Electrical Troubleshooting Made Easy! (+ GIVEAWAY)

[@BackyardMaine]

The winners have been selected using a program called pick a winner which scans all the comments and picks random winners. Congratulations to the lucky winners @marlonaviles233 and @ashleyhunter3300. If in two days I don't have the information from one or both winners then I will select a new winner(s). Thanks for all the amazing comments and for your continued support. I'll try to do some more giveaways in the future. Become part of the Backyard Maine family.. Its free.. Subscribe Here kzbin.info EDIT: One of the winners has not replied after 48 hours so a new winner was selected. It was @samoyervides6997. Congratulations Sam.

[@ElectroAtletico]

Going up and down the stairs, while checking for short circuits, is getting harder everyday. Now in my late 50's. That looks like an amazing product. Well done IDEAL!!!

[@jimharris1590]

Retired electrician still do volunteer work to seniors who can't afford it. I don't have a meter like that---enjoy your cast---Jim

[@Dennis-ys8ho]

What an awesome opportunity you are providing. Win or lose, thank you. I have always been a DIYer and am the consummate perfectionist. I am newly retired and since I cannot sit still, have been offering handyman services … many of which are electrical. I have been working with electric for 50+ years. Right now, everything I am doing is mostly volunteer work … so people can see the quality of my work. Everything electrical is strictly by code and will never, ever take a shortcut. This type of tester has long been on my bucket list but simply stated, I just cannot afford to purchase one yet. G-d bless you and Ideal Tools!

[@VaHKGuy]

My house is nearly 100 years old. For about 10 years, I've had several dead outlets, but couldn't trace the faulty breaker. I'd re-label my circuit breakers plus I'd diagram my wiring & electrical routing. My parents are in their 80s. My dad hasn't kept up with his breaker either. So, I'd sort that out. Lastly, I have many neighbors who need the same help. This years marks 20 year cancer free anniversary. I'm grateful to be alive. I'm 100% into doing for others. Thank you for your channel.

[@kevinsuitter8413]

My 89 year old father lives in a 110 year old house in northern Maine. The house has a lot of knob and tube wiring as well as a crazy amount of different fixtures and appliances sharing a circuit and things have to be turned on or used in a certain order to prevent tripping of circuits. I have been slowly trying to get things organized and labeled in some sort of recognizable and safe order. Last year I got a new 200 amp main panel installed to start out fresh….. this year during my Christmas trip I am planning on tracing out the circuits and rerouting as necessary to get things in some semblance or order. Your videos have been very helpful in this endeavor …. Thank you for your content!

[@JamieHitt]

My mother's house has an almost unusable 2nd floor due to wiring issues. Electricians have given estimates far beyond her ability to pay. I have the skill to make the electrical updates/repairs. But I don't have the testing equipment I would need. This would serve that purpose. I would also volunteer it's use for our church and community building. Both of which are in need. If I were to win the give away, I would use this to help anyone I can and never charge them a dime. You have my word.

[@deadmanswife3625]

A licensed electrician I hired and paid exactly what was charged was supposed to put in some new work instead s h e spliced in and pulled out a lot of the wiring that was already there so same as your mother I have an almost unusable second floor

[@garyfrechette8689]

It's a wonderful tool! I have 2 200 Amp panels right now that have several mislabeled breakers due to years of changes without correct markings. This tool would be a wonderful aid in getting this job done. And thanks for offering us the opportunity to win one. BTW, I live in Maine, too.

[@JonGillan]

I am a budding electrician with this being my second career in life. I changed careers to provide a better life for my family and pursue a life away from a desk. Your videos have helped me understand the trade, from your tips and tricks, to code comprehension, and much in-between. Just starting out, i do not have the funds for the most effective tools and i have had to choose my tool purchases carefully. I would use this as a more effective and less disruptive means to isolate circuits during home projects for customers and general troubleshooting. Thank you for continuing to share your wealth of knowledge, John!

