Non-Contact AC Voltage And Current Detector?

[lbperry]

I was in Lowe's today and ran into something called a "Non-Contact AC Voltage And Current Detector" made by Greenlee. Seems like this would make a handy addition to my DIY electrical tools. What are you gurus experiences with them? Are they worth having. If so, what brand(s) are better at a DIY ($25+-) price level?
I'd appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Thanks,

 

[pattenp]

I have one of the Greenlee and it works fine for it's intended purpose. It's a good gadget for your tool box.

 

[matt151617]

I have one also and consider it an essential item. Especially after I thought I shut off the proper circuit and cut into a live wire. Fortunately just some sparks, the breaker tripped, and I didn't get bit.

After that I always check everything I'm going to work on. But you have to be sure you test it first on a known hot line, every time.

 

[EricS]

My current one
http://www.kleintools.com/content/klein-tools-introduces-non-contact-voltage-tester

I like that when on there is a green led letting me know it's ready and a red led/tone that indicates live circuit.

 

[Gary S]

They usually work, but not in 100% of the situations like a contact meter. Never trust your life to the non-contact detectors. I've seem them get it wrong.

 

[jrsulo]

Have about 10 of them in my work truck.....always have one in my pocket.....buy one,or two !!

 

[ishiboo]

Some are good, some ****. I have an el cheapo GB that detects from 1' away and is always reliable.

I have two Milwaukee's where you pretty much have to be touching the wire for it to do anything.

They are awesomely handy - whenever I shut the power off, if it's an outlet or something I will hit it with my DMM first to verify there is no voltage, and then all the wires get hit with the non-contact.

 

[Roots]

I was in Lowe's today and ran into something called a "Non-Contact AC Voltage And Current Detector" made by Greenlee. Seems like this would make a handy addition to my DIY electrical tools. What are you gurus experiences with them? Are they worth having. If so, what brand(s) are better at a DIY ($25+-) price level?
I'd appreciate the benefit of your experience.
Thanks,

I wouldn't trust my life on them and they're not always accurate, especially in industrial or abnormal conditions.

While they're not particularly complicated, I'd still push towards recommending purchasing one from Fluke if you're going to do so. They're in your price range. Even than, I'd only use it for limited verifications. As an electrician, I never used one or found a particular need to. Edit: I'm referring to the cheap handheld ones not the $$$ high voltage and phasing devices.

 

[Shop Specialties]

I have used Fluke, GreenLee, and now a Klein. The Klein has green light that shows it is turned on then when voltage is present red light comes on and it beeps. I use mine all the time when playing heaters to save time running up and down the ladder. I have also used it to find breakers when the electrician did not label them. I leave it in my shirt pocket at all times.

 

[jeff000]

They usually work, but not in 100% of the situations like a contact meter. Never trust your life to the non-contact detectors. I've seem them get it wrong.

I use a Fluke 1AC-A1-II always on. I hit the test button before use to make sure it is still good. I carry it all the time. Great for checking if a cord or receptacle has power. Good to check and make sure a junction box is all dead too.

I've NEVER had mine give me a false negative. False positives happen from time to time, but never even heard of someone getting a false negative without the batteries being dead or it not being on.

Hard to test the middle of a wire with a contact meter. Hard to test a box with multiple wires safely with a contact meter. Hell I don't want to stick my hand in some boxes that I open up without knowing it's dead first.

Every tool has it's place.
Before I work on switch gear, large panels, or the like I test first with the non contact, and then with my meter. junction boxes just the non contact is used.

 

[Gooch]

Some are good, some ****. I have an el cheapo GB that detects from 1' away and is always reliable.

I have two Milwaukee's where you pretty much have to be touching the wire for it to do anything.

They are awesomely handy - whenever I shut the power off, if it's an outlet or something I will hit it with my DMM first to verify there is no voltage, and then all the wires get hit with the non-contact.

the first one, while reliable, is worthless IMO. Usually I need to know if a specific wire is hot or dead without messing with the other circuits in a box.

 

[Roots]

I've NEVER had mine give me a false negative. False positives happen from time to time, but never even heard of someone getting a false negative without the batteries being dead or it not being on.

There's a lot of of real world situations where they can give false negatives. While primarily in commercial/industrial situations, there are a few abnormal residential ones. As an electrical worker you're likely aware of these situations and abnormal conditions. The average home owner, DIYer, and even many none electrically trained maintenance personnel do not. Hence I'm really not fond of recommending them to many people.

 

[Jarcese]

Don't trust non-contact meters, not because of the meter, but because of the user. Even professionals can do something stupid and non-contact meters only help you do stupid things. Some people are not smart enough to test the meter before using it and even the smartest do dumb things. Shouldn't be used to test something 11% de-energized. Not gonna hurt you if you get a false positive, just might screw you up.

The can aid you in troubleshooting for sure, but it drives me insane when I see an DIY electricians tool box with a contact meter, a wire stripper. We've all seen people on HGTV test something dead with a non-contact meter and then grab a handful of wire. Not smart. If you want to use to narrow something down, that's fine, but test with a good digital before you go hands on.

Bottom line is.. it can help you, but should only compliment more expensive testers.

 

[cheechi]

I had a pleasant surprise today. The Greenlee AC tester at Lowe's says it's assembled in USA, both the Klien models HD had in stock were china. I don't need one of these right now but at some point I would like to have one, and one I can trust to (in addition to correct safety measures & common sense) keep me safe. I have a multimeter I trust, though it's not super-top-end.

I'm leaning towards a Fluke but now I read it stays on all the time. That's the biggest complaint with the Craftsman one. If it worked correctly each time, I'd get an HF one even. So far this thread has a few general solutions and two people have given a specific model each. Anyone carry one daily have good specific suggestions?

