Re: Inspection Tools?

[Robert L Bass <sales@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Have any of you found any good tools/tips for inspections/tests
> that make the job more efficient or easier?  Do you use any with
> telescoping poles?

Here are a few of my favorites in no particular order:

+ Dental mirror and penlight for viewing inside wall cavities.
+ Dental pick for grabbing wires from small openings, scratching foil bridges on
circuit boards, etc.
+ Box of about 5 pounds of beaded chain which I bought at a garage sale for $5.
When fishing wires from attic to basement in older homes I would often locate
the wet wall (plumbing chase) where the DWV stack rises through the attic and
drop one end of the chain along side the pipe.  Due to its weight and
flexibility, as I paid it out the chain would find its way to the basement
through any available openings at each level below.
+ Tone set made by Progressive.  Clip the tone generator's leads to any open
circuit and you can trace wires behind walls from several feet away.  This was
great for deciphering unlabeled wiring during takeovers, completions of builder
prewires, etc.
+ Butane soldering iron.  No cord to knock over lamps and stuff.  :)
+ Right-angle, cordless drill from Makita.  When retrofitting ceiling speakers
I'd cut out the opening, reach in with a shortened 3/4" paddle bit (Note to
Olson: paddle bits are perfectly safe once you learn how to use a drill) and
drill the top of the wall to drop my cables down.
+ Laptop computer for downloading panels.  Great for diagnostics and reading
logs on service calls as well as doing the initial configuration on new
installations.

> Do you have universal sensitivity testers?

I'm not aware of a universal sensitivity tester.

> If not, does it cause an issue for your customers?

Not that I've ever noticed. :^)

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Regards,
Robert L Bass

Bass Burglar Alarms
The Online DIY Store
http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com

--

Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups.