I suspect electrical wires in a certain area when I scan, but why am I not detecting any?

Electrical field locators may not detect live AC wires if the wires are more than 2 inches from the scanned surface, in concrete, encased in conduit, present behind a plywood shear wall or metallic wall covering, or if moisture is present in the environment or scanned surface.

If your tool has Metal Scan mode, use this mode to see if you can locate the metal, wire, or metal conduit.

CAUTION: DO NOT ASSUME THERE ARE NO LIVE ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE WALL. DO NOT TAKE ACTIONS THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS IF THE WALL CONTAINS A LIVE ELECTRICAL WIRE. ALWAYS TURN OFF THE ELECTRICAL POWER, GAS, AND WATER SUPPLIES BEFORE PENETRATING A SURFACE. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN ELECTRIC SHOCK, FIRE, AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE.

Always turn off power when working near electrical wires.