[@nexusfx1832]

Home and small business owner here. Being able to identify where I have bad splices in my house is something I’ve been trying to do for a while now. I just had a Square D QO panel put in, but had 3 circuits trip repeatedly because of bad splices. I would love to not only use this myself, but also for my clients who have electrical problems. Despite not being a licensed electrician, your videos have been ones I always watch to learn more about. Your video about GFCIs and how the magnetic fields from the line/load cancel each other out have given me the greatest “Woah” feeling ever. Thanks.

[@RaymondAndrews55]

I do service calls all the time. This would be a time saver, especially for the shorts. Funny thing is i have it in my wish list already, have already been spying on these. Great video.

[@danpags7023]

I have an old house that we have been refurbishing. This would be "ideal" for the work I'm doing.. Thank you for the video. 👍👍

[@niceguyDoug9000]

John, thanks to you and Ideal for this offer. I've got two homes to troubleshoot, my son's and mine. My son's home is only 25 years old, but he been remodeled twice by previous owners. Many of the breakers seem to have multiple receptacle, lights, and (on one circuit) a whole-house humidifier. They can't run the humidifier at the same time with a toaster or other high-draw appliance. My home is 100 years old, and some of the wiring is still cloth-covered. It was originally a 2-circuit home,, one for each side of the house. While the actual service has been updated to 200 amp, some of the wiring has questionable connections and overstuffed electrical boxes. While i have the ability to troubleshoot these issues,, i lack the hardware, so one of these Ideal testers would give both families peace of mind, and guarantee our safety.

[@billt9074]

I do a lot of work on electrical in finished homes and BACKYARD MAINE videos have helped me Get the job done right. I find john has a way of explaining thing so I can understand them. This tracer from IDEAL would made my life easier and my day more productive. I really like the products from IDEAL I have a lot of them. If I see something I need I reach for IDEAL. Thanks John for all of your videos , I hope they keep coming.

[@maintenanceguymd4284]

Part of my job responsibility is equipment installation and disconnect at a gov't lab. It's not always apparent which breakers go to which circuit as modifications are not always documented and there is always a rush to get things done quickly, especially when it comes to disconnecting a tool for disposal. A circuit tracer would come in handy, both for efficiency and safety!

[@Captain-Jimmy]

My brother bought an old farmhouse for his family to live in and I've been helping him rewire it. One of these would sure help!

[@jum5238]

I'm the guy that fixes stuff around here, and I've never gotten around to figuring out which circuits in the breaker matched what plugs and switches. I have a 2-piece unit, but it requires the circuit be energized and my wife doesn't have the patience to help with this effort. So, having the self energized component of this tool would be a wonderful feature to have for this work! And the short and opens is also wonderful! I did get a thermal camera a year or two back and found that putting a good load on a circuit helped me trace it through the walls where heat was seen radiating (as long as it wasn't hot in the house or hot outside - not well insulated on that wall with the circuit panel outside.) That method is pretty quick! But the entire circuit panel lights up! I noticed the 948 isn't available via your link. The price of the 946 is fairly steep. Not sure I can justify that cost. So... here's hoping! Thank you for covering this tool!

[@josephscooterdantoni5940]

I am installing a critical load panel for my solar setup. This tool would save a lot of time for me. Thanks.

[@zekenzy6486]

Great video. Thank you for sharing. I working in Big Building as maintenance Technician. This tool will help me find electrical breaker faster and safer for troubleshooting and repair electrical.

[@jefff6167]

I don’t need a circuit tracer, thanks. I do appreciate this excellent explanation of how one works. In my opinion you channel is very useful. You’re a very good presenter and a natural teacher.

[@BackyardMaine]

I appreciate that! Thanks so much.

[@lannysharp8436]

I am an Hvac/R contractor, Ideal makes some awesome products. Very reliable and at a reasonable price. I really like all the features on the tool.

[@bobmcgrew8236]

My house was built in 1956. None of the workers were skilled craftsmen. Nothing plumb, nothing level. I needed to wire a ceiling fan. In the attic I found a rolled up romex under a cast iron water pipe. I tested the wire for power and it was hot. Someone had a death wish. I really should troubleshoot this whole house. I think one of your giveaways would be great for this task. Thanks

[@mr.roberts3886]

I would definitely get some use out of a circuit tracer. I work in hvac and also help out the electricians and there has been numerous times where we find breaker panels that aren't labeled so we have to do process of elimination. This would make our jobs so much more efficient.

