This article examines three professional digital wall scanners from Bosch: the D-tect 120, the D-tect 200 C, and the new-generation EXPERT D-tect18V-200-17C. We will analyze their technical specifications, detection depth, detectable materials and hidden utilities, power supply, weight, and key features. We will also compare the differences between the compact D-tect 120, the professional D-tect 200 C , and the advanced D-tect18V-200-17C —which features 3D visualization and AI technology—and identify the specific professionals and construction tasks best suited for each model.
1. Bosch D-tect 120 Professional
For: electricians, installers, drywallers, plumbers, construction workers, furniture installers.
This is the most compact of the three options. It is designed primarily for checking walls on a daily basis before drilling.
Key characteristics:
- Detection depth: up to 120 mm
- Metal: up to 120 mm
- Live wire: up to 60 mm
- Wooden structure: up to 38 mm
- Power supply: Bosch 12 V Li-Ion or 4 AA batteries
- Weight: approximately 0.5 kg
- Object center determination accuracy: ±10 mm
- Wall types: concrete, drywall, universal materials
- Technology: Bosch Radar Technology
- Function: determining the direction to the center of the detected object
- Automatic switch-off: after approximately 5 minutes. Bosch Professional
What can he find?
* cable
* iron
* copper and other non-ferrous metals
* a plastic pipe filled with water
* a wooden structure.
The main advantage is that it is small and lightweight. For an electrician who drills into walls every day, it is a very practical option.
2. Bosch D-tect 200 C Professional
This is a professional scanner of a higher class.
The main difference compared to the D-tect 120 is its ability to detect objects at depths of up to 200 mm, and the information is displayed in much greater detail.
Technical specifications:
- Maximum depth: up to 200 mm
- Metal objects in dry concrete: up to 200 mm
- Other objects in dry concrete: up to 80 mm
- Metal in fresh/young concrete: up to 60 mm
- Wooden structures: up to 38 mm
- Hollow bricks: up to 50 mm
- Other supported walls: up to 80 mm
- Center determination accuracy: ±5 mm
- Power supply: Bosch 12 V Li-Ion or 4×AA
- Weight: approximately 0.7 kg
- Protection: IP5X
- USB-C
- MicroSD
- Scan results can be saved
- It has a distance measurement function.
- Features leak detection. Bosch Professional
An interesting specification: Bosch indicates a minimum distance of approximately 40 mm between two adjacent objects. Bosch Professional
For which walls?
The D-tect 200 C is designed for:
- concrete;
- brick;
- hollow brick;
- drywall;
- structures with surface heating;
- other supported building materials. Bosch Media Service
For whom?
Electrician: locate the cable before drilling.
Plumber: Find the pipe.
Installer: check the wall before mounting the equipment.
Builder: find the rebar.
Site manager/engineer: save the inspection results and use them for documentation.
3. Bosch EXPERT D-tect18V-200-17C — a new generation
This particular model is of the greatest interest specifically for the "Digital Construction 2026" theme.
Bosch positions it as an EXPERT wall scanner featuring AI-supported object detection, 3D visualization, and the 18V battery platform. Bosch Professional.
Technical specifications:
- Maximum depth: up to 200 mm
- Metal in dry concrete: up to 200 mm
- Other objects in dry concrete: up to 80 mm
- Metal in young concrete: up to 60 mm
- Wooden structures: up to 38 mm
- Center determination accuracy: ±5 mm
- Power supply: 18 V Li-Ion
- Weight: approximately 0.6 kg
- Protection: IP5X
- USB-C
- MicroSD
- 3D Imaging
- leak detection
- distance measurement
- Updatable software. Bosch Professional
The set may include, among other items, a GBA 18V 2.0Ah battery, a GAL 18V-20 charger, and an L-BOXX 136, depending on the specific configuration. Bosch Professional
What does he discover?
A practically complete set:
* live wires
* de-energized wires
* magnetic metals — for example, iron
* non-magnetic metals — for example, copper
* water-filled plastic pipes
* empty plastic pipes
* Wooden structures. Bosch Professional
The main difference of the new D-tect 18V
The logic of a standard detector is roughly as follows:
I found an object at a depth of 60 mm.
The new D-tect18V takes a different approach:
I scanned a section of the wall and can show you where the objects are located.
Bosch has added 3D imaging, and the software uses AI to detect hidden objects. You can also take screenshots and save results to internal memory or a microSD card, then transfer the data via USB-C. Bosch Professional.
In other words, this can already be regarded as a tool for the digital inspection of a building structure.
Comparison of three models
| Characteristics / Profile / Reference | Bosch D-tect 120 | Bosch D-tect 200 C | Bosch EXPERT D-tect18V-200-17C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awesome | Professional | Professional | EXPERT |
| Nutrition | 12 V Li-Ion / AA batteries | 12 V Li-Ion / AA batteries | 18 V Li-Ion |
| Maximum detection depth | 120 mm | 200 mm | 200 mm |
| Metal in dry concrete | up to 120 mm | up to 200 mm | up to 200 mm |
| Other projects using dry-mix concrete | depends on the object | up to 80 mm | up to 80 mm |
| Objects in concrete during the hardening stage | — | up to 60 mm | up to 60 mm |
| Timber structures | up to 38 mm | up to 38 mm | up to 38 mm |
| Brick / universal walls | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drywall | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Concrete | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hollow brick | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Live cables | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| De-energized cables | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Magnetic metal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Non-magnetic metal | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Plastic water pipes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Empty plastic pipes | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Center determination accuracy | ±10 mm | ±5 mm | ±5 mm |
| 3D visualization | — | — | ✓ 3D Imaging |
| AI technology | — | — | ✓ |
| Leak detection | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Distance measurement | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Saving results | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| microSD | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| USB-C | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Software update | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Protection | — | IP5X | IP5X |
| Weight | ≈ 0.5 kg | ≈ 0.7 kg | ≈ 0.6 kg |
| For whom | Electricians, installers, plumbers, construction workers | Professional builders, electricians, plumbers, installers, engineers | Electricians, installers, construction workers, engineers, inspection specialists |
| Main advantage | Compactness and light weight | Deep scan and documentation | AI + 3D imaging + 18 V + digital documentation |
* The maximum depth depends on the wall material, the type and size of the object being detected, and the scanning conditions. The 200 mm figure does not mean that any cable or pipe will be detected at a depth of 200 mm.
Source: bosch-professional.com
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