接收機的(de)(de)任務是探(tan)測(ce)流過(guo)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流方向以及它(ta)的(de)(de)大小(xiao)。為(wei)達到這一目的(de)(de)，電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流傳感(gan)(gan)器被用(yong)作(zuo)傳感(gan)(gan)器，它(ta)帶有(you)一放大器并串(chuan)聯在(zai)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)路中，傳感(gan)(gan)器鉗(qian)住(zhu)被測(ce)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)，電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流流過(guo)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)產生的(de)(de)磁場(chang)在(zai)傳感(gan)(gan)器的(de)(de)線圈(quan)中感(gan)(gan)應出電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)，該(gai)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)極性(xing)由電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流方向和傳感(gan)(gan)器線圈(quan)的(de)(de)方向決定。為(wei)了得到明顯(xian)有(you)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)流方向的(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)極性(xing)，對一束(shu)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)中所(suo)有(you)電(dian)(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)進行測(ce)試都(dou)采取(qu)相同正確的(de)(de)方向。
傳感器(qi)線圈(quan)中感應的(de)(de)電壓在表頭中顯示出(chu)來，如果傳感器(qi)按(an)上述方(fang)式連接，指針(zhen)(zhen)擺(bai)動方(fang)向可顯示電流(liu)(liu)方(fang)向，即只(zhi)有(you)電流(liu)(liu)流(liu)(liu)出(chu)的(de)(de)這根電纜(lan)指針(zhen)(zhen)向一邊偏(pian)，這根就是要找的(de)(de)電纜(lan)。所有(you)其它(ta)電纜(lan)只(zhi)流(liu)(liu)過(guo)返回電流(liu)(liu)，指針(zhen)(zhen)向另一邊偏(pian)、或無(wu)脈動電流(liu)(liu)，指針(zhen)(zhen)不偏(pian)轉。接收機上的(de)(de)放(fang)大(da)調(diao)節器(qi)可調(diao)整(zheng)信號強度。
電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)識(shi)(shi)別(bie)儀發生器將周(zhou)期性(xing)的(de)(de)(de)單(dan)極(ji)性(xing)電(dian)(dian)(dian)壓(ya)脈沖饋(kui)入要識(shi)(shi)別(bie)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)中(zhong)，該電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)需要在遠端接地，以保證有(you)足夠大(da)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)流(liu)(liu)過(guo)(guo)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)。該系統(tong)要設計成(cheng)返(fan)(fan)回電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)不要從(cong)同一(yi)(yi)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)中(zhong)返(fan)(fan)回，能做到這(zhe)一(yi)(yi)點，饋(kui)入電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)脈沖電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)的(de)(de)(de)方向(xiang)可做為一(yi)(yi)明顯的(de)(de)(de)識(shi)(shi)別(bie)標準，流(liu)(liu)出去(qu)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)僅從(cong)這(zhe)一(yi)(yi)根(gen)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)通(tong)(tong)過(guo)(guo)，所有(you)其它(ta)鄰(lin)近電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)中(zhong)流(liu)(liu)過(guo)(guo)的(de)(de)(de)都是返(fan)(fan)回電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)，但它(ta)們的(de)(de)(de)極(ji)性(xing)相(xiang)反。除了(le)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)方向(xiang)這(zhe)一(yi)(yi)實際差異(yi)外，電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)幅度也是一(yi)(yi)識(shi)(shi)別(bie)特征，流(liu)(liu)出去(qu)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)僅通(tong)(tong)過(guo)(guo)一(yi)(yi)根(gen)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)、而(er)返(fan)(fan)回電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)可通(tong)(tong)過(guo)(guo)幾根(gen)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)、這(zhe)意味著流(liu)(liu)出去(qu)的(de)(de)(de)電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)比流(liu)(liu)過(guo)(guo)其它(ta)電(dian)(dian)(dian)纜(lan)(lan)(lan)的(de)(de)(de)返(fan)(fan)回電(dian)(dian)(dian)流(liu)(liu)大(da)。
