There is one little gotcha with these testers. Say you have tested the wire found it hot. You turn the breaker off. You test again and it says it is still hot. What?! You could have another wire running next to the one you are testing that is still hot. The magnetic field that is part of current flow transfers from the hot wire and is picked up by the wire you are testing and shows a false positive. This is where you need another tester whose probes physically touch wires to show voltage.
I was working on a recept, and saw and old hot tie in... figured that it was dead because i turned off the CB... but i probed it with my volt light.. and wouldn't you know it was hot. thank goodness for that volt light!
thanks so much for the vids. i am starting a small gc company in tennessee and this is so helpful. although i have 3 years experience, this vids help me remember the basics. keep posting bob, thanks.
I have used these things for years, I think any person that works with any type of wiring should have one of these. they are not expensive and can save your life
This is a great tool, I have the Fluke variant. I don't rely on just this to test for dead though when working on electrics, I get the multimeter out after to double check.
Yeah I bought one of those the other day at Home Depot in the electrical department for $14.99 Canadian. They are especially good for checking which fuses on a fuse panel are working and which are not.
That is a useful tool and received on from Sears when I purchased some other tools and it does come in handy when doing electrical work around the house.
Great tip... Prior to watching this video, I used to strip the ends off of any wire that was questionalble and then put the bare copper leads of the wire into my mouth to see if it was live or not. I have been electrocuted several times with this method and if fact, it killed me twice! Yes, my wife found my dead body during our kitchen renovation. Quite a price to pay to find out that I could have avoided death with a simple electrical tester. Thanks Bob for your video!
I am an engineer and I wanted to install a ceiling light and after crawling in the attic and flipping breakers connected to lights, I was CONVINCED that I had turned off the power to that wire. I cut into it and the sparks that flew were accompanied by a loud pop and the smell of spent fireworks. Thankfully (not luckily) the cutters I had were (intentionally) insulated. I wont cut another wire unless I have one of these to test with! Thanks for the video.
There is one little gotcha with these testers. Say you have tested the wire found it hot. You turn the breaker off. You test again and it says it is still hot. What?! You could have another wire running next to the one you are testing that is still hot. The magnetic field that is part of current flow transfers from the hot wire and is picked up by the wire you are testing and shows a false positive. This is where you need another tester whose probes physically touch wires to show voltage.
beransom 4 months ago
this tool saved my life today!
I was working on a recept, and saw and old hot tie in... figured that it was dead because i turned off the CB... but i probed it with my volt light.. and wouldn't you know it was hot. thank goodness for that volt light!
jjlwis 7 months ago
also good for testing if your GFCI is still working properly. not too many people check monthly as it says on the outlet...
jjlwis 1 year ago
am the 5000 view !
67tr876 1 year ago
Great tips from you ..love all of them...
JawazHIFI 1 year ago
thanks so much for the vids. i am starting a small gc company in tennessee and this is so helpful. although i have 3 years experience, this vids help me remember the basics. keep posting bob, thanks.
stopher1124 1 year ago
Good job. Bob.
marrrkeeee 2 years ago
thanks bob please keep posting.
staciepaul 2 years ago
Yaaaaay! It's Bob! More videos Bob! We love Bob videos. Yaaaaaay!
foshcat 2 years ago
@Vid
Looks like a very useful tool.
MRSketch09 2 years ago
I have used these things for years, I think any person that works with any type of wiring should have one of these. they are not expensive and can save your life
poisomike87 2 years ago
This is a great tool, I have the Fluke variant. I don't rely on just this to test for dead though when working on electrics, I get the multimeter out after to double check.
zakzak000 2 years ago
Yeah I bought one of those the other day at Home Depot in the electrical department for $14.99 Canadian. They are especially good for checking which fuses on a fuse panel are working and which are not.
CanadianToolGuy416 2 years ago
LOL Bourne ........
MUCKLEWELLS 2 years ago
That is a useful tool and received on from Sears when I purchased some other tools and it does come in handy when doing electrical work around the house.
semco72057 2 years ago
Excellent video!
5*!
bigbzon 2 years ago
I got a handly little tools myself, my finger.
Almost killed myself the other day when i was cutting a old extesion cord into pieces.
I thought that it was unplugged, wow not gonna make that mistake again. Thank God for fuses!
I need a electic tester too since i do most of the electrics around my house myself.
bigbzon 2 years ago
u have tattos? a sleeve?
1doi3 2 years ago
Great tip... Prior to watching this video, I used to strip the ends off of any wire that was questionalble and then put the bare copper leads of the wire into my mouth to see if it was live or not. I have been electrocuted several times with this method and if fact, it killed me twice! Yes, my wife found my dead body during our kitchen renovation. Quite a price to pay to find out that I could have avoided death with a simple electrical tester. Thanks Bob for your video!
Only kidding!
BourneAccident 2 years ago
hahahahahahaha, very funny
alligatorgumbo 2 years ago
I am an engineer and I wanted to install a ceiling light and after crawling in the attic and flipping breakers connected to lights, I was CONVINCED that I had turned off the power to that wire. I cut into it and the sparks that flew were accompanied by a loud pop and the smell of spent fireworks. Thankfully (not luckily) the cutters I had were (intentionally) insulated. I wont cut another wire unless I have one of these to test with! Thanks for the video.
AeroJimE27 2 years ago
@AeroJimE27
Good story, and you were wise to use insulated cutters.
The worse to happen to me, is getting shocked by a shorted outlet.
I was alert before when doing electrical work for myself, but now 100X more.
MRSketch09 2 years ago
Thanks
prov223 2 years ago