Bosch Cable Finder Truvo (Maximum Detection Depth Live Cable/Non-Magnetic Metal/Magnetic Metal: 50/60/70 mm, in Cardboard Box)
Digital detector
Truvo
How can we be certain where supporting elements, pipes or cables are routed in walls? The Truvo detector from Bosch detects ferrous and non-ferrous metals and live cables at depths of up to 7 cm.
Auto calibration
Practical auto-calibration for direct start-up and safer drilling.
Marking aids
Conveniently use the lines on the side of the tool to accurately mark results during operation.
Single-button operation
One-button principle with automatic calibration – simply use the ON/OFF button and begin scanning without further steps.
LED light
The LED traffic light system lights up red when an object has been detected, yellow when one is nearby and green when no object has been found.
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Switching on the tool
Switch on the Truvo by pulling down the slider and placing your hand against the wall.
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Keep moving
By moving back and forth, the Truvo memorises the course of the material and becomes more accurate.
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Detecting the materials
Live cables and metals can be detected (see next step).
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Traffic light system
Green: No object found
Yellow: Object nearby
Red (continuous tone): Metal
Red (flashing): Cable
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Setting the marker
Using the marking slots, the target areas can be easily and accurately marked.
The Truvo
Why does the tool indicate live cables everywhere?
The construction of commercially available cables causes fluctuations in the electric field strength at the surface, which influence signal detection, through to complete elimination.
What should I do if the tool displays different results for the same measurement?
Follow the step-by-step guide when using the tool and make sure that all measurements are performed in the same way. In particular, move the tool three times in each direction – under constant external conditions.
Why does the signal change when the tool is moved along a live cable?
The construction of commercially available cables causes fluctuations in the electric field strength at the surface, which influence signal detection, through to complete elimination.
Why do I have problems locating three-phase power cables?
In the case of live three-phase power cables (e.g. power connection for the cooker), the different phases of the cable cancel each other out so that the detector cannot detect the signal.
Why does the tool indicate metal objects on the entire wall?
The tool detects certain construction materials as metal due to the high iron content (e.g. aluminium foil on underfloor heating systems or metal-clad thermal glass wool insulation).
| Weight: | 150 g |
| Dimensions: | 14.3 x 6 x 2.9 cm; 149.99 Grams |
| Model: | 0603681200 |
| Part: | 0603681200 |
| Colour: | Green |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | Yes |
| Batteries Included: | Alkaline |
| Manufacture: | Bosch |
| Colour: | Green |
| Quantity: | 1 |
I had no dislike at all it is a good produc
Don’t believe the bad reviews on here. Amazing little device
Easy to use but not very accurate and a bit pricey.
The simplest scanner I have ever used – and it does work well. Red and solid audible signal – no go, metal detected. Red and pulsing audible signal – no go, mains supply detected. Green OK and amber close to detection area. One thing, take the time to calibrate it as per the instructions, it makes a big difference in accuracy terms. Great product overall, it just does the job.
Good quality. Was a little confused when using as appeared to get a few false positives but realised I needed to do more slowly. Managed to get DIY job finished without blowing up the house. 10/10.
Great product for the price, not hit a pipe, stud or wire since I bought i
I’ve had this a good few months now and it does exactly what it says on the tin really good price as well nice bit of kit for the tool box.
Really easy to use, glide it over the area for a few moments before you rest it where you want it to get an accurate reading
Couldn’t be without it now came in so useful had it for 2 years and still going strong
Brilliant. Easy to use, gives you an indictation of how near a wire is as well, not just if you’re on one or not.
This is such a handy gadget, perfect for checking for any electrical wiring, would definitely recommend for any DIY jobs!
Made finding location of wiring tracked in walls easy and safe as had to drill holes for hanging wall cabinets very close to the tracked wiring
very easy to use. More accurate than others I have used.
When we moved I wanted to ensure I was not drilling into any pipes or wires when I started hanging things. I found this to be invaluable. I can’t know for sure just how accurate it is, but from testing on wires and pipes that I can see, it seems to be accurate. It’s certainly helped me avoid drillng some walls that I thought were free from pipes.
All in all, a great purchase and I find myself using it more and more.
Great product. Would recommend this when drilling holes in walls.
Used to confirm the location of cables in walls before putting up pictures. Works well and easy to use.
Not totally convinced by its accuracy as it “changes its mind” on repeat testing of same area.
