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DIY advice: voltage/metal detectors
Blackadder V
Posts: 2,283 Forum Member
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I am trying to put up 2 shelves, one on each wall in the corner of my room. I have bought a 2 in 1 metal and voltage detector to try and see where the wires and pipes are.
The trouble is that the voltage detector goes off everywhere on the wall. As if there is wire behind the entire wall. I read somewhere that it could be static and if you put your hand next to it the flashing light should stop. I did that and it did stop, however I put the detector on a live plug which was in the socket switched on and when I put my finger on the plug it also stopped when it should not have as there is genuine voltage there. So it makes me wonder.
There are walls in my room where the voltage detector does not go off anywhere apart from the light switch which suggests it is genuinely picking up something (although no voltage detection directly horizon or vertical from the plug is confusing). Yet at the same time the detector beeps on the inside wall of the windows on the wall where there is nothing electrical at all which makes no sense.
The metal detector goes off everywhere on the wall too whether I put my hand there or not. I have also tested the other side of my wall which is the stair case and it goes off too about half way up the wall (which is the start of the floor in my room.
It is as if the entire wall in the corner of my room is made of metal or has pipe everywhere which does not sound right.
There was a shelf in there before which was hammered in a centimetre or two but I plan on drilling in 4cm and don't want to compromise safety.
Does anyone have any insight into this?
The trouble is that the voltage detector goes off everywhere on the wall. As if there is wire behind the entire wall. I read somewhere that it could be static and if you put your hand next to it the flashing light should stop. I did that and it did stop, however I put the detector on a live plug which was in the socket switched on and when I put my finger on the plug it also stopped when it should not have as there is genuine voltage there. So it makes me wonder.
There are walls in my room where the voltage detector does not go off anywhere apart from the light switch which suggests it is genuinely picking up something (although no voltage detection directly horizon or vertical from the plug is confusing). Yet at the same time the detector beeps on the inside wall of the windows on the wall where there is nothing electrical at all which makes no sense.
The metal detector goes off everywhere on the wall too whether I put my hand there or not. I have also tested the other side of my wall which is the stair case and it goes off too about half way up the wall (which is the start of the floor in my room.
It is as if the entire wall in the corner of my room is made of metal or has pipe everywhere which does not sound right.
There was a shelf in there before which was hammered in a centimetre or two but I plan on drilling in 4cm and don't want to compromise safety.
Does anyone have any insight into this?
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Comments
sometimes you can tell by tapping it if they've put any trunking in as it'll sound slightly different than just solid plaster
and at worst you'll probably need to replace the damaged length so 4-5 meters or if the aesthetics are not as important sink a small box into the wall with a face plate and use a 30A choc block to rejoin it (so its available for inspection)
If you're in a new build house the pipes will all be in plastic so a metal detector will be useless. They also never bother to drop them vertically so it can be a lottery trying to find them. The best way to try and detect the pipes is run the heating and feel where the pipes are warming the wall up (this won't work in a stud wall or timber frame house).
I wouldn't put much faith in a detector, especially if its a fairly cheap one.