Not sure the test is all that convincing as you just held the detector in the air and approached the cables and pipes as you knew where they were. In real use you'd move the thing across the wall and wait til you hear a bleep. Also, you didn't show it being used on a solid wall which I think might give a different result?
The position of the material would be irrelevant as your testing through the wall, knowing where it is or not wouldn't apply.... If it was tested on a solid wall the results would be the same as stated it detects certain depths into different surfaces.
Jamie Sarai it wouldn't as the objects would be too close as you can see they are only a few inch apart, this is to give you an idea that there is something in the area you wish to drill. It's not recommended as it states to be exact as some models on the market, it £30 so I wouldn't expect miracles to be honest 👌🏻
I've had two of these. The first one thought everything was metal, including a house plant leaf 🤦♂️ the second didn't pick up something metal yesterday and luckily that only wrecked a drill bit and no other damage was done. Calibration is very important!
Bought this detector a few days ago as a direct result of this review. Used it today for the first time and I can't rate it highly enough. Spot on results. 👍
I have one and I'm not convinced by what it's telling me. I'll scan a wall area and have it all green, but then I'll stay still somewhere and after a couple seconds it will flash red as if there's a live wire there. Try again: green. I can't figure out if it's giving me false positives or if it's is bad at systematically detecting wires.
There is an issue with this gadget contradicting itself depending on which direction you move it. So (for instance) move L->R it’ll go green, red (mark it) and then green. Reverse over the same area and it’s green all the way. Or red. Now add another variable. Touching the (brick) wall with my free hand, I can often change the green to red or vice versa. The project I’m doing is taking ages because it is unreliable, but still better than nothing. I’ve changed batteries and become a dab hand at recalibrating btw.
I am encountering the same issue and it is a new unit that has been calibrated. I'm also wearing shoes that earth me so i am at a loss why placing my free hand on the same surface affects the result.
I've just been lent one of these by a neighbours. It doesn't detect water pipes (eg for use pins or hooks for hanging things up in kitchen)? I am concerned as a former neighbour caused a flood by making a mistake. I am a complete novice.
Like many I’ve used detectors that seem to think the whole wall is live. What I’ve found is that how I hold them tends to affect the detection, almost as if my body is somehow acting as a conductor. So I have to adjust my grip. Others seem to detect solid brick/blockwork behind plaster so it would’ve been good to see how this one works when it comes across solid objects behind the plaster as these seem to give false positive readings. The TH250 (sold under various brand names on Amazon and seemingly made in the same Chinese factory) is particularly crap. If this Bosch one works then the TH250 is getting smashed up with a hammer!
So now I’m in possession of this Bosch detector I’ve found my fingers are really conducting something as every time I touch with both fingers it buzzes. I’ve got round this by holding the scanner against the wall in its plastic packaging with no interference from my electrically-charged body! Seems to be accurate then!
Agreed. I feel like there is other detection than from the wall. Yet to find a proper key of all the flashes and beeps explanations. That would be a real review.
For me, it looks like touching the wall with my other hand gives more accurate results. It could be static electric charge, earthing or wearing a watch which might affect the detector
Under normal use case for home gamers (Target Market Green) then this device can be very poor as it gives constant false positives... much better than false negatives but this seriously limits the tools reliability. I've tested and confirmed it picks up various WiFi and RF signals as live cable. Placed the device on a wall near my door bell receiver (about 1m away) and it gives a live wire result... shield the wireless device with my hand and it turns green and back to live when I stop shielding with my hand. So here the wireless signal is proven to cause false positives... so my tip would be to turn wireless devices off in the vicinity. So my takeaway is that in a modern home there is so much interference that their use is very limited.. my entire adjoining wall to next door is apparently "live" and my wooden door apparently has live cable embedded in it. So yes I agree in certain cases this device can be useful but for most people in homes with all the modern devices its use is limited IME.
Same here, if this device is to be believed my whole kitchen wall has live wires in it, from floor to ceiling, half the length of the house, it's a brick load bearing wall... I also have a fire door that apparently only on occasion has a live wire in it according to this device
There must be a tonne of faulty devices because it doesnt give a constant red light and tone. It flashes and bleeps and shows most of the walls as red with very few metal parts other than nails in joists. I hate this device.
Hi Jamie, to be honest while using it I've found it pretty accurate. There is a little disruption il admit especially if there are tacks or screws below the surface. Have you found another one that you might recommend I may give it a try? Thanks
Jamie Sarai just bear in mind there maybe hidden material beneath the surface, it depends on the property also. I have had it where the insulation was being picked up by the machine 🤷🏻♂️ 👌🏻
How do you know whether the metal should stop you drilling? I'ts picking up metal everywhere, but it picks it up to a depth of 7cm and I don't need to drill that far into the wall to put some shelves up, but I can't tell if the metal is right near the surface of the plasterboard or like you say just nails in the stud
If you wanted more precise readings I'm afraid you will need a better detector that can differentiate between metals. This is a basic/simple detector, I have to emphasize just make sure your not on any cables/pipework before drilling.
