Aqua-Tronics Power Pup User manual

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Model AT-9X Loaded Line Locator
www.aquatronics.com
The “Power Pup”

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
General Information
Description
Operation
Battery Test
Denition of MAXIMUM or PEAK
Maximum Method
Denition of NULL
Null Method
Swinging the Locator
Depth
Locating low impedance ground faults
Service
Warranty
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GENERAL INFORMATION
The Power Pup has been designed for locating 50 or 60 Hz energized loaded power
cables.
The Power Pup receiver is tuned to the magnetic eld being radiated from a cable
when current is present. The cable must be energized with some type of load. If
the cable is energized and does not have a load, a 120 volt heater element, a power
drill or similar appliance will provide the necessary current ow. The more current
owing in the cable, the easier the location will be.
DESCRIPTION
The Model AT-9X Power Pup: A solid state receiver tuned to 50 / 60 Hz. It has a
built in speaker to hear the signal being received and an analog meter to view signal
strength.
OPERATION
The on-off and null/peak rocker switch is located on the front panel. The depth
gauge bubble level is to the left and the battery test push button is to the right. The
sensitivity control knob us located below the handle.
BATTERY TEST
The battery test button to the right of the dual rocker switches will not function until
the instrument is turned on. If the batteries test below the battery OK mark on the
meter, remove the battery cover, disconnect the battery connector and then remove
the battery tray and replace the 6 alkaline AA batteries.
MAXIMUM OR PEAK
See Fig. 1 A maximum meter reading will be found directly over the cable and the
meter will decrease to lesser readings as the instrument moves away from either side
of the cable location.
Figure 1

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MAXIMUM METHOD
With the instrument turned on, push the peak-null switch to the peak position. Hold
the instrument with the receiving antenna close to the ground and right angles to the
direction of the cable.
Adjust the sensitivity control up ( clockwise ) until an on scale meter reading is
found. Walk in the direction that increases the meter reading. The meter will
increase as you near the cable. If the meter goes off scale, decrease the sensitivity
control for an on scale meter reading and continue to walk in that direction. At
some point, the meter will start to decrease. Stop at the location where the highest
meter reading was found. Rotate the instrument to the right and then to the left.
When the highest meter reading has been found by rotating the instrument and by
moving it side ways back and forth. The antenna is pointing at the cable and the
instrument handle is in-line with the direction of the cable route.
Now that the cable has been located, the cable path can easily be traced. With the
antenna directly over and at right angles to the cable path, walk in the direction to
be traced. Keep moving the instrument from one side to the other and each time a
maximum reading is found, the cable will be directly below the receiving antenna.
The loudspeaker audio will respond the same way the meter responds to the signal
level. The maximum audio will be heard when the meter is reading its highest point.
When the cable has been found and the exact position is needed, turn down the
sensitivity control until a very small movement of the meter can be seen as the
antenna passes over the cable (the lowest reading the operator can detect on the
meter). This will help insure other cables in the area are not inuencing the
location.
NULL
See Fig. 2
The receiver will see a high signal on both sides of the cable and a loss or minimum
signal directly over the cable. Unlike the peak method, in the null mode the
instrument is unidirectional and will not provide direction to the cable route. The
instrument antenna can be at any angle to the cable route and it will see the same
signal level.
NULL METHOD
With the instrument turned on, push the null-peak switch to the null position. As
the instrument is moved toward the cable, the signal level on the meter will increase.
As the receiving antenna crosses the cable, the signal level will drop to a very low

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reading and then increase as the instrument crosses to the other side of the cable.
By moving the instrument back and forth across the cable path, a sharp drop in
signal will be directly over the cable and a high signal level will be on each side of
the cable position.
Make free use of the sensitivity control. The wide null reading can be changed to a
very sharp or narrow loss of signal by increasing the sensitivity..
The cable route can be found by nding two null points and then moving the
instrument back and forth across the cable path as the route of the cable is located.
SWINGING THE LOCATOR
It is easy to develop bad habits when making a locate. The receiving antenna
should be perpendicular with the ground when the antenna is pointing at the cable;
therefore, the received should be moved back and forth on a locate with the antenna
parallel to the ground. Never swing the locator across the cable path. Swinging
the instrument across a cable path can induce errors into the locate.
DEPTH
The null or peak method could be used to determine a cable depth, but the null is the
easiest. See Fig. 3
On a 45° triangle, two sides are equal. A 45° bubble level is located to the left
of the null-peak ---- on-ff switch.. Once the cable has been located and marked,
tilt the receiver to the right so the tip of the receiver and the end of the right antenna
housing are both touching the ground. Move off to the side of the spot marked as
Figure 2

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cable location. Move away until a sharp null has been found. You may have to
increase the sensitivity a little to obtain the sharp null you are looking for. With the
tip of the receiver and the right antenna housing both touching the ground, mark the
ground where the side antenna housing is touching. The distance between this new
mark and the mark made over the cable location is the depth of the cable. (NOTE:
This is an approximate depth. A true 45° is when the bubble inside the depth gauge
is equally spaced between the small circle in the center and the black outer ring..
Also consider that the slope of the ground may not be level. )
Other cables in the ground radiating signal can cover up a null on one side of the
cable making a depth reading possible on one side only. Making the depth reading
from both sides will help when accuracy is required. When depth readings from
both sides agree, the depth will be accurate. If the two depths do not agree, the
magnetic eld being radiated from the cable is not round and the accuracy of the
cable locate is now in question.
LOCATING A LOW IMPEDANCE SECONDARY
GROUND FAULT
Pull the meter and measure the voltage on the two hot legs. If a voltage reading is
60 volts or above, this method will not work because it is a high impedance fault and
an earth gradient cable fault locator is needed.
If the voltage is 60 volts or less, the AT-9X may locate the fault. Since the meter is
Surface Distance
45˚
45˚
90˚
Cable Position Mark
Depth
Figure 3

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at a low voltage, the transformer cannot maintain the proper voltage beyond the fault.
This is an indication that a lot of current is going into the ground at the fault.
Trace the cable route in the peak mode starting at the transformer. Since a lot
of current is going into the ground, there will be less current in the cable between
the fault and the meter so the instrument will see a reduction in signal at the point
of fault. Two things can produce the reduction in signal strength. The fault, or
the cable going deeper. Because the magnetic eld will be distorted in the area
around the fault, the null method will not work on grounded faults.
SERVICE
If for any reason assistance is needed with this instrument, contact the nearest
Aqua-Tronics, Inc. sales outlet. You may also write, call, or email directly to Aqua-
Tronics, Inc. and provide full details of your problem or needs. You can nd your
nearest sales ofce at www.aquatronics.com under REP LOCATOR.
WARRANTY
All Aqua-Tronics products are warranted against defective materials and
workmanship.
The AT-9X Power Pup has a one year warranty period from the date of purchase.
Aqua-Tronics, Inc. will repair or replace all products which prove to be defective
during the warranty period. All warranty repair will take place at our manufacturing
plant or at one of our eld service centers. The decision of determining warranty
defects from abuse or breakage, , and where the instrument is to be repaired, lies with
Aqua-Tronics, Inc.
If products are sent to Aqua-Tronics, Inc. for service, please send it pre-paid. If
the service is covered by warranty, the product will be returned pre-paid. No other
warranty is provided or implied.

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