If the tone generator method is not available, what is the slower method to locate a circuit path?

• A. Visual inspection only
• B. Guesswork
• C. Following a color code
• D. Use a meter

Answer: (D)

When you can’t use a tone generator, you trace the circuit path by checking continuity with a meter. You test one end of the suspected run and move along the wires, using the meter in continuity or resistance mode to see which conductor actually completes the circuit to the target point. This method is slower because it requires careful, manual checks at multiple points and sometimes disconnecting devices to get accurate readings, rather than relying on an audible tone that leads you directly to the correct path. Visual inspection can help with what you can see, and following a color code might guide you, but neither confirms the exact path in a bundle, so guesswork isn’t reliable. Using a meter provides the precise confirmation you need, even though it takes more time.