Before any large-scale digging needs to be done or a deep hole needs to be made you need to ensure that you don't have any utility lines or underground pipes in your way. This is where an underground line locator is going to help you immensely. These devices are meant to detect what's underneath be it in the form of a cable or pipe. This is done with the help of radio waves which are sent by the device and then are brought back by bouncing off utility lines. But not every underground service locator is made the same hence why certain properties and features should be considered when buying one.
What to Consider in an Underground Service Locator
Range
The frequency range of underground service locator equipment will tell you a lot about its ability to detect multiple sources. It's best that you look for a locator with multiple frequencies. An underground service locator with a frequency range between 10 Hz and 35,000 kHz is considered to be a high-end device. One with a range between 50 Hz and 200 kHz is a standard unit.
Depth
The accuracy of an underground line locator depends on its depth estimate. The depth at which you need the device to perform its measurements will determine the depth estimate of the device. High-end locators are able to provide an accurate measurement at a depth of 5 m. It's best that you for a model that can provide accurate measurements at the depth you need it with an accuracy level of no more than ±5%
Dimensions & Weight
The size of underground service locator equipment also plays a role in how well it'll be able to perform. Usually, the larger the equipment the more capable the model is but that's not always the case as newer locators are not as bulky as they used to be.
Smaller devices may be more portable and easier to find a place in the back of your ute, but they're not always as capable. Al tough that is changing it's still not there yet. But keep in mind that lightweight models are going to be more Versailles since you can use them in more places than heavier models.
Overload Protection
A feature that you will definitely like having on your underground locator is overlaid protection. This feature serves to protect the device from getting confused by all the active signals around it be it from underground or overhead utility lines. With an overload protection feature your device will be able to take accurate readings and thus provide accurate results too.
Screen
The screen of an underground utility locator must be bright enough so you can read the results and readings even in direct sunlight. Bright screens are typically found on quality locators so that you don't have to look for a shade just to see results or to prepare the device for the search.
Strike Alert
Another useful feature you should be looking into is known as strike alert. This feature is usually built-in and it alerts you when the device has come across a buried object that can be hazardous during excavation. The data you get from this feature can also be recorded so you know at which depth the object is found.
GPS/ GNSS
Having an internal GPS/ GNSS receiver will make your underground line locator even more advanced. This is because this feature allows you to log data about your position so that you access it alter. In case there is a line that you want to go to at a later date you can do so with a model that has an internal GPS/ GNSS receiver.
Accessories
Underground cable detectors can also come with some accessories. One of these accessories are signal clamps which work together with another detector accessory known as a signal generator. The use of signal clamps is so that you can locate a line by applying the signal from the generator along a cable or pipe.
Signal generators as you'd expect are devices that produce a signal that you can then use to trace a utility line of any kind. Underground locators can have sondes too which are able to help you find utilities made of non-conductive materials.
Active vs Passive Locating
These two methods of locating a utility line may both use radio waves, they just do so differently. Passive locating does so by being able to detect already sexting signals coming off from a utility line. With active locating, the device is the one sending out signals and then it wights for them to be brought back by the utility line once the signals bounce off from it.
The latter is more complex but also a more thorough method and more accurate too. That is as long as the buried utility is made of a conductive material, otherwise, you'll need the sonde mentioned above.
