8
DepthMeasurement
XTpcreceivershavetheabilitytomeasuretheapproximatedepthofthetargetpipeorcablebeing
traced.Thebottomtipofthereceivermusttouchthegroundwhendepthmeasurementismade,and
bestresultsareobtainedwhenthereceiverisinafullyextendedposition.Depthmeasurements
shouldonlybemadewhenthedirectionalindicationsaysthatthetargetisdirectlybelowthereceiver
andthesignalstrengthisadequate.SpecialconsiderationsarerequiredfortheSondemode(see
SECTIONVIII:OPERATINGRECOMMENDATIONSfordetails).
AutomaticandManualOutputPower
ThetransmittersoftheXTpclineofpipeandcablelocatorsdeliverpowertothe"load"connectedto
them.Intheconductivemode,theloadisthecircuitformedbythecableorpipebeingtraced,the
soilreturn,andthegroundstake.Intheinductiveclampandinductivemodes,theloadsarethe
clampandtheantenna,respectively.Theinductiveclampandinductivemodesrequirethemaximum
powerthatthetransmittercandeliver.Therefore,thetransmitterautomaticallyoperatesat
maximumpoweroutput,andthereisnoneedformanualpoweradjustment.
Intheconductivemode,thepowerdeliveredtotheloadishighlydependentontheexternal
elements(soil,typeofconductor,stakeplacements,etc.).Insomecases,morepowerisdesiredto
achievemoredistanceordepth;inothercases,lesspowerisdesiredtoavoidbleedingtonearby
conductors.Therefore,whileintheconductivemode,theuserhastheabilitytoadjusttheoutput
powermanually(seeSECTIONIII:OPERATINGCONTROLS/Transmitterfordetailsonhowtoadjust
theoutputpower).
TransmitterCurrentMeasurement
Whenoperatingintheconductivemode,transmittersoftheXTpclineofpipeandcablelocators
measureanddisplaytheamountofcurrentflowingintotheutilitybeingtraced.Thisisveryusefulin
determininghowgoodacircuithasbeenestablishedbytheoperator,whetherornotsome
improvementsshouldbemadebyrelocatingthegroundstake,orifthemetaltometalcontactofthe
conductiveclipsneedsimprovement.Alowcurrentreadingcanindicateapoortraceconductor,
poorsoilconductivity,orpoorgroundstakecontact/placement.Highercurrentreadingsindicatea
bettercircuitandabetterchanceattracinglongdistancesanddeepconductors.
Ifthecurrentreadingislow,tryimprovingtheconnectiontoseeifthecurrentincreases(checkthe
cables,clips,andgroundstake;wettheground;cleanrustordirt;etc.).Often,thereasonforthelow
currentisthesoilitself(sandyorverydry)and/orthecompositionofthepipeorcablethatisbeing
traced(castironpipes,rustedorbrokenwires,heavyinsulationtoground,etc.).Ifanimproved
connectioncannotbemade,theremaybeasmallamountofcurrentstillcirculatinginthecircuit.Try
increasingtheoutputpowermanuallyand/orincreasethegainonthereceiver.
Note:Iftheconductiveclipsarepluggedin,thetransmitterprovidedwiththeXTpc+model(theTx5)
willmeasuretheresistanceandanyACorDC voltagethatisbetweentheconductiveclipterminals
uponpoweringup.Ifavoltageispresent,itmustberemovedbeforeproceedingtotheconductive