Screwdriver with neon electricity tester

[ARWadsworth]

He might do when he has set fire to himself:-)

[Lieutenant Scott]

Using a variant of "I know you are" is the most childish thing in the book.

[Lieutenant Scott]

I wouldn't count on it. I'm not as fragile as you health and safety types.

[Lieutenant Scott]

I bet they can dismantle an electrical installation quicker than you can.

[Rick]

Big issue is failure mode ... if neon or resistor fails ... no light, could lead you to think there is no power when there is.

Like another poster my last one was part of a tool kit 30 yrs ago ..

[F Murtz]

This seems to be recommendations not law

[Jethro]

Wasn't there a mantra ... test the tester, test the circuit, test the tester ?

[grimly4]

I'd put him at 14.

[robgraham]

"I'd rather work live" - than what? Than test with a tool that you know has limitations and you work within those limitations - that is you double check either by shorting L & N or quickly brush a finger across the L.

It does seem rather peculiar that you would rather work live - that is just asking for trouble in my opinion. Having said that I was intrigued to hear a friend saying that the electricity board fitted a new feeder to his house with the supply live.

The danger with the screwdrivers - and it particularly applies in the case of them being sold cheaply in somewhere like Morrisions - is that their limitations are not known by the punters. There could be a case of them being banned on those ground alone, but in the meantime, I for one will certainly continue to use the three that I have.

Rob

[Mike Barnes]

robgraham :

Agree.

[John Rumm]

Hence why I used the term "HSE guidance"... However you can imaging an employers reluctance to work counter to that guidance, when someone is injured and the ambulance chasers appear on the scene.

[ARWadsworth]

Banned where I am working:-)

[Bill]

In message , robgraham writes

This is a problem with all DIY. Any one can go out and buy almost any tool, angle grinders and chain saws come to mind, then go off and kill themselves without needing any training. I don't believe that "big brother" should rule the world, but there are times when some restrictions would be useful, but where do you draw the line? Even if instructions and warnings were given with neon screwdrivers would anyone read them? Or understand them?

[Andy Champ]

Me too.

I test it lights, turn off the circuit, test it doesn't light. The chances of an intervening failure are pretty small.

If it's lighting I leave the light on too, then the fact that it's gone out is the first check that I have the right circuit.

Andy

[grimly4]

That happens all too often with brightly lit backgrounds, rendering the tester next to useless. Since I bought a volt stick years ago, I'd never go back to a neon screwdriver.