Contractor wanting advice

**rileyx** · September 17th, 2011, 10:20 PM

Hi everyone

I am a verry small contractor wanting to buy a locator for locating from the meter to the house propane lines and all the things that one call does not cover

This is usualy something that I have to use an educated guess for and I would like a tool that would give me a little more chance than I now have I have the most respect for you guys that do this for a living and I am not trying to cut anyone out of the loop but one call only goes so far

any advise would be appricated

**ifinditunderground** · September 17th, 2011, 10:29 PM

Go get yourself a new or gently used Metrotech 810. You cannot go wrong with this tool.

**TheCableVine** · September 17th, 2011, 11:19 PM

What is your budget? You can get a great locator that will do everything you need it to for thousands of dollars, or you can watch ebay and get split box for a couple hundred dollars. Will you be needing an induction clamp to locate wires that you can't direct connect to? If so, a split box or other basic locator will not work for you.

For simple locates like propane lines a split box (Detectron Pipe and Cable Locator) would work fine. For more complicated locates you will need something more advanced like a Metrotech.

**rileyx** · September 18th, 2011, 10:01 AM

Budget is around 1 thousand maybe I could go to fifteen hundred I have been looking at the Pipehorn 800 as this fits in the price range

I worry about buying used Not knowing if I am buying a piece of junk or not

**mikeinnella** · September 18th, 2011, 12:43 PM

go with a rd 4000 used will fall in your price range

**sprayandpray** · September 18th, 2011, 07:59 PM

Pipehorns are a little dangerous if you don't have the experience.

**swagman** · September 19th, 2011, 11:27 PM

or you could call ,utilities plus ,or magic valley locates ,we both work that area quite a bit ,if you had several jobs ,we could work out a fair deal ,on the pricing ,as for myself stand behind all my work 100%, give either one of us a call or both ,let's talk ,

**RD_Wrangler** · September 20th, 2011, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by swagman

or you could call ,utilities plus ,or magic valley locates ,we both work that area quite a bit ,if you had several jobs ,we could work out a fair deal ,on the pricing ,as for myself stand behind all my work 100%, give either one of us a call or both ,let's talk ,

You looking for a sub in the NE Oregon/SE Washington area Swag?