Site essentials

Buried utility detector

On the left, the cable route is located with the detector and marked on the ground in red paint, the mini-excavator waits alongside. On the right, without locating, the mini-excavator's bucket tears out a buried cable at the bottom of the trench. Computer-generated image. — **Left:** the cable route is located with the detector and marked on the ground in red paint, the mini-excavator waits alongside. **Right:** without locating, the mini-excavator's bucket tears out a buried cable at the bottom of the trench. Computer-generated image.

A device that is swept over the ground.
It signals buried cables and pipes,
and their route is marked before digging.

Other names for this product: cable detector, utility locator, pipe detector, buried cable detector, cable locator, electromagnetic detector.

The essentials

Family: Site essentials
Principle: Electromagnetic, passive only or with a generator
Utilities located: Metal cables and pipes, the others with a sonde or a tracer wire
Carrier machine: None, it is carried by hand

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01 Use

What it is for

**Left:** the cable route is located with the detector and marked on the ground in red paint, the mini-excavator waits alongside.
**Right:** without locating, the mini-excavator's bucket tears out a buried cable at the bottom of the trench.
What sets it apart:
from the surface, it locates the route of cables and metal pipes before the bucket touches them.
Computer-generated image.

A buried utility detector locates, from the surface, the cables and pipes hidden in the ground.
The operator sweeps it over the area to be dug:
the device signals where a utility passes, and its route is marked on the ground before the machine arrives.

In passive mode only, it picks up the signal that some live cables already carry.
With a generator, a signal is injected into a metal utility or broadcast into the ground, then followed.
A plastic pipe cannot be located on its own:
a sonde must be passed through it or a tracer wire found in it.

In France, before works near utilities, the DT and DICT declarations (pre-works notifications) are sent to the network operators, who reply with their plans.
The detector comes in addition, in the field:
it replaces neither these declarations nor the operators' replies.

A detector does not see everything. A plastic pipe without a tracer wire, a de-energised cable or two utilities too close together can escape the device.
Near a located utility, digging is finished with care, by hand or by vacuum excavation.
The depth shown by the device remains an indication, not a guaranteed measurement.

02 What we check with you

On which machine?

It is not fitted to any machine: it is carried by hand.

What the tool does

It locates buried cables and metal pipes, on the electromagnetic principle.
It works in passive listening mode or with a generator; other utilities are located with a sonde or a tracer wire.
Depending on the model, it may or may not display the depth.
The detection depth depends on the model, the utility and the mode used: we study it with you for your site.
The area to survey, the utilities declared and the type of ground: we study them with you for your site.

What is needed on the hydraulic side

Carried by hand, it needs no hydraulic connection.

Your study sets the exact value for your machine.

Don't have these figures?
A photo of the machine is enough to start.

03 Your study

Have your site checked.

Describe the area to dig and the utilities the declarations show.
State who will use the device, and on how many sites.

What we need to answer you

The site Earthworks, trench, drilling or utility laying, in town or in the country.
Declared utilities Electricity, gas, water, telecoms, lighting, according to the replies received.
The ground Soil, fill, asphalt, concrete slab.
The use A one-off site, or a device for all the crews.

Without these details, the study still begins: we will ask you for them.

Send my photos

or describe your need

Book an appointment with the specialist

Or call 01 84 16 55 49 · our lines are open 7 days a week, from 7h to 22h.

Written study within 3 working days, once the file is complete.

04 Choice

What determines the choice

01 — The utilities to locate Electric cables, telecoms, metal or plastic pipes:
the detection modes are chosen with them.
02 — With or without a generator The generator widens what the device can locate:
without it, only the utilities that already carry a signal are picked up.
03 — Depth reading Some models show an estimated depth:
it helps to prepare the digging, it does not remove the need to expose the utility with care.
04 — Who uses it Depending on who locates before digging:
a simple device for the digging crew, a more complete device for thorough surveying.

05 Check

What is checked before ordering

Utilities covered The utilities the device can locate are checked against those the declarations show on the site.
The generator and the sonde They are checked against the de-energised or non-metallic utilities on the site.
Getting to grips with it A detector takes practice to read:
training for the person who uses it is planned with the device.

In the same family