[@TomFarrell-p9z]

Big fan of you channel! I'm a retired electrical engineer and an amateur woodworker who is always modifying my shop, including adding and moving the electrical outlets. The SureTrace circuit tracer would sure be helpful! Great idea, and kudos to the engineers who designed it!

[@jackl9922]

Wow. I’ve had to carve walls open to find hidden junction boxes. Mostly, a dropped circuit is a bad connection somewhere. This could save me tons of time troubleshooting. I’m trained, but not licensed, so I never charge others on helping them. My father was licensed, I keep up on code books, but don’t have the most recent. Thanks for content. Especially explaining all the 3way switch methods. I forget the name of method I use, but all boxes always have a dedicated neutral.

[@bobbyvette]

Hello John and thanks for the video. Big fan of the channel. I’m a retired fireman of 32 years and I’m trying to stay busy helping my 3 kids with projects in there homes and this tool would be a huge help. Either way thank you for the great electrical tips as your channel is my go to for help

[@BackyardMaine]

Thanks so much my friend. Sorry but the giveaway has been completed. The two winners are listed in a pinned comment. Thanks for watching my channel

[@gatonkin]

Constantly fixing old wiring in my 60+ year old house … or my parents. Having a tracer would make those repairs/projects so much easier for one person. Thanks again for great content.

[@daniellemarks3462]

I do a lot of handy work and majority is electrical. I do not always get the luxury of having a helper to trouble shoot and a circuit tracer would make my jobs much easier.

[@paullaws3889]

I live in a house built in 1959 with many electrical issues and has plaster and lathe walls. If this tool would work on those walls it would be a great help in chasing down some bad wiring without tearing up the walls. I bought a harbor freight version but it’s not much help. Thanks for the contest.

[@MattTrue-lb2hc]

In the middle of my code class and starting my electrical career. Love your videos and would like to have one of the circuit tracers. Keep up the great videos John

[@Keith-b1m2f]

What an awesome tool and excellent video. So much easier than having my wife yell up from downstairs when I find the correct breaker on my unlabeled box. Appreciate your concise, informative videos.

[@LennoxAustin-ko5od]

I just finshed my pre electrial apprenticeship and Im ready to join the work force! The only problem is I dont have many tools, the IDEAL SureTracer is a must have for any electrican that is starting or has been in the electrical feild; I would like to be one of them.

[@bobrichardson3854]

I am very interested in the drawing for one of the circuit testers. I was amazed to see the tracing ability of this tool. My daughter purchased a house with aluminum wiring, and I've been working on making it safer for her and her newborn daughter. This tracer would make that job much easier. Thank you for the opportunity.

[@samoyervides6997]

Been an electrician in Dallas Tx area for 28 yrs bulk of years doing residential service, love figuring out the problem when certin areas have no power, but would love to have one of these Ideal tracers in my bag of tricks, thanks for all the great videos. Sam from Texas.

[@BackyardMaine]

Congratulations! You won one of the circuit tracers. One of the first winner has not contacted me after 48 hours so I used a program called pick a winner (again) and your comment was selected. Please go to the BackyardMaine home page and click the more button in the about me section at the top of the page. In the drop down you will find my email. Send me an email with your name and shipping information within 48 hours and I will send you the tracer. On a side note: I'm a retired electrical engineer and I spent 22 years working for Texas Instruments who are based out of Dallas. I worked at a TI FAB here in southern Maine but I have been to Dallas many times. I hope you get a lot of use out of the circuit tracer. John

[@brettstroh6150]

Great tool I have in the industry for 25 years and haven’t seen one that works as well as this one did thanks.

[@dumptrks]

I'm a commercial hvacr tech and do new construction and an tracer would be very useful when wiring up my units

[@TomMcgee]

My daughter plans on becoming an electrician when she turns 18. If I received one of the circuit tracers I would give it to her to add to her tool collection in preparation for her training. Love the videos!! Thanks!

