Troubleshooting – Sonde & Locator

Testing your equipment

Use the following steps to test your SeeSnake sonde and locator. For best results, confirm your equipment is working before each inspection:

1. With the camera in the reel or on the ground, turn sonde ON – do faint black lines appear on your SeeSnake monitor?
   1. YES – the sonde is outputting a signal
   2. NO – the sonde is not outputting a signal
      • Press the sonde key again and look for the lines, or, if using the microCA-350 handheld monitor, fully dim the camera LEDs to activate the sonde.
      • The sonde is user-replaceable in most SeeSnake camera systems, excluding the microReel, microDrain, and nanoReel: How to remove/test/replace the FleXmitter sonde
2. Turn your receiver ON and confirm it's set to 512 Hz sonde mode – does it pick up a strong signal?
   
   1. YES – your sonde and receiver are working.
   2. NO – test with a different sonde to confirm the receiver is faulty. If service is required call the factory repair center: 858-244-6689

If you can't pick up the sonde signal

Your receiver must be within range of the sonde to pick up its signal and several factors affect its range (see below). If your equipment is working (steps 1 & 2 above) but you can’t pick up the sonde signal inside the pipe, you are likely looking for the sonde in the wrong place. Use this process to avoid that situation:

1. Drop into the line and push out about 6’.
2. Stop and locate the sonde.
3. Locate after each turn, using the distance reading to estimate the camera's position.
4. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY0m4rcFJqk

Several factors impact signal range

• Sonde output
  1. Larger cameras use the high-power FleXmitter sonde (inside the spring, 4" behind the camera head).
  2. microDrain, microReel, nanoReel have a less powerful sonde built into the camera head.
• Pipe material
  1. Metallic pipe, like cast iron, attenuates the signal compared to plastic/ABS.
  2. Ductile iron blocks the 512Hz sonde signal.
• Line depth
• Buried metallic objects
• Interference from adjacent high voltage power lines
  1. You can use your receiver's Passive Power mode or OmniSeek mode (SeekTech receivers only) to confirm the presence of an adjacent  high voltage power line.
  2. OmniSeek tutorial: https://youtu.be/nJZIB-TgtSg
  3. OmniSeek tutorial pt2: https://youtu.be/F7V9jLtECuE