cables in stud wall

s7ryf3925pivug

The consensus here is the best approach to avoid wires behind plaster is to drill a small hole, poke it with a screwdriver and see if there is anything behind it.

I got a cable detector and it showed constant false positives. I also tried an IR camera. Did not work.

I have located studs with a magnet over the nails. My understanding is that these are preferable as you're putting screws into solid wood not hollow plaster. My question is do they ever have cables on them? If they do, how can you tell?

Idioteque

Not on them as such (as how would the PB be fixed otherwise), but the can have cable running through them or up along them in between both sides of your stud wall.

Best way I’ve found is with a stud finder that flashes and beeps for electrics and pipes.

Studs are preferable yes but only really if your hanging something particularly heavy. Usually there won’t be a stud where you want to hang something so it’s more about using a decent plasterboard fixing which is perfectly fine

s7ryf3925pivug

Idioteque wrote: »

Not on them as such (as how would the PB be fixed otherwise), but the can have cable running through them or up along them in between both sides of your stud wall.

Best way I’ve found is with a stud finder that flashes and beeps for electrics and pipes.

Studs are preferable yes but only really if your hanging something particularly heavy. Usually there won’t be a stud where you want to hang something so it’s more about using a decent plasterboard fixing which is perfectly fine

I got a cable detector and it thinks everything I touch with it has a live wire, including internal doors and things. Googling shows that this appears to be a common issue with them. Can they be calibrated or something to fix this?

Idioteque

This is the one I have (didn't buy it there though) and I've found it very reliable.

In saying that, if I'm ever still uncertain (e.g. I've a feeling an electrical or water pipe run would be in the area even though it's not being picked up by the finder), I'll always check by making a hole as it's easier to patch that than the alternative.

Sleeper12

Idioteque wrote:

is the one I have (didn't buy it there though) and I've found it very reliable.

I had an older version of this. Always detected the cable and had 3 settings to find different sized studs. Paid around 20 or 30 euro 12 years ago in B&Q if memory serves.
Highly recommend

josip

The most reliable way I've used to find cables in a wall was with a hammer action drill and an RCD.
Thanks to the RCD all I got was a grapeshot of plaster, ringing in the ears and a slight blackface.
Whatever approach you take, play it safe (not like me)