Very easy to use does what it says on the box
Not entirely foolproof, but well worth having…particularly good for locating position of electric cables.
It tends to be a tool on speed and doesn’t always get it right but it makes you check you’re on track!
An excellent piece of kit. Easy to use. I would highly recommend.
Brought this so we could put the TV on the wall and have a sound mind that we was drilling in the right places. Worked perfectly! Very pleased.
Easy to use and located cables we thought were very close to each other enabling us to get good and safe fixings
Easy to use. Rather sensitive to moisture interference when used in bathroom but not a major issue. Agree some sort of protective cover would be useful to prevent damage in tool box. Other than probably being overpriced because itsBosch a useful bit of kit for the amateur DIYis
I strongly advise any one to get it could potently save you life. I will always make sure I have one and I will buy a second one for a back up. It comes with bats which is a bonus
When I first got it out of the box and tested it, it did in fact beep at absolutely everything – wooden doors, a wooden table, and wooden bannisters all had wiring and metal in them! However, I have a habit of not reading instructions and expecting everything to just ‘work’ out of the box. So to make sure it definitely was faulty before sending back, I actually read the instructions and lo and behold it turns out I needed to calibrate the thing. So I gave that a try and it suddenly started working spot on!
I tested above and around light switches and it gave pretty accurate readings (if a bit sensitive) and wooden items no longer seems to be hiding electrical wires. Like another review I read, I think it works slightly better if you hold it slightly off the wall, but overall I am very glad I bought this. It lit up like a Christmas tree at the section where I was looking to drill, so I am happy to steer well clear.
Overall, very happy with this. If you want something that is going to be very accurate to the mm, this isn’t for you. But it does help to give you a pretty good idea if something is lurking in the wall. I also suggest to anyone who does get one and finds that it beeps at everything – calibrate it! And make sure you calibrate it properly, my first attempt didn’t have the correct flashing lights at the end, so had to do it a second time where I made sure I followed the instructions to the letter and it worked a charm.
For the price I paid, I am very happy.
Hope that helps!
Happy with this Bosch sensor; it helped me install my wall sconces correctly. It comes with batteries and the device is pretty accurate, despite seeing bad reviews. I love it’s little “meep”, cute noise. Easy to use, idiot-proof!
Excellent responsive product. Will certainly pay for itself over and over with DIY. Easy to use too.
This is a quality product and well worth the money. We had to instal a new bathroom cabinet and needed to check for hidden pipes and wires before installation and the Bosch detector did it’s job.
Was asked by my daughter to put up some shelves adjacent to her home alarm system, fuse box and externally her gas & electricity metres. Very congested area. The metre identified live electric cables, metal pipes & studding all within a couple of inches. I took a chance and accepted its verdict. All went well….no problems..
The product was brilliant used it to locate electric cables in wall also defined between live cables and dead cables.
The only downside it should have a case but no case delivered
Bit more expensive than alternatives but good product, works well and detects within a certain range. Would recommend
Seems to work well so far and not drilled into anything I shouldnt! 😉
Works a treat given I live in an old building seemingly wired by people more suited to pushing a piano up some stairs. This found live wiring where it should not have been, and where I was about to drill – so naturally I’m chuffed whilst the ex wife is less so.
his was cheap item. I found it very useful for detecting live wires,pipes etc.It gave confidence when drilling into a wall.
Hasn’t let me down so far and better than some alternative detectors from Bosch. Simple to use. Would have been good if this could also detect studs.
The only difficulty I had was when I first turned it on and went to calibrate it – a simple job of on, take batteries out, off, put batteries in, on and wait for the lights to stop flashing in a fixed time – easy – but for me it was not working, it just kept flashing on and on .
There is a tiny bit of text, with an asterisk at the very end of everything that tells you to beware electromagnetic interference, well I though surely not, my laptop is on the other side of the room, but I chose to do as another buyer had mentioned, and took it outside to calibrate – worked fine.
Turns out a laptop / computer gives off far more electromagnetic interference than I thought possible!
Since then we have used it frequently to drill holes for shelving, hooks, cupboards etc, looking to avoid pipes and wires, and to find the wall studs for handing cupboards on, and although there is a rule that all electrical wires should go straight up from a socket, turns out not all builders stick to this so much surprise was had finding things to avoid.
The sound is good and clear.