 

[slip knot]

We use the Fluke 1AC-A-II at work and they work very well for us. BUT.
These things are not fool proof. Our policy is to test every box we open with the non contact before going inside. One of our facilities has 5 sets of transmission lines running over it and the non contacts will pick up the induction from those lines. Every piece of metal in the plant will set off the volt tic. Safety officer wrote up one of my guys for working in a "hot" box because his volt tic went off. I had to show him that everything was hot in the facility. He was really confused after that! Kinda funny watching him when the volt tic went off on his pick up.

Use the DMM if at all possible.

 

[kngelv]

Industrial Electrician here. I have a Fluke and a Greenlee. I rarely use them because I don't trust them. Someone previously mentioned they check a switchgear with one of these. In the switchhouses at my plant these things will chirp damn near anywhere in the room.

James

 

[Larwyn]

I have the two pictured below. The Greenlee has proven reliable and has earned a permanent position in my electrical tool pouch. The GB will let you know any time you are near a fluorescent light and many times when you are not. I'm not sure but I think GB may just be designed to let you know that there is not, as yet a long term worldwide power outage. In other words, the Greenlee is good while the GB is worthless GarBage (unless you just like flashing red light and annoying beeping sounds)!

 

[rlitman]

My current one
http://www.kleintools.com/content/klein-tools-introduces-non-contact-voltage-tester

I like that when on there is a green led letting me know it's ready and a red led/tone that indicates live circuit.

My first was an older Fluke. It had no green light, so you didn't know if the batteries were dead, or it just didn't detect something. I have that Klein now, and like it a lot. There is now a newer version that is slightly improved. The new one can even work with 24VAC, like for thermostats and control circuits.

I use a Fluke 1AC-A1-II always on. I hit the test button before use to make sure it is still good. I carry it all the time. Great for checking if a cord or receptacle has power. Good to check and make sure a junction box is all dead too.

I've NEVER had mine give me a false negative. False positives happen from time to time, but never even heard of someone getting a false negative without the batteries being dead or it not being on.

A meter that has a light to indicate it is working but not detecting voltage stops most of the false negatives. Still, I always stick mine in a live outlet before every use to confirm that it is working as expected.

There's a lot of of real world situations where they can give false negatives. While primarily in commercial/industrial situations, there are a few abnormal residential ones. As an electrical worker you're likely aware of these situations and abnormal conditions. The average home owner, DIYer, and even many none electrically trained maintenance personnel do not. Hence I'm really not fond of recommending them to many people.

I know what you mean. Generally, if the wire seems dead it is, but you need to move the probe and approach it from several angles to be absolutely sure.
Real volt meters can give false negative readings too.

I still wouldn't trust my life with any non-contact meter.

False positives OTOH are very common with these. Tap the meter on a surface, or wave it around, and it will go off.

 

[ddawg16]

I have a couple of the Flukes....but as noted above....it's not 100%...and should not be relied on when your getting ready to open up a ckt....they are fine for locating wires....

 

[Milton Shaw]

I did appliance service work for 20 years and carried one in my pocket for most of those years. I would find dryers/stove with pigtail installed wrong with all metal parts hot on some of them. Used in to check most stoves and dryers before I would even touch them. I had one washer/dryer that were welded together from hot dryer and grounded washer that rubbed and spot welded themselves together before it burned out the washer 14 gauge ground wire and both had 120 volts on all metal parts next to a laundry sink. Also used them to check out defrost heater circuits for bad connections, heaters, thermostats without having to cut or puncture wires to check them. I used an IDEAL model at that time. I now have Fluke, Greenlee and GB brands also. Also have a Fluke meter that has non contact built into the meter with a hi/low setting that on the most sensitive setting will trace wire behind sheetrock/insulation from switch to ceiling fan for instance and show where the wire is running before you cut into wall.

 

[theoldwizard1]

The first electrical "tool" every homeowner should buy is one of the plug in hot/neutral/ground testers. Usually only a couple of bucks.

The second tool they should buy, especially if they ever plan on taking the cover off of a switch/outlet or the inside cover off of a breaker panel (load center) is a voltage detector (I have heard them call "ringers" because of the noise they make).

I bought a Klein at HD a couple of years ago for less than $20.

Craftsman was including one free with one of their DVMs.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

10 years ago, i started out with a cheapo GB tester which worked so so. i bought a FLUKE 1AC-II a few years ago and it works great. I eapecially like the 'volt-beat' feature that lets u know it's on! I've never had a false negative as of yet but it does give false positives depending on the atmosphere you're in like others have previously said.

The first electrical "tool" every homeowner should buy is one of the plug in hot/neutral/ground testers. Usually only a couple of bucks.

The second tool they should buy, especially if they ever plan on taking the cover off of a switch/outlet or the inside cover off of a breaker panel (load center) is a voltage detector (I have heard them call "ringers" because of the noise they make).

I bought a Klein at HD a couple of years ago for less than $20.

Craftsman was including one free with one of their DVMs.

Agreed!

 

[Delta74]

Love my Fluke, its an older model just lights up red when it senses something, newer one is a greenlee with the green on red and beep when hot. I use mine 95% of the time to find the breaks in extension cords on site, the other 5% of the time to piss off my co workers when it beeps non stop anywhere in the buildings I am usually in ( 13,800 + volt switchgear )

 

[RustFarmer]

I have a Fluke LVD2. I highly recommend it. The flashlight feature is very handy. Two tools in one, a flash light, and a voltage detector. Well worth the extra cost over a basic voltage detector.

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