Abstract: An apparatus and method for identifying individual conductors in a multi-conductor cable, which will also identify a short or open circuit condition. One end of the multi-conductor cable is connected to a battery powered transmitter unit which sequentially generates a unique pulse on each conductor. That is, the transmitter generates a pulse on a first conductor having a unique pulse width and after a small delay follows the pulse on the first conductor with a pulse on a second conductor having a unique pulse width, preferably twice the pulse width. The transmitter sequentially steps through each conductor in a cable to generate the unique pulses. The battery powered receiver unit is connected to the other end of the multi-conductor cable with a test probe and a reference probe connected to any two conductors.