I am not an expert DIY’er and therefore it was super important that I have a piece of kit I can rely on. Well worth the extra cost.
Simple to use and effective. Have used it two or three times with success.
Nonetheless it is prudent to drill with great caution. I started with a blunt slim masonry drill bit and only drilled just to the depth of the plasterboards before pushing through with a cross-head screwdriver which will not damage any pipes or wiring. Then poke around with a long screwdriver to be sure the hollow space is clear before making the fixing.
My plasterboard was not metal foil backed. I suspect the detector would have had a lot more trouble giving clear indications if this had been the case. There are far more expensive “pro’ model detectors for the more difficult jobs but this Truvo is very good value and works well for 30. A useful addition to the toolbox.
Very good product. I think the negative reviews are from people who aren’t earthing the wall with their other hand to give accurate readings.
How very annoying, I bought one last month for 43, now it’s on offer at Amazon for 25.
I’ve managed without for years, so the law of averages indicated I was about due a disaster. On the initial pass the unit is oversensitive, but if you pass and repass the area it narrows the area down to a much smaller area, just like it says it will.., in the INSTRUCTIONS.
Remember that the machine will detect nails in stud walls, but such ‘false’ readings can be eliminated by searching above/below and side to side, cables and pipes don’t appear from nowhere.
The detector was easy to use and did the intended jobs accurately.
This one works great. extra peace of mind.
Many thanks to the seller for fast delivery
Big fan of Bosch tools and not disappointed with this one. Easy to use and very effective. Recommended
Was used to drill walls to hang pictures. Had to replace batteries as the ones with detector were faulty.
Easy to use and did exactly what it was needed for.
Had expected this to find studs in timber framed house!
Does as it says. Good at detecting various materials such as pipes, wires etc.
I am a DIY novice but this Bosch is better at detecting electrical wires than thr Draper brand I brought and returned. My only concern is that it detects electrical wires as metal even though there is current going through the wires.
Works perfectly well, allowed me to install kitchen units safely
Good product but tends to be a tad sensitive but brilliant if used sensibly
Accurate and easy to use. However it was supplied without a case/pouch.
Works well, good for Electric cables , although most heating pipes are plastic which this will not detec
Needed to drill some holes on a wall that I knew had pipes and wires. Bought this and it allowed me to drill with confidence.
I went for this as the cheap detectors from Argos and Wilko could have killed me. This is easy to use and 100% reliable.
Does get confused with some materials, but still a solid item.
Bought for my brother who has just moved into a new flat.
Did the job I wanted accurately and repeatedly. Can’t ask for more
good unit takes some time to get understand its workings compared to my old uni
could be a bit more accurate but does the job
Arrived on time, works well on metal and electic cables, it’s a shame it doesn’t find stud work as well.
This is excellent! A must have product when you have a house and want to hang a picture etc. It will save you worry what you could be drilling into 😉
It seems to detect things well, read some of the bad reviews, but as far as I can see it is better than not having it. Does the Job
Does what it is meant to do and do it well.
got to locate cooker cable did the job , just had a solid red light on instead of a flashing red ,but this was due to cable been in a steel conduit ,but it seemed to find it no problem
Simple way to avoid expensive accidents. Bought one after I nearly drilled through power cable. Recommended 🙂
This seems to work – gives a few false positives but i’ve used it to check the walls before drilling several holes and so far I haven’t blown myself up. It’s fairly simple to use (though the instructions are not as user friendly as one might hope), giving a different response depending on whether it detects metal or a live wire. If you’re going to be drilling regularly, this is probably essential.
Going to ve a life saver I am sure. SO easy to use.
Easy and safe to use. Reliable results make locating wires and pipes hidden in walls safe.
Prompt delivery, excellent service. Previously baffled as to why toilet cistern in new house wasn’t tethered to the wall, then realised that ceiling extractor fan is directly above toilet. That has been corrected, as the Bosch Digital Multi Detector eliminated any fears of drilling into the wall the previous owner had.
Works great and very precisely. Great present for my dad.
It works well though is not 100% precise. It it flashes red they is definitely either metal or cabling behind the wall. Drill cautiously if amber or red
Does what it says on the tin!! No negative comments.
I have used this tool for a few weeks and it has worked well and does what it states on the packaging.
Brilliant piece of kit…nothing special for die hard users but for beginners this is perfect.
