# Geophones...



## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

These are my tried and true geophones. Some of our younger members may never have seen these before, but I will (and have) put them up against the new electronic gadgets with the headphones and gain switches and come out on top.










I can find leaks well as any below concrete or asphalt, but they are admittedly useless on grass or soil :sad:

I do almost exclusively commercial now and often have to locate leaks without turning off the water and introducing air...that's difficult enough, but I need to locate a leak on a 4" copper main that is approximately 10' deep in heavy clay and I'm wondering if anyone has had any success with one of the geophone's with the soil probe?

If so, what make/model would you recommend?

My old geophones will no doubt be very offended, but I need to expand my arsenal.


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

Who do you take your CE from?


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## Nuplumber (May 9, 2012)

*leak*

When we get a main leak we take a air drill or breaker on the bacjk of the combo punch a few hole where the main at. Where the water bubbles up highest we start diggen. 90% right on. We get to much noise where we at to get those work.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Titan Plumbing said:


> Who do you take your CE from?


Salas over at the Holiday Inn in Fort Worth year before last, but last year I procrastinated too long and had to do correspondence 

I thought I'd learned my lesson, but I expire in August and still haven't registered for a class yet:blink:

Better do that right now, heh :yes:


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Nuplumber said:


> When we get a main leak we take a air drill or breaker on the bacjk of the combo punch a few hole where the main at. Where the water bubbles up highest we start diggen. 90% right on. We get to much noise where we at to get those work.


Talking about domestic water here. I'll have a 4 hour window to verify and locate leak next week between 2 AM and 6 AM on Wednesday. I'll be doing the old "punch as deep as possible with probe rod and hope for bubbles" technique :whistling2:

But if there is a soil probe out there that actually works it might make my life easier in the future, heh :thumbsup:


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

johnlewismcleod said:


> Salas over at the Holiday Inn in Fort Worth year before last, but last year I procrastinated too long and had to do correspondence
> 
> I thought I'd learned my lesson, but I expire in August and still haven't registered for a class yet:blink:
> 
> Better do that right now, heh :yes:


I'm going to Lackey's class on June 2nd...mine expires same as yours. It's much easier than anyone else I've taken it from.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Titan Plumbing said:


> I'm going to Lackey's class on June 2nd...mine expires same as yours. It's much easier than anyone else I've taken it from.


I'll look him up and see if I can get in...it'd be great to meet you in person


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

Just show up...


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Titan Plumbing said:


> I'm going to Lackey's class on June 2nd...mine expires same as yours. It's much easier than anyone else I've taken it from.


Got in!...see you there June 2nd :thumbup:


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## Titan Plumbing (Oct 8, 2009)

Okay, I think...:laughing: See ya then.


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## johnlewismcleod (Apr 6, 2012)

Nuplumber said:


> When we get a main leak we take a air drill or breaker on the bacjk of the combo punch a few hole where the main at. Where the water bubbles up highest we start diggen. 90% right on. We get to much noise where we at to get those work.


Heh...sorry Nuplumber. I just re-read your post and see what you're saying now. I don't know what "...breaker on the bacjk of the combo..." refers to, but you didn't mean a dwv sewer combo.

Yes, that's what I typically do as well: poke lots of holes and dig where the water comes up highest. The problem with that is that in clay soils you occasionally follow a "worm track" for long distances to the actual source and the deeper the water line, the more likely the surface water is far from the actual leak.


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