How do I find a buried electricity cable (that is apparently in my garden somewhere)?

I bought a new house and the electrician installed a mains cable from the garage into the garden. Its a couple of years since he did it and he can't remember the exact location. The ground has been made up since and I can't find the cable anywhere.

How do I find a buried electricity cable (that is apparently in my garden somewhere)?
The C.Scope cable avoidance tool is a full function, industry standard locator which every ground working operative will find familiar and easy to use.

Better by design, the budget priced Cable Avoidance Tool is rugged, lightweight and packed full of features: LCD meter, precision locating as standard. Detachable loud speaker, held next to the ear in noisy work conditions. Fingertip controls, adjust sensitivity and rapid switching between the locator's three operating modes. Add the powerful C.Scope accessories and the Cable Avoidance Tool is the main component of a versatile pipe and cable tracing system.



Controls



* On/off control on handle, activated when in use

* Three position function select switch:

* P - Power mode for detecting live, imbalanced cables

* R - Radio mode for detecting re-radiated radio signals

* G - Generator mode for detecting conductors carrying the signal generated by the generator

* Sensitivity control

* Detachable and user replaceable loudspeaker

* User replaceable base protector

* Display shows signal strength, battery condition, operating mode





Depth of detectionThe C.A.T. will typically detect conductors to the following depths:



* P - 3 metres

* R - 2 metres

* G - 3 metres



Please note that site conditions such as soil, moisture and temperature can affect these depth performance levels.



Sensitivity at 1 metre (typical)



* P - 7m A RMS

* R - 10uA RMS

* G - 10uA RMS



* Response width - 5% of depth

* Location accuracy - 10% of depth

* Batteries - 8 x AA (Supplied)

* Battery life 40 hours intermittent use at 20 deg C

* Weight 3 kg

* Moisture/dust resistant IP65



You can hire this from HSS, click link to view:



http://www.hss.com/g/49514/Cable_Avoidin...



Code Item1st Day Add DayWeekendWeekHire

49510 Cable Avoiding Tool - 33khz ￡35.00 ￡17.50 ￡43.75 ￡70.00

49512 Auto-Sweep Detector ￡42.00 ￡21.00 ￡52.50 ￡84.00

49519 Signal Generator 33khz ￡33.00 ￡16.50 ￡41.25 ￡66.00

49520 Detection Sonde ￡7.50 ￡3.75 ￡9.38 ￡15.00

49514 Hire Pack 1 ￡53.00 ￡26.50 ￡66.25 ￡106.00

49515 Hire Pack 2 ￡60.00 ￡30.00 ￡75.00 ￡120.00
Reply:start prodding the ground with a sharp metal pole! should be intresting!
Reply:CALL 1-800-DIG SAFE OR YOUR LOCAL POWER COMPANY.. THEY CAN HAVE A SERVEY THE AREA AND FIND THE CABLE FOR YOU... USUALLY ITS FREE OF CHARGE
Reply:Go to your local hire shop and hire a CAT (Cable Avoidance Tool). Read the instructions first, but they're pretty easy to use
Reply:Shiney Blue has the answer, but if u find nearby road works they'll prob find it for u for the price of a pint, water, gas and electric maintenance all carry CAT.
Reply:Short of digging it up the other method would be to find an electrical with an unground cable locator. depending on the depth it still might create a problem for a beginner. You could call the ultilies and ask if they could or would help?
Reply:Call the electric co., they have maps that show where all cables are.
Reply:Shiny Blues answer sounds reasonable. I don't think the electric company will locate private lines, only their own %26amp; they definatly don't have maps of privatly installed lines. Why don't you call the electrician that originally installed it?
Reply:Call the electric company they will come and show you for free.
Reply:You can use a device called a CAT (CAble Tracker) if you know any under cable repairers such as those who do telephone cables or contractors who dig up the road for these companies they should be able to find it no problem.
Reply:Just go to a store %26amp; buy a metal detector, with ur credit card, go home find the wire, then take the detector back %26amp; tell them ur wife bought u a better one.
Reply:Start from the point where the cable enters the garage and work back. (Best to switch it off first!)



If the electrician did his job properly he will have used armoured cable and buried it at least 60cm deep. Happy digging.
Reply:Try using a metal detector..........but cetainly don't try digging for it.
Reply:That garbage from Oakley 46 is just that!! You can call the electric company and they'll locate it for you for nothing.. or depending on where you are 1 800 DIG TESS they are an underground utility locator and are free also
Reply:buy or rent a tic tracer type electronic signal sender...plug it into the circuit live or tie it to the circuit and it sends a signal along the entire wire and it has a range to pick up underground the few feet it will be buried... I have one myself..