Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Test & Measurement). This thread is read-only.
The Klein Tools ET310 Digital Circuit Breaker Finder tool is great for identification of the circuit breaker providing electrical power to a light or receptacle in the home.
There are two main parts, a transmitter and a receiver.
The transmitter looks like an amped up illuminated NEMA 5-15 plug-in receptacle tester w/ three indicator lamps. This has the standard result chart label, for wall receptacle testing. It also has a pushbutton to short Neutral to Ground for GFI breaker disable testing. WRT to this tester, it also automatically transmits the signal to the circuit breaker panel for identification testing.
It works well, per the printed / included instruction manual. (I REALLY like that a printed manual is included and that it fits inside the hard zipper case, along w/ all the other parts). The manual is printed in English, Spanish and French.
Simplistic overview, plug in the transmitter, turn on the receiver, then move the receiver past the breaker faces until the receiver locates the breaker, providing audible and visual indicators, when it is over the breaker powering the transmitter.
This has a very nice hard zipper case, w/ a fitted die cut dense foam cavity for all the parts.
This tool is (mostly) complete. It doesn’t include a #1 Phillips screwdriver, required to open / close the battery door. It is nice that the small battery door screw is captive. It is nice that a (Chinese) 9V battery is included.
The kit includes three adapters for increased versatility. There is a Edison E26 screw to polarized NEMA 1-15 receptacle adapter for testing standard screw-in light bulb sockets. There is a NEMA 5-15 receptacle to polarized NEMA 1-15 plug, w/ ground screw tab, also for testing w/ light bulb adapter. There is a dual insulated alligator clip to NEMA 5-15 receptacle for CAREFUL testing of dangling wires.
The transmitter only tolerates 90-135 VAC. It will not tolerate 240 VAC. If location of a circuit breaker on a 240 VAC circuit is required then it should be possible to power the transmitter using one line power leg and ground, but I haven’t tested that theory yet.
The receiver / detector has a dummy NEMA 5-15 receptacle at the end, to store the transmitter between uses. On my device, the insertion / removal force was greater than I think is appropriate.
The device always exactly located the correct breaker in each of the tests I performed, following the printed instructions.
The prior TIA forum topics were being reviewed, when I encountered this topic, spurring me to locate and purchase this tool.
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wingless wrote:
10 hours ago, wingless said:The Klein Tools ET310 Digital Circuit Breaker Finder tool is great for identification of the circuit breaker providing electrical power to a light or receptacle in the home.
The prior TIA forum topics were being reviewed, when I encountered this topic, spurring me to locate and purchase this tool.
That prior 2016 TIA topic identified the Klein Tools ET300 (No Longer in Production) and the identical w/ different labeling Hi Tech HTP-6 Circuit Detective, from Harbor Freight.
This current / updated part looks better to me and I’m glad to have purchased this tool instead.
I have to buy that tool. I could have used it so many time. I have two different boxes in my house and they are not labeled. Thanks for letting us know about the update.