Which voltage detector?

[katiexoxo]

24$
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Top-Fluke-2...ctor-Tester-Meter-VoltAlert-Pen-/171897989360

2$
http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-1000V-No...etector-Pen-Sensor-Tester-Stick-/161806794891

Is there any real difference between them regarding detection?
The price difference is huge

 

[Cahark]

I have the fluke. It works well. I did have an off brand model that seemed to give me odd readings at times.
That's when I got the fluke.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wyliesdiesels]

24$
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Top-Fluke-2...ctor-Tester-Meter-VoltAlert-Pen-/171897989360

2$
http://www.ebay.com/itm/90-1000V-No...etector-Pen-Sensor-Tester-Stick-/161806794891

Is there any real difference between them regarding detection?
The price difference is huge

yea the difference is the generic one is chicom junk. I wouldnt trust it. you get what you pay for.

 

[Katodog]

Look at Klein NCVT as well, they're very nice and work well. I have a Klein NCVT-2 and it's great, working range is 12v-1000v

 

[Showkey]

Is there any real difference between them regarding detection?
The price difference is huge

Nope...........tells you what the real cost of production of these type of devices.

Asking a fluke fan is like asking a dog if he hungry...........you know the answer


That said I have a couple of Sperry branded, less than $10 with the outlet checker never ever doubted its accuracy of either.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Nope...........tells you what the real cost of production of these type of devices.

Asking a fluke fan is like asking a dog if he hungry...........you know the answer

How could u possibly come to that conclusion when u have no idea who made the generic version or how accurate it is?

When it comes to electricity, its wise not to rely on cheap unknown meters... otherwise someone could get hurt

 

[dw1]

How could u possibly come to that conclusion when u have no idea who made the generic version or how accurate it is?

When it comes to electricity, its wise not to rely on cheap unknown meters... otherwise someone could get hurt

Maybe its counterfeit ? I did see a while back where they busted up counterfeit circuit breakers shipped here to US, who knows anymore? anyway, not a fan of the proximity testers, always use a meter/tester.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Klein is very popular in the US.

 

[klassenl]

I had some one refer to those as "death sticks". I had a series if those over a couple of years. Probably 3 different brands. I gave up on them since they weren't reliable after the first time you used it

 

[Eric29]

My experience as well. I use a Klein. The cheap ones I had gave me false readings.

I had some one refer to those as "death sticks". I had a series if those over a couple of years. Probably 3 different brands. I gave up on them since they weren't reliable after the first time you used it

 

[Dagny]

Iv'e been an electrician since 78 and just bought my first one, well two bought a fluke and a milwaukee they both work well. The mil. is about 15 bucks.

 

[Showkey]

How could u possibly come to that conclusion when u have no idea who made the generic version or how accurate it is?

When it comes to electricity, its wise not to rely on cheap unknown meters... otherwise someone could get hurt

The same way you came to the conclusion that it is junk.........with little or no facts......so it's a guess. As far a counterfeit..........the Fluke on eBay could also be a clone so no matter the tool .......it's buyer beware these days.


Oops .....the Fluke might be coming from China as well. Many sights hide the manufactured location so hard to determine what your getting and from where.

 

[Angry welder]

Greenlee makes a good one as well. Plus you can pick it up at your local big box.

 

[alfredeneuman]

The proper (safe) way to use any electrical test equipment is to first test it on a known live circuit, then test the circuit in question. It will pretty much eliminate any false readings. (You could even go back and test it on a live circuit after you take the readings)

The first non contact tester I owned was back in the mid-90s. It was about 10" long and cost $50 or $60. I've since owned Fluke, Klein, and Greenlee models (the small pocket size ones have a nasty habit of disappearing on me).

Any one of the major brands (if bought through reputable dealers) will provide satisfactory readings as long as you realize their limitations.

 

[cybrdyke]

Neither. I wouldn't buy an electrical tester from a seller in HongKong (notorious for counterfeits) or Malaysia (really? 1.49 USD with FREE shipping?? The shipping will cost the seller more than you paid for the item)
You can find these locally from reputable dealers very easily for a reasonable price.
Good luck
CD

 

[AntonLargiader]

I recently bought a Southwire tester at Lowe's. They had a few different models but I didn't need DC or a million volts so I bought the basic $10 one. It's not terribly unlike either of the ones you linked to but it's not identical either. It has a little flashlight in the other end which is a nice feature.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I don't trust any of those meters,I don't care who they're made by/rebranded by.
By yourself a decent digital meter for under $100.00,you don't need anything fancier than that for most things anyway.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I don't trust any of those meters,I don't care who they're made by/rebranded by.

Do you trust clamp around ammeters?
They operate on the same principle as non-contact voltage testers.

 

[dogdog]

I have the Klein NCVT... works well for me for quick references, but always double check with a volt meter when in doubt ... It's a tool, a tool in the hand of a tool is just a tool with a tool.

 

[MBfreak]

Alfred Neuman
I am interested in your statement.
Do you trust clamp around ammeters?
They operate on the same principle as non-contact voltage testers
Can you please explain how a non contact voltage detector works?
Best regards

Ola

 

[nsula_country]

I don't trust any of those meters,I don't care who they're made by/rebranded by.
By yourself a decent digital meter for under $100.00,you don't need anything fancier than that for most things anyway.