[@sergioflores3118]

Good evening. Im looking for a job as electrician apprentice in MA. I’m hoping this will be very helpful when the time comes. Thank you so much for your time, your videos are a good way for me to review what I learned in school, especially when you go over the NEC codes. Good night

[@MikeTrembath-l8e]

I am just a DIYer and retired but I am very interested in residential electrical for some reason. I love the fact that there is only one way to correctly wire anything to meet code (I also love that the NEC can be looked at and viewed by so many people so differently) Looking forward to your next video

[@5ghostshadow]

I’ve used older versions and know how useful they are. I’m doing work in an older home with a lot of random wiring issues that were apparently executed without a plan. This is something that these tracers can help out with.

[@ebunky]

Great video and great tool. I’m a home owner and general home improvement contractor. Having one of these devices would be very helpful since I do work alone. Thanks for providing such great electrical advice and educational videos!

[@TCMaine]

Have a house built in 1908 with a main panel and two sub panels. My guess is about 20% of the circuits are labeled correctly. That Ideal tool would sure make my job a lot easier. Thanks for all your helpful videos!

[@RGGB3]

Not being an electrician but knowing just enough to get by this could help me fix issues at my house and my mother’s house.

[@n3703w]

Great tool, and video. Have a house with a panel that has been modified over the years, so every time i have an issue, it's a discovery project!

[@BackyardMaine]

Hello my friends.. I wanted to let everyone know that there was a scammer in my comments last night posing as me telling people they won and trying to get personal information from them. I have removed the scammer from the channel but please be careful about who you respond to. The scammer was using the same logo but the name was BackyardMaine1 not BackyardMaine. Also always look for the little gray checkmark to the right of my channel name. Sorry about this issue which is outside my control. I will pick the winners at random tomorrow Monday, September 23rd. I will notify the winners and also leave another pinned comment. Good luck.

[@frankpagano909]

Yeah I was one he tried to contact.

[@JoeWeymouth]

This is a brilliant tool. I would love to have one to rewire my parents farmhouse. There are still some of the old wiring and the diagram in the breaker box is not labeled correctly with all of the adjustments that my father did in the past. Love the videos from a fellow Mainer

[@mikewatson4644]

One of these testers would help with updating wiring in my home that was built in the 1960s. We did not have building inspections at that time, so some of the wiring is suspect. Thanks for the video

[@davidbisciotti7424]

I am a ex-AirForce guy who did RADAR work in the service. I always loved radio electronics and my current hobby is Amateur Radio (HAM Radio). I do a bunch of electrical work associated with the Ham Radio gear. A trace function could help me with locating damaged transmission lines and antenna cabling. The additional benefit of being able to identify the circuits and breakers in my home would allow me to finally label the poorly labeled panels. I would love to have one of these terrific devices!

[@MattHmm-rq6dn]

I can use this everyday at work for tracing wires on the wall doing apartment maintenance in 70s wiring. I sure hope I win!

[@TheDigitaldoug]

I could use one of these as I am getting older and this sure would help as my company motto is "Lengthen all short circuits as needed."

[@StephenGates-b3m]

Greatly appreciate the education about circuit tracing. We just purchased a new home and there are several electrical lines and switches that I need to determine what they are connected to and/or not connected to. A circuit tracer will be the perfect tool. Thank you for the education!!

[@azee11092]

this would b a best companion for any electrician to find and trace the right circuit and wire

[@michaelw123]

As an electrician I use testers like this at my job and to have my own would be a great tool to have.

[@asoteico9528]

Great tool gadget !!! Made it late to the contest !!! Maybe on the next round !!!

[@Leo-nm4th]

My son just became an electrician's apprentice and would love to receive this tool for hos work If I received one of the circuit tracers I would give it to him to add to his tool collection to help him become an awesome electrician someday . Love the videos!! Thanks!

[@larrysherwood2004]

Excellent tools! Bought an old house down at the lake, and trying to do some rewiring, and updated to n this 60 year old house!

[@TheUrbanGent912]

I am in my apprenticeship right now and it’s going well. This tool would definitely take my game to serious highest. It versatile and multi tools in one. I also started this program to change my current situation and change my life around for my son I didn’t find my confidence until I started this program and your channel. You have helped me out tremendously and I appreciate you.

