ZRX61
Well-known member
Why does it beep/flash at a slower rate on some wires than it does on others?
Question about Volt Pen...
- Thread starter ZRX61
- Start date
sparky 1971
Well-known member
I've never seen that, but my guess would be it's picking up an induced, or ghost voltage. I only use the Santronics version, it light's up with no flashing or beeping whatsoever. I don't trust any of them, but they do have their place.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
I never trust a glow pen when messing with older wiring. Too many false hits. If you have a ground or neutral in the box, use a meter. I've also been known to use a close water pipe or even a furnace vent to get a ground in order to use my meter.
All a glow pen is designed for is to let you know if there is a potential to get knocked right on your ****.
All a glow pen is designed for is to let you know if there is a potential to get knocked right on your ****.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
It's not that dramatic. I've been hit by 277 several times, Once, I wish it had thrown me across the room since I was locked up. I had to step off the ladder since I couldn't let go of the conduit I was grounded to. At least it was only a 4' ladder.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
make and model?
alfredeneuman
Well-known member
I worked for a company where a guy was working 25' above the floor, leaning across a rack of conduit, on a hot 277 circuit (against company policy). The shock killed him. He left a wife and 2 children.
Canadian electricians can chime in about being hit by 347V, neither are something to take lightly.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
Oh, I know it's deadly. I was referring to the part about getting thrown across a room. I've had people (not electricians) tell me all about getting tossed across the garage, basement, living room etc. I've been hit in many different ways from 120, 277, open neutrals, and the 208 leg from a delta, every single one of them was my fault, but I've never been physically moved.
klassenl
Well-known member
Not fun.
I don't know if I have been thrown. Every time I get hit it's my fault and I'm usually more angry than hurt.
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
ive been shocked several times as well. never got thrown. i have good reflexes so ive always been able to pull away
Friend in the UK got lit up by 480V. Couldn't let go, fail safes failed & it went all the way back to the main breaker before it popped. Blew the end of a finger off.
They stitched his right hand to his upper left arm for a skin graft.
It worked. He ended up with a bald dent in his arm the size of half a large grape.... & skin on his fingertip that was hairy like his arm. It was the most bizarre looking thing. He liked to point at things with that finger just to freak people out or he would rub his nose while talking to people who couldn't help but notice the hairy fingertip...
They stitched his right hand to his upper left arm for a skin graft.
It worked. He ended up with a bald dent in his arm the size of half a large grape.... & skin on his fingertip that was hairy like his arm. It was the most bizarre looking thing. He liked to point at things with that finger just to freak people out or he would rub his nose while talking to people who couldn't help but notice the hairy fingertip...
In the UK, firemen are trained to advance into smokey buildings with their arm at shoulder level & the palm of their hand towards them. That way if they touch a live wire the muscle spasm pulls their hand away from the wire. Still knocks them on their ***, but they ain't laying there holding onto the wire.
BreeStephany
ALLIANCE MEMBER
When I started working in higher voltage environments and in a few hot work environments, the older people working in the trade told me the importance of having a 2x4 or hot stick handy if you were observing.
Someone gets hit, their muscles contract and they can't let go of the energized circuit, so you grab something relatively non-conductive and strike them across the arms to knock them off of the circuit. Working in a mill environment, 2x4s were abundant, so it was the 'tool' of choice. They always said that you might break their arms but they will live.
Thankfully, working in the environments I work in currently, hot work is VERY seldom and when we do have to do hot work, we use proper rated insulating gloves and voltage blankets.
BreeStephany
ALLIANCE MEMBER
What kind of circuits / voltage environments? If its an industrial environment or commercial environments with a lot of HVAC loads, loads on VFDs and control circuits can do a lot of interesting things to voltage pens.
This is why I prefer my meter or K60 solenoid tester when testing circuits.
When working on 480V circuits, I want to ensure, without a doubt that a circuit is deenergized, and a voltage pen has definitely never given me the confidence to know without a doubt, so its either my meter or a solenoid tester!
Just my two cents!
wyliesdiesels
Well-known member
Ive never had an NCV tester give a false negative. just false positives but i sure as hell wouldnt rely on it for 480v circuit work 
I still look at them being more of a toy.Ive never had an NCV tester give a false negative. just false positives but i sure as hell wouldnt rely on it for 480v circuit work
RPH
Well-known member
At work they opened up an in-house heat treat division. The used a old tube type radio frequency generator 50 kW @ 450 kHz. The output to the coil is like 3/8” copper tube, water cooled wire. The set up technician got a little too comfortable working with it. Rf generators are 50% efficient. To get 50 kW you design a 100 kW unit. Output voltage on the copper tubes was 15,000 volts. The workers said the heard a bang and the technician is on the floor out cold. The operator told me he knew it was bad when the technician shoulder burst into flames. He blew off a couple toes, severe burns throughout the current flow areas. Rf generators were the one piece of equipment you do not get complacent with. That tends to be the problem, complacency.
One way for the workers would know that the unit was operation was to place a fluorescent bulb inside the coil area. 450 kHz is well above the human hearing range. The light would light up even though it was just hung from string. If it was on……
One way for the workers would know that the unit was operation was to place a fluorescent bulb inside the coil area. 450 kHz is well above the human hearing range. The light would light up even though it was just hung from string. If it was on……
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Terry D
Well-known member
Don't always think you can pull away, It all depends on which muscles it contracts by how it is crossing your body
nadogail
Well-known member
Been there, Done that. My tweeter, or Non Contact Voltage Sensor, is an indicator that gives me some, but not absolute, confidence that a circuit is probably not energized.
sparky 1971
Well-known member
Yep. I always thought there is no way I could get locked up because I was so strong I'd just be able to pull away. Well, there have been three times i's happened. Twice , I was able to step off the ladder, the other time I was on a scissor lift and the Lord managed to give me a way to short it out and trip the breaker.
RPH
Well-known member
If, your going to touch wires for safety sakes use the back of the hand. You can’t tighten the muscles around it.
Our rule was: it’s live until you prove otherwise. But meters are relativity cheap compared to life. But you need to verify those too.
Our rule was: it’s live until you prove otherwise. But meters are relativity cheap compared to life. But you need to verify those too.