I can tell from your post that you are NOT an electrical professional.

You don't trust a branded non-contact voltage detector, but recommend the OP buy a DMM under $100... Sounds like an oxymoron. There aren't many fused DMM's under $100... And using a non-fused DMM is risky!

The 3 meters I have are all more than $100. Fluke 187, Fluke 179, Fluke 337.

I have been using NCVD's for over a decade. I have used G-B, Greenlee, Fluke, Klein, and Chinese ****. The latest Fluke NCVD's are very nice. Always test on a live circuit first. By following this (it's actually in the instructions) they are near 100% accurate.

CT

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Do you trust clamp around ammeters?
They operate on the same principle as non-contact voltage testers.

Only thing I use a clamp on meter for is reading amperage.
I've seen way too many false readings with those testers.
A decent digital meter for around the house isn't that expensive,and could save a life.

 

[Stadger]

Fluke.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I can tell from your post that you are NOT an electrical professional.

You don't trust a branded non-contact voltage detector, but recommend the OP buy a DMM under $100... Sounds like an oxymoron. There aren't many fused DMM's under $100... And using a non-fused DMM is risky!

The 3 meters I have are all more than $100. Fluke 187, Fluke 179, Fluke 337.

I have been using NCVD's for over a decade. I have used G-B, Greenlee, Fluke, Klein, and Chinese ****. The latest Fluke NCVD's are very nice. Always test on a live circuit first. By following this (it's actually in the instructions) they are near 100% accurate.

CT

I wouldn't bet the farm on that chief. I have a nebraska electrical contractors license and a master electricians license.
My license recipicates with several other states I've done work in over the years around the midwest.
I've also got a city of omaha master plumber's license and a bellevue master plumber's license and a state of Iowa master plumber's license,which also recipicate with many
Other places.
Just because I'm retired doesn't mean I don't keep up with things.

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

I can tell from your post that you are NOT an electrical professional.

You don't trust a branded non-contact voltage detector, but recommend the OP buy a DMM under $100... Sounds like an oxymoron. There aren't many fused DMM's under $100... And using a non-fused DMM is risky!

The 3 meters I have are all more than $100. Fluke 187, Fluke 179, Fluke 337.

I have been using NCVD's for over a decade. I have used G-B, Greenlee, Fluke, Klein, and Chinese ****. The latest Fluke NCVD's are very nice. Always test on a live circuit first. By following this (it's actually in the instructions) they are near 100% accurate.

CT

News flash chief,the typical do it yourselfer on here has no need for a $300-$400 meter for what they're working on around the house or garage.
I've got a $170.00 meter that I use for what I work on only because I do a lot of hvac service work still and it has a couple of things I need on it.
Those non contact meters are made by somebody else and packaged for who ever the customer was that ordered them.
I prefer to use my John deer 135d excavator for digging holes,or my 710g eh.
But most don't have access to those sorts of things and don't need them,the save goes for expensive *** meters,a digital meter from a box store is just fine for the majority of things a home owner is going to come across.

 

[nsula_country]

News flash chief,the typical do it yourselfer on here has no need for a $300-$400 meter for what they're working on around the house or garage.
I've got a $170.00 meter that I use for what I work on only because I do a lot of hvac service work still and it has a couple of things I need on it.
Those non contact meters are made by somebody else and packaged for who ever the customer was that ordered them.
I prefer to use my John deer 135d excavator for digging holes,or my 710g eh.
But most don't have access to those sorts of things and don't need them,the save goes for expensive *** meters,a digital meter from a box store is just fine for the majority of things a home owner is going to come across.

I stand corrected.

You are an electrical professional. So you should agree that the average DYI homeowner probably doesn't know the hazards that can be involved testing live circuits. Hence why a FUSED DMM is a really, really good idea!

I believe that the big boys (Fluke, Klein, Ideal, ect) have a lot of liability to shoulder that the Chinese Mail Order products don't. I, personally trust my Fluke NCVD.

I also use my Komatsu PC38 for digging holes.

CT

 

[ishiboo]

I use a non-contact voltage detector quite frequently, as a double-check. If it's an outlet I am working on I will throw my outlet tester or DMM on it first and verify. A light you turn on and then hit the breaker and make sure it goes off. But there are plenty of times I want to make sure a cable isn't live or something. There's a procedure - test it every time before use on a working switch/receptacle/etc., then move to what you are actually testing.

All the false readings I've seen are coupling from other lines and thus are false positives, when tested. Never has one failed to identify a life circuit. But I would never trust my life with it. Cut into a live 120v line with a pair of pliers and you're out the pliers when the arc burns through the cutter.

I also use it to double-check stuff. IE, once I shut off a whole garage, went to move some wires and there was a line from a kitchen snaked through the garage that I thought was part of the garage wiring. Would not have known that unless I used a non-contact detector, or stripped the NM insulation and used DMM probes into each and every wire.

 

[ishiboo]

And as for which, I'll probably get the Fluke next.

I would recommend avoiding the Milwaukees (forgot what my issue was, but I have 2 and don't use them). And avoid at all costs any detector which uses the metal pocket clip as the switch to turn it on. They ****.