[@bobschlotterfishing2678]

That is an awesome tool, I have fixed up a few homes in my life this would make things sooo much easier to figure out what circuit breaker turns off a specific room, or outlets. So many times i find panels not labeled or incorrectly labeled . Thanks for the in depth video.

[@daviddaley6356]

We live in a house built in the early 50s that has been remodeled several times before we acquired the house. None of the electrical panel fuses were ever labeled so it is always a search and test when a circuit needs attention. I plan to upgrade the old tar paper wiring with a new circuit breaker box. TY for your videos!

[@kensaucier8429]

I can use the ideal testers on an up coming remodel job, thanks for the good content you provide

[@Gruntled2001]

I am one of your earlier subscribers. Love your channel. I could certainly use a tool like this. I work by myself, so going back and forth to the receptacle from the panel and back takes up a lot of time when tracing the circuit. I also work with 1960 homes that have lots of MWBCs and otherwise old wiring with shared and "stolen" neutrals. The short tracing function can save me lots of time, too. Hoping to win, but in either case, please keep up the great work of sharing your knowledge and experience with us!

[@a2lfOoh14]

Awesome tool to have. I have 2 years into the trade many hand tools, and I was thinking of getting the Klein, but this Ideal electrical tracer would be nice to have for troubleshooting.

[@johnholenski4365]

Hi. Thanks for the helpful videos. I own several old homes as rentals. Your info and tools have been helpful. As a DIY owner I can see how this tool would save me time when I must trace lines, identify breakers and find determine the number of devices on a circuit. Keep the knowledge flowing !!

[@Patty-qh3lm]

I could use that!!! I have the old one of the Ideals that has the plug-in transmitter, and it's been really beat in the truck. That one is far superior!!!

[@arthurburke3771]

I work as a maintenance technician for a resort with a Waterpark which has me working with different voltages both A/C&DC. There are times when I don’t have an extra person to help troubleshoot circuit problems . This tracer would be extremely helpful especially since it has the ability to locate opens and shorts as well. Since I have to supply my own tools (for the most part) this would be an ideal piece of equipment to have for both personal and professional purposes.

[@ClintSatterwhite]

I own and have used data tracers for years. We plan to move and build a new home in the coming months and a feature packed electrical tracer like one of these would be fantastic. Thanks for the great overview!

[@kennylopez5645]

For labeling panels would be a big time saver. I’m replacing a 200 amp 40 circuit panel next Wednesday and would love to have it for that

[@TMS8114]

What a great device! I do all electrical work solo and this will definitely save time and increase safety. Thank you for doing such a great job explaining the concept and difference between the two devices.

[@TheDigitaldoug]

I could use the Ideal circuit tracer due to my work in older homes, where many of the current codes never got implemented. Thanks for the knowledge..

[@lomein2186]

Ty for the video, im looking to troubleshoot my moms 50 year old house. My uncle messed with two way switches on the first, second, and attic floors, two years ago, and shes just realizing and experiencing issues now! Trying to find where he caused shorts, without making a mess, also fix a lot of old cut grounds while im at it. I hope you end up reading this, appreciate the video!

[@jaxsonhugh9334]

That is an awesome tool so as an advanced DIYer I do my own electrical so this would save me from walking miles all through my house diagnosing problems…

[@paulchrisman7674]

Great video! I am a DIYer and own a older home, built in 1953, that I am going to give a remodel. There is old alumnium wiring that needs to be replaced and there is a main and two sub panels that have to be sorted. I will hire a professional to do the work, but I could save some funds and learn a lot about my old house with using the SureTrace 61-946.

[@lifegood1049]

Seems like this is the best tracker so far, I definitely need one for our plant facility. Thanks for the video!

[@KD-yc1yj]

This would come in handy where I work. I deal with a lot of 480,208,and 120. In a older plant it would help tracing wires and trouble shooting. I also work on my house and vehicles.

[@kevinluce5374]

Thank you for this product1 demo. As a maintenance electrian the TR 948 looks like a must have forme😊.