That wouldn't prove anything, the test would be void from lack of proof. This way we can see what it's coming into contact with and whats exactly being tested ✌🏻
@@PlumbingGy Appreciate that, but my experience with mine, and previous detectors is that they light up all over the place and inconsistently. The same spot can be green one moment and flashing red the next. In order to eliminate false negatives, mine seems to give false positives.
Totally agree, unfortunately I find it's the nature of the beast with this particular detector picking up Various materials I find you have to be extra careful when using I have upgraded for this reason. I find it's an ok detector for the average diyer but not for the more professional user ✌🏻
I need something to detect a minuscule amount of metal over short distance (less than 1cm), and being able to differentiate between small differences in the amount of those metals . What device would be the best?
Today I tried it I have one question - when I hold the device at the black rubber bottom side areas as written tn the manual it blinks for live wire detection a lot frequently even in not logical palces. When I hold it a little bit upperon the green coloured side places it detects only when I am more convincet there is a live wire because it is at the top of the switch for example. Can you tell my why this is happening and am I right?
I find that I get a lot of false positives with this. I put up a small wall in my pantry with no wires behind it. I tiled over it and needed to find the studs to hang a shelf. Didn't detect the studs and it beeped for live wires. I am not happy with this thing.
Haha no problem EK for the sake of a couple of quid it's definitely worth the investment and like I said it has saved me a few times I'm not going to lie 😂
I bought one of these 6 months ago. It's been great. Tried to use it today, wen I'm passing it over the wall it'll flash red over an area, but when I then stop moving it, it turns solid green over the same area where it was flashing red. New batteries and I've recalibrated it. Please help! 😲
It does sound a bit off, but remember that it will pick up not only the target but the local area, so it could just be picking something up close by. The only thing I would suggest is if you're unsure do not use that location you can move a few inches around to get a better placement
for me it works perfectly as a metal detector. Live wire detection is poor, sometimes it does not see anything even if I'm sure the wires are there, sometimes half of the wall beeps (and yes, I know that I have to touch the wall 20-30 cm from it). No way is it reliable up to the stated 50 mm in the real world environment, that works in air only.
Thank you for a common sense, informative and helpful review! It's given me the confidence to use this to locate hidden nasties in walls of an old property. Will be buying one tomorrow :)
No, I can pretty much guarantee they will pretty much never run vertical. Most of the time they aren't clipped or supported in position so don't take it for granted be cautious Annabelle 💪🏻👍🏻
Any advice if I go over the same area and get different results? Sometimes it suggests live wire (flashing red), other times it then shows green. Very unreliable and therefore unsafe from what I've seen so far.
There will be many factors to consider from materials and what they may contain to any rogue nails etc so I would advise to use with caution and a little common sense 😁👍🏻
Thank you for the review Dan. I’m considering purchasing this to check pipes/wires under floorboards. I’m looking to secure some that are causing squeaking before having new carpet laid. Assume this would equally pick up and pipes and wires under floorboards? Are pipes under floorboards outside the 70mm zone of detection? any help much appreciated.
@@PlumbingGy I’ve just bought it today, so it should be ok straight from the box I’m sure . But is the only way to tell that it needs to be calibrated, is when it’s held in the air with no metal near , it should be green to be ok , if it’s flashing yellow and red it needs calibration
@@PlumbingGy thanks. I bought this months ago and only came to use it now. Frank spencer is smarter than me lol! What stud finder do you use if you don't mind me asking?
Yeah they're a bit tricky and you have to be careful which you buy, I have the Bosch professional Dtect 150 I think it is but I use it all the time so worth me paying a bit more, if it's only for DIY or irregular you'd be better gettin a cheaper version 👍🏻
@@PlumbingGy thank you very much. All I want to do it put a TV bracket on the wall but the cheapest stud finder is the boch for 85£. Is there one you recommend?
@@MaxmadV8 instead of finding the studs, you could use this to locate the nails fixing the board to the studs then just move up and down and draw a line.
what's put me off, is you are being forced to send it off to get it serviced , and all they will do is reset it and charge you , What a load of rubbish , Its all electronic what can go wrong
Very sloppy and "loose" review. Are you from another trade line just say...baker or a taylor and you did this video at gun point ? Because than I could understand the unprofessionalism.
