I need a good voltage tester. What do you get when you pay more? These testers range from about $20 all the way up to $80. Can someone steer me in the right direction? Money is not too much of an object because I don't mind paying more if it's for a good reason. Also, is anyone familiar with the tester made by company called Knopp? Thanks.

We use either the Ideal "solenoid" type tester w/continuity; or the "wiggy", dependent on what's at the counter when the need arises. (They have a habit of vanishing occasionally.
John

The Knopp testers is what I have always preferred and used. The only disadvantage that I have heard is that to replace the leads you have to solder the connections instead of just plugging them in like some testers.

I like the simple Ideal brand, or the old "Wiggy" with just the voltage option. In addition to the solenoid tester, you're going to need a good multi-meter anyway, so the continuity option isn't real important. Matt

Hi, ever heard of a Duspol tester?
These are made in Germany and are sworn by over here in NZ, have been for years.
There are various models available(Check out
benning.com), but the one that I use, is the
Type N, tests from 100-650VAC-DC, very robust, no parts to break, and is virtually fool-proof.

I personally would choose a digital meter. I have had great success with the Greenlee brand. More accurate, and versitile. Why carry more than one tester if you don't need it. I have a Greelee with a removable amprobe type head. Good for 200 amps. Has AC,DC,resistance, and audible continuity. Was 100 Canadian.

Trumpys on the mark here! i dont know a sparky here with out a set heck i got the N and S type. http://www.benning.fr/Anglais/pruef1.htm

Is the Duspol a high impedance tester? It looks like a good unit, but if it is a high impedance tester, I'd still have a Wiggy or other brand of solenoid tester in my arsenol of tools.

If you're testing solid state relays, triacs, PLC outputs, loose or coroded connections, etc., a digital meter or other type of high impedance tester will give you false readings. Matt

Matt,
The Duspol is a tester all in itself,
it uses a neon on one side of the "cord",
this tells you that you have voltage at where you are testing, you are also told
wether or not you are working with AC or DC,with the same neon.

On the other side of the tester, you are given a solenoid, this shows the size of the voltage you are working with, this is very handy as the Duspol in itself draws
240mA, which gets rid of ghost voltages on
highly inductive circuits, the solenoid will
not trigger unless there is an actual voltage there, over 100V.

I have used Knopp testers since day one. Never failed me.

Around $35.00

They last for centuries… http://www.knoppinc.com/tools.htm#K-60

I use Knopp, Square "D", and a Fluke on a daily basis and prefer the Fluke(multimeter) even when I'm busy.

So, mate, did you actually choose a voltage tester?.
What type did you choose?

The solenoid testers have the advantage of not measuring "phantom" voltages.

But one big disadvantage, in my opinion, is that they cannot measure hot to ground voltage on GFCI or AFCI protected circuits. The solenoid draws enough current to trip either type of protection.

Steve,

Thats an advantage if you ask me! What better way to test the GFCI?

Steve,
What is an AFCI?, is this like an GFCI?, how do they differ?
Matt, I don't really like the idea of using a solenoid tester to test a GFCI, as you really need trip times and currents, to make sure that the thing is working properly, I would sooner use a dedicated tester for this.
Peoples safety is under-mined if these units are faulty.

Trumpy,
AFCI stands for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter. It "looks" for the characteristics of an arc between hot and neutral. They are required for bedrooms under the latest NEC.
An AFCI also provides GFCI protection, but not Class A protection. Class A requires the device to trip at about 5mA of ground current and AFCI's trip at well above 5mA. The SquareD AFCI breaks at 50mA. Still sensitive enough for a solenoid tester to trip it.

I see no problem using a solenoid tester to test a GFCI circuit. When I test a GFCI circuit, my intent is to verify that the wiring is correct - not that the GFCI device meets the manufacturers specs. That is something that I assume their QC takes care of.

Steve:
Since we're momentarily on the subject of AFCI's, will it detect an arc in a hot or neutral unto itself, i.e. a loose connection in a plug or a break in a conductor?

...I hope I described that properly...

Mike (mamills)

[This message has been edited by mamills (edited 11-07-2002).]