Locate underground electric wires in Oregon or Washington with Rush Locates. We can locate live or dead power lines and find the location of a short or break in the line.
As an electric line locator service we can find and mark your underground power line. Call today to inquire about same day appointments or use our easy online booking system to make an appointment for the future.
If you’re outside our main service area please call 503-939-9585 for scheduling as we may need to book multiple timeslots.
Underground power line locator services cost only $150/hr if inside our service area (see picture below). It takes more time to locate electrical wires underground when there are many utilities, lots of metal objects, or long distances.
We are a Portland based private utility locator service but we travel throughout Oregon and Washington to help you locate your electrical wires underground. When you need to locate electrical wires let Rush Locates help you for a great price.
Be sure to always call 811 and read the Private Utility Location Disclaimer and Limitations.
Locate Underground Power Lines
Any wire or electrical line can be traced, wether live or dead, disconnected or in-use. In the USA the power line frequency of 60Hz being standard makes locating power passively a possibility. If a power line has an electric load running through it a signal will radiate away from that wire and we can detect that signal. With more load on a line, the passive signal is stronger. The 60Hz signal and it’s harmonics can be identified. This passive tracing is not as accurate as a direct active trace and is more prone to distortion.
If you’re putting in a fence or digging a trench and there is an outbuilding or well nearby be sure to locate your underground electrical wires.
Electric Locator in Oregon & Washington
Our main service area includes: Multnomah County, Clackamas County, part of Columbia County, part of Washington County, & Clark County.
Jack at Rush Locates, LLC has been tracing underground cables and pipes for years. We can help you locate your buried power lines / electric lines. It is easiest to trace electricity wire when a current is running through the wire, the more current the stronger the signal. However even dead or disconnected power wire can be located and marked. With the help up advancing technology the possibilities for what we can accurately trace and locate are always increasing.
A private electric line can run beyond the house to a garage, barn, pump house, well head, ADU, or outbuilding. There are a number of reasons why 811 won’t locate all the area you need, but as long as the pipe can transmit a signal, we can trace it.
Find breaks or disconnects in power lines
A ‘fault find’ can find a broken wire if the wire is under dirt. Prongs go into the ground to test the voltage and they don’t work well on hardscapes.
After mapping the line we can determine how far from the end a break is. Using a Time Domain Reflectometer which is sometimes called ‘wire radar’ we connect to a dead wire and send a signal down which is echoed back and analyzed.
Always call 811 too!
Anyone doing digging is required to call 811 by law in both Oregon (ORS 757.542 – 562 and 757.993 and in Oregon Administrative Rules, Chapter 952) and Washington (RCW 19.122). This way they can get a public utility locate.
811 is a free service that will mark all public utilities on public property and will often mark public utilities onto private property but only as far as the meter or meter base.
Learn more about 811 and the requirements for digging with their FAQ. If you live in a rural area they may only mark up to a transformer, however we can help do the rest.
The following URLs will redirect to this website: 503Locates.com, GPRoregon.com, OregonLocates.com, PortlandLocates.com, PortlandGPR.com, RushInspection.com, and PrivateUtilityLocating.org.
Schedule an appointment today or call 503-939-9585.