Excellent device pinpoints materials below surface very accurately, I have had a few of these devices over the years but this is definitely the best so far.
Working good so far. No more guess work when drilling.
good piece of kit, does what it says easy to use.
This actually works! I was a bit dubious of paying 40 when you can buy some cheaper (they don’t work trust me). It syncs itself basically when it beeps you keep going over the same place and it gets more accurate. Definately buy one! Imagine how much it would cost to call a plumber, plasterer and buy wallpaper just because you went through a pipe trying to save 40 quid
As good as any detector I’ve used. Gives the odd false reading here and there but generally reliable. My advice is to try it on a live switch or somewhere you know there’s a cable first. I’ve not come across a detector that doesn’t throw false readings sometimes and this one is built to last so gets a thumbs up from me.
Very easy to use and accurate detector. I can only recommend this product.
I bought this from another retailer since it was slightly cheaper, but have to say, it’s very very good! First, I extracted the device from it’s packaging using my diamond blade circular saw, then I thought i’d test it in areas where I know there are wires. It picks them up perfectly, flashes red and beeps, as you move away it goes amber, then green for all ok.
It feels of better build quality than the other make – especially the large “on” button and it feels pleasant to use and sturdily constructed.
In use, however, it did not seem quite as accurate as I had hoped and I found myself trying to repeatedly “zero in” on pipes that I expected it to locate immediately.
It did prove reliable in finding them, however, and this coupled with the great build quality mean that it I would recommend it.
The Bosch Truvo is incredibly easy to use – just switch it on and hold it against the wall. The light goes from green to yellow to red, with an accompanying tone, the closer it gets to detecting metal. When it detects a live electrical source, the red light also flashes.
I tested it directly against the cheaper Bosch PMD-7 – the Truvo is definitely more sensitive. This can actually be slightly annoying, as it beeps even when not particularly close to the source, but it does allow for more accurate and reliable detection.
I have a number of Bosch products and this shows their typical excellent build quality and easy of use. The detector is supplied with 3 AAA batteries, and a simple instruction manual.
The detector has a single on/off switch. Once switched on it self calibrated and then you slide it over the area you want to scan. It responds by changing the display between 4 options,
Green – Nothing found
Amber – Object nearby
Red – Object detected
Flashing red – Live electrical current detected
There are groves in the top and sides of the detector to allow you to mark the spot it has detected and object with a pencil.
I was able to find metal pipes, electrical cables and wooden studs in a stud wall.
Summary – Simple and easy to use detector that actually works.
My house was built in the 1960’s so has fairly thick walls when compared to modern houses, this had no problem identifying the pipes in the wall, and on the other side of the wall. It also found all electrical wires.
It works using four display options, Green – Nothing found safe to go, Amber – Something close by, Red – Metal pipe detected, Flashing red – Metal detected with live electrical current
It even found a screw that dropped off the handle on my lawn mower in the grass. As well as this my Mum borrowed it and found the metal backing of a ear ring my niece had lost for her.
Overall very impressive and 5*
This is typical Bosch; well made and easy to use.
The really neat bit of this is how it calibrates. When switched on, it is very sensitive and will flash / sound when anywhere near hidden metal or electric. Once detected, the sensitivity is turned down and down again as you home in on the hidden item. In practice, this initially allows you to easily find the item and then get a very good / accurate position.
I have tried this on both pipes and mains electric; both work well. In the case of the mains electric, it has enabled me to accurately channel out a hidden wire to safely remove it before some build work took place.
It is not something that you are, typically, going to use everyday, but it does really pay for itself when you need it.
Recommended.
Simple detector.
I think these are great products, it can be hard to know whats best , but this is a brand name I have time for in the field.
Its small and wouldn’t be hard to store, easy to use, and doesn’t have many buttons.
It is designed to detect metal or wood or wires in your walls if you wanted to check before drilling for shelving or picture hanging etc.
It can be so useful, these things are always fiddly to use, but are much better than not using a detector.
Worked reliably for me, for known wires. Audible and visual displays, and reasonably rugged casing. Can detect under the surface metals, and will flash red warning on live wires. Easy to use, self calibrating, and takes 3xAAA batteries (supplied).
One problem, is the confusion over detection depths. I have the Truvo, and the box and manual states: Ferrous to a depth of 70mm, non-ferrous to 60mm, and live wires to 50mm. However this contradicts what is displayed on the specs on the Amazon page, the Truvo matches the specs for the PMD 7. So I have no idea how the PMD 7 performs….. How very confusing…..
