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Voltage detector to reccomend?

Last year, I bought a black and yellow voltage detector, from the electrical aisle at Walmart. I was on the job with a friend. He had one, and it was totally useful. Hold it near a power line, push the btton. See if the line was charged. If yes, it beeps and chirps and warbles.

Mine worked for a couple months, and stopped working.

Harbor Freight had similar one for sale, takes AAA cells. Neon bulb, now days probably LED. Flashes in case of power. Today it didn't work. Not sure if the leaky Energizer cells were the problem.

Anyone have a brand and type, that works and is inexpensive? . Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon
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aisle at Walmart. I was on the job with a friend. He had one, and it was totally useful. Hold it near a power line, push the btton. See if the line was charged. If yes, it beeps and chirps and warbles.

probably LED. Flashes in case of power. Today it didn't work. Not sure if the leaky Energizer cells were the problem.

Maybe get one from Dollar Store or Big Lots?

Reply to
Brock O'Bamma

Mine worked for a couple months, and stopped working.

Lots of companies make (or import) non-contact voltage testers. I would look for something name brand that has a decent reputation. I wouldn't go much cheaper than this:

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Reply to
SRN

Maybe get one from Dollar Store or Big Lots?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Not cheapl, but works well. I carried one for several years at work before retiring. Still have it.

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Mine worked for a couple months, and stopped working.

Harbor Freight had similar one for sale, takes AAA cells. Neon bulb, now days probably LED. Flashes in case of power. Today it didn't work. Not sure if the leaky Energizer cells were the problem.

Anyone have a brand and type, that works and is inexpensive? . Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Ralph Mowery

Hong Kong to the rescue. Do not batteries reversely install!

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Mine worked for a couple months, and stopped working.

Harbor Freight had similar one for sale, takes AAA cells. Neon bulb, now days probably LED. Flashes in case of power. Today it didn't work. Not sure if the leaky Energizer cells were the problem.

Anyone have a brand and type, that works and is inexpensive? . Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Fluke is supposed to be a good brand. Ebay has them from Hong Kong for about $20. Also available from China. I don't trust China stuff.

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

Lots of companies make (or import) non-contact voltage testers. I would look for something name brand that has a decent reputation. I wouldn't go much cheaper than this:

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Reply to
Stormin Mormon

You are already $ 16 into poor quality tools and still do not have anyting worth while. Walmart and HF are ok for the throw away tools, but for an everyday tool, pay a little (lot) more. Especially for the ones that may save your life.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

I bought a cheap one from home depot. I don't think it ever shut off. Battery went dead. I got a fluke works well. I could also use my harbor freight static receiver. Around $15 when I bought mine. You can trace wiring. Does not indicate voltage, and will also sound noise on ground.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

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I also have one like that, but contact, reads voltage. Look at the metal piece.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

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My fluke has the test mode, you tap, it blinks.

Greg

Reply to
gregz

everyday tool, pay a little (lot) more. Especially for the ones that may save your life.

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message news:Q9Vit.15347$ snipped-for-privacy@fed10.iad... Thanks. Ten bucks is what I paid for the one from Walmart, the HF one was about six.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I bought a cheap one from home depot. I don't think it ever shut off. Battery went dead. I got a fluke works well. I could also use my harbor freight static receiver. Around $15 when I bought mine. You can trace wiring. Does not indicate voltage, and will also sound noise on ground.

Greg

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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I also have one like that, but contact, reads voltage. Look at the metal piece.

Greg

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

My fluke has the test mode, you tap, it blinks.

Greg

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

$20. Also available from China. I don't trust China stuff.

and try to isolate or unplug the circuit being serviced. The volt tester is quick and easy way to see if I'm dealing with tripped breaker or GFCI.

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Fluke doesn't make anything, anymore. they closed their manufacturing plant several years ago and auctioned off all the equipment.

Paul

Reply to
Paul Drahn

You have just demonstrated why you always do Live Dead Live before working on anything that can hurt you.

Live. You first put your voltage checker on a live circuit and confirm tha t it does indeed detect that the power is on. Otherwise, you can get a zer o reading from the circuit you are about to touch, but you have no idea if your detector has died. Which they obviously do, frequently.

Dead. You deenergize the circuit you are about to work on, and then confir m with your meter that it is actually off and not being backfed from somewh ere else, actually on a different breaker, wired backwards, etc.

Live. And then you test your meter AGAIN on a known live circuit. Because as you've proven, meters die all the time, and it may have been dead when you checked your supposedly deenergized circuit.

Reply to
TimR

aisle at Walmart. I was on the job with a friend. He had one, and it was totally useful. Hold it near a power line, push the btton. See if the line was charged. If yes, it beeps and chirps and warbles.

probably LED. Flashes in case of power. Today it didn't work. Not sure if the leaky Energizer cells were the problem.

I have a Greenlee pocket non-contact voltage detector that works well and my digital clamp on ammeter has a function where I press the data hold button with the range switch off and it growls when I get the clamp near an energized circuit. ^_^

TDD

Reply to
The Daring Dufas

aisle at Walmart. I was on the job with a friend. He had one, and it was totally useful. Hold it near a power line, push the btton. See if the line was charged. If yes, it beeps and chirps and warbles.

probably LED. Flashes in case of power. Today it didn't work. Not sure if the leaky Energizer cells were the problem.

If you had leaky batteries, you can get bet your bippy they were the problem. Try to clean it up, neutralize the base or acid, and use new batteries.

The detector didn't make the batteries leak.

Reply to
micky

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