Which locating method is generally more successful for finding stub ends or dead-end branch lines?

• A. Direct line tracing
• B. Inductive locating
• C. Visual inspection
• D. Guessing

Answer: (B)

Inductive locating is most effective for finding stub ends or dead-end branches because it energizes the conductor and lets you trace the signal along the buried wire with a receiver, even through soil and around bends. As you move along the route, the signal travels down the line and will terminate at the far end where the conductor ends, making that endpoint identifiable when the trace stops. This works well for buried lines that can’t be followed by physically injecting a signal at every point, which is often required for direct line tracing. Visual inspection isn’t possible for buried utilities, and guessing isn’t a reliable method. So inductive locating provides a practical way to locate both the path and the termination point of stub ends and dead-end branches.