If you’re into diy, it’s definitely worth owning something like this. Unless you built the place, you’ve no way of knowing where pipes and wires are.
It’s basically a metal detector, which seems to work well-enough, but I must confess I’d still trave roughly where stuff comes from! Plastic pipes could cause doom.
It is a good example of this kind of thing though.
It simple to use- turn it on and wave close to the wall surface it goes red when it detects metal and if there is a live electric current will beep and flash red. Hard to know just how deep it will detect, but it picked up all around a wall lamp not just above it where we know the cable goes, but was probably also picking up the wall light on the otherside of the wall.
With the copper pipe to the radiators it did pick up the pipes buried in concrete screed through the carpet. However might not be so effective if you have an old property with a big gap between the floor boards and pipes, that said DIY might only be a problem if using a long drill bit or using long nails.
Will be very useful also when pins, needles, earrings get dropped on the carpet, or keys in the garden, as long as you have a rough idea where they might be or a lot of time to spend on your hands and knees.
Well recommended for a DIY enthusiast to avoid drilling into electric cables or putting a nail through a water pipe.
This unit is powered by 3 AAA cells which are supplied and easily fitted. The device will alert you using a traffic light system of showing a green LED if there are no detected obstructions, yellow if there’s a metal object in the vicinity of the sensor or a reading is uncertain, red if a metal object is detected in the path of the sensor and if it’s a live wire the LED will flash red. There’s also an audible warning. I found the unit pretty accurate.
The unit is quite well constructed with a large, simple on/off slide switch and rubber edging to the plastic casing. In my opinion the Truvo is a bit large (19.9 x 11.1 x 5.5 cm). It’s annoying that no case is supplied and it’s not easy to find one that will fit because of its awkward dimensions. The instructions are clear but with plenty of caveats which, although they may cover Bosch in terms of liability, they undermine confidence in the unit. Given that the instructions are likely to get lost I think it would be useful to have a basic interpretation of the warning signals printed on the device itself.
Having recently moved into a new home I’m at the stage where I’m putting up shelves and pictures etc. so have used this device a lot. Overall, the unit seems to provide fairly accurate readings. If anything the unit is a bit over eager and tends towards the “skittish” as it gives you a brief warning at first sweep and them seems to settle down – it’s important that you do sweep exactly as it says in the instructions.
Overall, this is an okay device for the money and it delivers its core functionality as claimed but it has to be used properly – the critical issue being the scan technique. I wish Bosch would explain what differentiates this model from the PMD 7 (which is still available in the shops and is cheaper) plus, a brief guide to the warning signals printed on the device would be helpful. Finally, the lack of a case is a pity and is likely to reduce the longevity of the device. On the basis of the cumulative impact of these factors it loses a star but is still a pretty handy tool to have around when putting up pictures etc.
This works very well. I knocked off one star because it feels a bit lightweight and I wonder if it would be easily damaged if dropped. It comes well packaged with the usual blood curdling legal advice and disclaimers that make you wonder why we are even allowed to buy anything these days. Anyway, the instructions are clear enough which as usual people like me don’t read properly first. This device requires three batteries which are supplied and once fitted, that’s it. An on off switch is all you have so why read the instructions? Well, having tried it out near live cables and seen the correct light and beeping, it appeared that my whole house was either full of metal in all the walls or the unit was broken. This may well happen to you too so don’t send the device back. What you need to do, as the instructions make clear, is to touch the wall with your spare hand about 20 cms away from the device to make sure that the earthing is correct and hence, the device operational. This done, the results were as expected.
It seems to do the job as expected and Bosch has a good reputation for reliability so definitely one to consider.
The Bosch Truvo digital detector is a fairly basic machine all of the feedback is provided by a tri-coloured LED and a beeper, it is light enough to be used single handily and is comfortable to hold. There is only a single switch to turn it on and that is it, there is no hole to drill through or use with a pencil like there is on other detectors but it does seem to be pretty accurate. It is possible to tell the difference between metal objects and live wires but not between ferrous and no ferrous metals.
Unfortunately it cannot be used to find wooden studs in walls but it does appear to have some kind of learning abilities, when you detect a metal object in a wall if you keep sweeping the device over the area without lifting it off the wall it appears to get a much more accurate reading.