[@davids2530]

I retire next year and the next chapter of my life will include starting a handyman business. The circuit tracer will be a great asset to heal me get started.

[@grantanderson8006]

Thank you for putting out amazing Contant and bringing new tools to light. Win or lose, I’m gonna try and source one to help with some of these vintage homes that I’ve been working in in old town Prescott, Arizona.

[@MrStighl]

Would love to use it for home DIY improvements, thank you for sharing your tips and experience in your channel!

[@f4ujmb]

Houses in my area approaching 100 years old with many hands that could have been involved this would be a major time and labor saver.

[@larrygwinn6649]

Great tool for electricians, I've got a circuit in my house that has a ground fault, can't find it. This tool will help. I also do a lot of work for the elderly and veterans.

[@larrygwinn6649]

Thanks Larry

[@donniehutto5665]

Wow that is exactly what I need to rewire my parents house that was built in 1970. There is so much that was different at that time for wiring compared to now. That would sure help to get them back in compliance and to feel safely to say the house is wired correctly and up to code!

[@larryroberts8164]

I just started a handyman business and one of these would be a great addition to my toolbar!

[@brolan5150]

Looks like a nice piece to have for troubleshooting. With a midlife change in profession, I'm training to be an electrician. Would love this piece. Thanks for reviewing it for us!

[@MichaelLivingston-me]

Very useful video and tools. I would use these tools to help my son in his house. There are some circuits that require checking.

[@armandol1826]

Man I’d love to have a circuit tracer. This would be a game changer when identifying or correcting a panel

[@beotheguitarist]

I'd love this circuit tracer because my current job does not have any tools like this. We always have to shut off multiple breakers because the information cards are not updated. This would be a fantastic tool in my arsenal!

[@joewebb4836]

Circuit tracers are a life saver, use them often.

[@hpw2407]

I am a journey man electrician. I’ve been in residential for 4 years and have known of the purpose but that was a great how to video. I’m 22 and a business partner in an electrical company we started with nothing and have been trying to expand and get another crew up and running. That would be a great tool to help on service calls.

[@rossmelchin2643]

Nice video. I always spend so much time trying to figure out the right breaker and don't have the time to map out the breakers at my house.

[@squishysquish5348]

I'm looking to get into the electrical field but tools are darn expensive, and having a reliable circuit tracer would be a huge help with that. I'd also use it to help find the many hidden J-boxes within my parents old 1950's house walls so I could make them accessible and up to code.

[@Imatushimaru]

This would be a great improvement from the harbor freight tracer I am currently using. The ability to find shorts as well is fantastic.

[@DanaUdapp]

I really enjoy your channel. I would use the Ideal circuit tracer for residential electrical issues.

[@chrisc8999]

We have a 200 year old farmhouse with numerous circuits added throughout the years. Quite a challenge to work on!

[@JimDevlin-v8x]

I could use that circuit tracer . To help me do my job. I started electrical at 47 and now at 55 still love doing it .

[@michaelcook7090]

I just bought an older home, and it would be a very handy thing to have when updating my electric from fuses to breakers.

[@Joshthetruthseeker]

Im an electrician and i recently bought a home built in 1904. Im having constant issues with wiring on second floor and am unable to use a/c because of tripping breakers. A tracer would help me greatly and would also be a huge benefit to me at work where i am an industrial maintenance electrician. Awesome video!

[@stuartkorte1642]

Big reason is safety for a beginner in electrical systems. Second former member of a USAF CE unit.

[@MasonSpark-emf]

I would use a circuit tracer to identify which circuit breaker protects a live circuit. Using this tool reduces customer impact because a series of unrelated circuits are not de-energized before the correct one is found. Also, thanks much for your detailed code discussions with citations on practical situations faced every day in residential construction.

[@tomg721]

The test equipment sure has improved over the years. Would make troubleshooting circuit problems much easier. Thanks for the vidieo and thanks IDEAL for providing the circuit tracers.

[@user-zn4ri8pz6e]

This is a great giveaway. Id use this to properly label electrical panels and well as testing faulty electrical runs. And properly source out which receptacles are on the same circuit so that the disruption of power doesn’t affect other people in a busy commercial setting.