Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

[Boomyal]

I am taking a break from computer printer problems and cross country move excercises.

Question is, are all these little pocket style voltage testers about the same and will they all work by just placing them over a run of romex to determine if it is live? The ads I've seen for them are not clear.

I have just mounted a recessed light above the shower in the master bath. This will aid in my shaving on the dark side of my face. Without my glasses and in low light I cannot see the right side of my face for precision shaving.

That all being said, I am going to power this light from a combination heat lamp/flood light, exhaust fan ceiling unit that is about 4 feet away. As there are several switched wires leading into this assembly, I thought it would be easiest to identify the wire that I want to tie into with one of these testers.

Once I open the junction box for this combination fixture there will be a jumble of wires to pick between and the clearance up in the attic does not lend itself to a large exploritory venture.

If I can just place the device on the various wires and have someone below flip the switch I want to use, on and off, it would seem that this would quickly identify the wires I want with out having to undo wire nuts and test the raw ends.

What say all you electrician types? These inductive testers are cheap enought but if there are any differences in them I want to choose the right type.

 

[mcgyver210]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Yes they work by getting the tip close to the power source & they usually do this with a beep & blinking light.

I have a Fluke version & it is handy but you should know the NickName for this type of device is Widow Maker so be careful. I don't think I would compare the cheap no name ones to a Fluke but they do work on the same principle. I personally would always rather use a real meter just for safety.

 

[heyttown]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Same principle, but to be taken with a grain of salt as very small voltage makes them go off, some of them have been so sensative it will go off just rubbing it on my shirt.

On a side note, if the light is mounted in the shower or within contact of a person standing in the shower, the light has to be fed by a GFCI circuit breaker or outlet.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Nope the proximity voltage detectors aren't worth a damn for chasing wiring, they're slightly better than 75% accurate at detecting voltage at all let alone the source. They make cheap voltage probes that can accurately and safely! chase household wiring.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

..... They make cheap voltage probes that can accurately and safely! chase household wiring.

Are you speaking of probes that actually need to contact the bare wiring? Or are you speaking of something else?

 

[Pascal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

This is the one that I use. It is sensitive enough to detect the spiral of the wires in an ordinary extension cord..... it is 'rated' up to 600 volts but I'll let someone else handle anything higher than 240 thankyou very much.....

http://www.fluke.com/fluke/usen/Accessories/Lights/LVD2.htm?PID=56369


all it is useful for is hot wire identification. if you want to trace wiring circuits, you need something with a signal generator and detection..... like this one.....

http://www.professionalequipment.com/meterman-circuit-breaker-finder-ecb50/circuit-tracers/

It is about $60 .. others available up to $500+

 

[dwco5051]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

I use one when checking the couple of hundred feet of cheap holiday lights my wife insists I put up. Being in series trying to replace each bulb could take forever. If a string doesn't work I go to the center and if I have power on both sides of the bulb I then go halfway down the string and try again. It doesn't take but a couple of minutes using this bracket method to pinpoint the bad bulb.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Taking a break Boom...thats hardly a break crawling around in an attic playing with hot wires....got any pics of the unshaven face,,,the side you missed roflmho

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Taking a break Boom...thats hardly a break crawling around in an attic playing with hot wires....got any pics of the unshaven face,,,the side you missed roflmho

Naw dolluper, it was kinda fun after I just finished building this, the Catwalk to Nowhere. A neighbor had just ripped up an old cedar deck. I couldn't let all that lumber just go to the dump.

The new light fixture was clear to the end of this walk and three truss bays off to the right. Without this it would have been a total PITA.

 

[dolluper]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

I wouldn't have any trouble climbing that ladder....with all the insulation be like climbing in the clouds

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

I wouldn't have any trouble climbing that ladder....with all the insulation be like climbing in the clouds

Aktually dolluper, that is not a ladder, it is a horizontal catwalk into the bowels of my attic.

....and yes, it is bit of an adventure to stroll along it, into the dark and mysterious.........

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

I just purchased a non contact AC Voltage Sensor from the local electric and plumbing supply house. I walked in to ask about them and they had a display rack of them right on the help desk counter.

I have run all over the house testing it on various lamp cords and outlets. So far it is pretty spiffy. We are even going to buy a bunch of them and use them as stocking stuffers this Christmas. IMHO, this is something everyone should have in their kit.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

I have just mounted a recessed light above the shower in the master bath. This will aid in my shaving on the dark side of my face. Without my glasses and in low light I cannot see the right side of my face for precision shaving.

Ayuh,... I haven't shaved with a mirror since my 20s....
I shave by feel in the shower, 'n do the "precision shaving" at the sink when I get out....

Anyways,....
I got a Craftsman tester last Christmas,... Pretty Cool Tool,... Seems accurate enough for what I do...
Got the DVM too...

Nice catwalk,... Made outa Junk is even Better,... It's my favorite medium to work with,...

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Ayuh,... I haven't shaved with a mirror since my 20s....
I shave by feel in the shower, 'n do the "precision shaving" at the sink when I get out....

Anyways,....
I got a Craftsman tester last Christmas,... Pretty Cool Tool,... Seems accurate enough for what I do...
Got the DVM too...

Nice catwalk,... Made outa Junk is even Better,... It's my favorite medium to work with,...

The proper work is TREASURE

 

[Bondo]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

The proper word is TREASURE

Ayuh,... If I were an Artist,... I'd be workin' with Treasures,....

Being just a Master General ReEngineer,...
It's just Junk...

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Needless to say, my neighbor that built that deck 20 years ago, was pleased to see that his old treasure lives on!

 

[dolluper]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

Guess your the cat using that ladder LOL's

 

[dvandsm64]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

i am an electrician. we use fluke glow sticks all the time. they work great, but be careful. if u have a jumble of wires and 1 is hot the tester will glow. thus it is hard to narrow down which wire is hot. you need to be able to pull the wires apart to check individually.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Inductive or non contact voltage testers?

i am an electrician. we use fluke glow sticks all the time. they work great, but be careful. if u have a jumble of wires and 1 is hot the tester will glow. thus it is hard to narrow down which wire is hot. you need to be able to pull the wires apart to check individually.

Thanks dv, I kind of figured that was the case. It is pretty sensitive.