'nt take more than an hour or 2 to sort out

ted1

Forgot to mention do one at a time so at any point only one cable is shorted

cast_iron

ted1 wrote: »

If your sure that there's nothing connected anywhere.
And As you don't have the tool the easiest thing would be to short out one end if the cable . Connect the screen to the centre cable. Go to opposite end of cable with a multi Meyer set to buzz. Touch one lead if the centre pin and one of the screen/ outer part if co axial connection. If it buzzes that's your cable

Cheapest way alright.

Or if you don't have a multimeter, buy a 996 battery (big square one for torches) and a 6V torch bulb. Connect the battery up from the coax plate in each room with a bit of coax - screen to one spring terminal, core to the other. Then, in the attic, test the bulb off each cable until it lights up.

It also eliminates ted's potential issue of a short elsewhere if you can't be sure as the bulb will only light up when connected to the cable with battery the other end.

Scruff

cheers folks. have a multimeter alright, will give that a go first. Will make sure everything is definitely disconnected first.
Can i use also the multimeter to find which cables are connected to the LNB on my satellite dish? I have 2 wires of a group of 4 go into the attic connected to the LNB and i think they go into the central distribution point via attic. Satellite is aligned already so there should be a signal if not shorted.