On Tue, 6 Nov 2007 20:39:10 +0000 (UTC), (Dave
Martindale) wrote:

Frank B Denman writes:
I've got a Sperry CS-500A that is essentially useless. It is never able
to narrow its detection to a single breaker.

I've got one purchased from Home Depot for about half that amount; can't
remember the brand at the moment. It seems to be able to narrow the
breaker down to one of 2 or 3 on its own, particularly if you rotate the
pickup head to its most sensitive position (either parallel or
perpendicular to the breaker, again can't remember which).

That is the trick. Learn to use it like it is supposed to be used.

You have to align it to the magnetic field the way it was designed to
line up.