Stud finder and lead based paint?

thunderhead · 07-24-2011, 06:45 PM

I bought a Zircon I520 stud finder, ac locator yesterday. Went to use it today and it would not find anything. I tried studs and ac but nothing worked. I put the sensor over an outlet and it worked, but I was trying to locate wires in the wall. Tried a new battery but no luck. Gave up and started cutting into walls, luckily wires were where I thought they were. However, noticed that the drywall was foil backed. Anyone heard of this? House is 50 yrs old, drywall was never replaced. Looks factory, doesn't look like something added. So I thought that was the problem with the sensor. Nope, did work a little on the ceiling (which did not have the foil) but not reliable. I brought the unit home with me and tried it on my house and it works fairly well here. My question, will lead based paint make these things not work worth a crap? I know the house I was working on has been repainted since lead based was outlawed but there is lead based paint under it. TIA

**oh'mike** · 07-24-2011, 07:49 PM

That is a wild bit of logic---The stud finder did not like the aluminum foil---and most stud finders are trash----in an effort to make the find every thing short of Jimmy Hoffa, the ability to find studs was left out.---Mike---