Aqua-Tronics CABLE DETECTOR DIGI-7 User Manual

INSTRUCTION MANUAL ON

MODEL DIGI-7

CABLE LOCATOR

US PATENT NO. 4,233,561

1212 N.E. 5th Street • Redmond, OR 97756

TEL [phone] FAX [phone]

www.aquatronics.com

[e-mail]

I. ACCESSORIES Page #

a. Inductive Couplers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

2
II. BATTERY TEST

a. Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

b. Transmitter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

III. OVERVIEW

1. Receiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

a. Automatic Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

b. Peak Mode Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

c. Null Mode Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

d. Low Signal Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

2. Transmitter

a. Direct Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

b. Matching Output Impedance in Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

IV. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Direct Tracing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

2. Locating in Automatic Peak Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3. Locating in Manual Peak Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

4. Locating in Automatic Null Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

5. Locating in Manual Null Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

6. Tracing with the Inductive Coupler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

7. Inductive Tracing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

8. Correcting for a Broad Peak Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

9. Determining Depth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

10. Inductive Coupler used as a Receiving Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

1

DIGI-7

The Digi-7 line locator is two locators built into one. Both receiver and transmitter will operate in a full automatic mode or
a full manual mode with the push of a button.

ACCESSORIES FOR THE MODEL DIGI-7 LINE LOCATOR

The Model I.C.49, I,C,56, or I.C.56WT Inductive Couplers are used to help identify one line from other utilities even though
they are sharing a common ground.

BATTERY TEST
RECEIVER: When the receiver is first turned on, all of the information available on the LCD is displayed for approximately

3 seconds. A battery symbol in the upper right hand corner will show the approximate battery voltage is then displayed for
about 2 seconds. With the receiver turned on, pushing the battery test button will show the approximate battery voltage and
the battery symbol. If the batteries reach a low voltage during operation, this battery symbol will start flashing. When a
low battery condition exists, the batteries should be replaced with six AA batteries. Any type of AA battery can be used,
but Alkaline will provide a much longer life. A thumbscrew allows entry to the battery compartment where a battery hold­er can be removed for battery replacement. Disconnect the battery snap connector to remove the battery holder.

TRANSMITTER: The battery voltage is continuously monitored when the transmitter is on. If the voltage should drop, the
decimal point on the numerical display will start to flash. The batteries should be replaced by 6 alkaline D cells. Remove
the battery tube plugs to change the batteries. Three batteries are located on each side. The + side of the batteries face
"IN" when being installed. See Fig. 1. After one minute of operation, the transmitter will enter a battery saving mode and
shut off all test circuits that are not needed. At this time, the numerical display will start flashing every 10 seconds.

Figure 1

3X D CELL PER SIDE

OVERVIEW
RECEIVER

Turn on the receiver by rotating the large knob (on-off / sensitivity / volume) control clockwise. When the receiver is first
turned on, the LCD (meter display) will display all of the information available in the different modes of operation. The
receiver will go through a self-test of all functions and display the battery condition. This will take somewhere between 5
to 7 seconds before the receiver is ready to operate. The receiver will always power up in the Automatic Peak Mode of

operation.

Flags or little arrowheads on the display point to the mode of operation, either Peak or Null. On the right side of the display,
the decal has a "LOW SIGNAL" and a "PEAK" flag. On the left side of the display the decal has a "MANUAL" and a "NULL"
flag. These arrowheads indicate which antenna is operating and which mode the receiver is operating in. The settings can
be changed with push buttons that are located between the handle and the LCD display.

The button closest to the handle changes the receiver operation between NULL and PEAK. The button nearest the display
changes the receivers operation from AUTOMATIC to MANUAL as well as battery test.

2

Automatic Mode

In the automatic mode, the receiver operates with a minimal amount of input or interpretation from the operator. The oper­ator simply follows the Left/Right guidance system. The operator can choose to display the locate information in either the
Peak or Null modes depending on preference. The On-Off/Volume/Sensitivity Control is used only to adjust the loudspeak­er volume in the automatic mode.

While locating, the display provides three different pieces of information to the operator. First, the instrument tells you
which way you need to go, left or right. The pitch of the tone played by the loudspeaker will also change from left to right.
A down arrow will be displayed when the receiver is directly over the line under test. Second, the instrument has a three
digit numerical readout (0-999) on the LCD. This provides absolute signal strength in the automatic mode and is used to
compare signal strength from one utility to another. This comparison should occur when the down arrow is displayed.
Third is the bar-graph display. The bar-graph on the LCD simulates the result you would see from an analog panel meter.

IN THE AUTOMATIC MODE, LEFT/RIGHT GUIDANCE ARROWS WILL POINT TO THE DIRECTION OF THE TARGET
LOCATE. AT THE EXACT LOCATE, A DOWN ARROW WILL APPEAR. WHEN THE DOWN ARROW IS PRESENT, THE
LEFT/RIGHT GUIDANCE ARROWS AND THE SOUND FROM THE SPEAKER WILL NOT BE PRESENT.

Peak Mode - Automatic

The bar-graph display will build up as you approach the line, and "peak" as you cross it, and then roll off on the other side.
The guidance arrows will change direction as you cross the line, the tone pitch will change and you should also see the high­est absolute signal strength number. These four things should all correlate with each other. In the peak mode, the receiv­er must be at right angles to the direction of the conductor's path.

Null Mode - Automatic

The bar-graph display will be high as you approach the line, and sharply drop off as you cross it, and sharply increase on
the other side. The guidance arrows will change direction as you cross the line, the tone pitch will change and you will see
the highest absolute signal strength number.

Absolute signal strength will not change between peak and null modes. It is strictly the amount of raw signal the instru-

ment is seeing on the line.
WHEN LEFT/RIGHT GUIDANCE ARROWS ARE PRESENT ON THE DISPLAY, THE RECEIVER MUST BE AT RIGHT

ANGLES TO THE CONDUCTOR PATH FOR BEST SIGNAL READINGS ON A LOCATE.
WHEN MAKING A LOCATE IN THE AUTOMATIC MODE, IF THE DOWN ARROW CANNOT BE FOUND, OR THE DOWN

ARROW DOES NOT AGREE WITH THE BAR-GRAPH READING, THE RECEIVER IS TELLING THE OPERATOR IT IS PICK­ING UP A DISTORTED RADIO WAVE AND THE LOCATE COULD HAVE AN ERROR IN ITS POSITION.

Low Signal-Automatic

The Digi-7 receiver continuously monitors the absolute signal strength present on the conductor under test. If the signal
level drops below 260 on the display, the low signal flag will begin to flash. This is a warning to the operator that signal is
getting low and something must be done with the transmitter to improve signal strength if a longer trace is needed. At 230
and below, the direction arrows will also flash along with the low signal flag. At this point, the locate may be unreliable. If
the locate is not finished, something must be done with the transmitter to increase signal on the line being traced.

NOTE: If the receiver is switched to the manual mode, the tracing range will be extended.

3