non contact voltage detector for £1.98

[ExArmy]

reckon this will be any good for under £2?
Voltage Detector Pen Non-Contact AC Volt Sensor Tester Alert Pen 90~1000V LED | eBay

i already have several other types so not looking to buy another but i just noticed the price as i was looking for a new voltage and continuity tester on ebay. if they are decent i would buy some though. anybody got one?

 

[Strima]

But you have to provide your own batteries...

I have a couple lying around somewhere as they tend to get thrown in for free when buying other stuff as have others no doubt.

 

[telectrix]

can't go wrong at that price. i just ordered 2. keep misplacing mine.

 

[Guest111]

Looks like a fluke copy,only problem I found was if you drop them the little bit of plastic snaps off and then its knackered,or at least it was on my fluke.

 

[ExArmy]

i'm gonnna order a few also i think, just for spares. makes me mad i spent £20 on a fluke one and it's not as good as a £10 metrel one i had previously. the metrel was always on, and picked up voltage through HR flex, SWA, big enclosures but the fluke is crap, and the fluke goes mental in a CU for some reason?

 

[Guest111]

i'm gonnna order a few also i think, just for spares. makes me mad i spent £20 on a fluke one and it's not as good as a £10 metrel one i had previously. the metrel was always on, and picked up voltage through HR flex, SWA, big enclosures but the fluke is crap, and the fluke goes mental in a CU for some reason?

You think thats annoying,I lost mine went straight out and bought another 1 then the day after a fluke rep gave me one for free,and to cap it all same day someone came and handed me my original one back that they had "borrowed" out of my bench drawer the day before!

 

[mickys86]

At least you got spares now.......

 

[Top Cat]

Have you noticed that if you leave a bit of kit on a job no one phones you to say you have left it there. Sometimes it could be 3 weeks before you realise you are missing it and then you have no chance of remembering where you left it!

 

[MarkieSparkie]

I was leafing through the CPC catalogue when I came across the Duratool Voltage Test Screwdriver which I thought was shocking enough for a trade catalogue, but it's description hit a new marketing high and safety low point:-

• An all-weather voltage test screwdriver for voltage, polarity, continuity testing, bulb/fuse testing and microwave leakage detection. Features an integral LED indication and contact/non contact inductive testing.
  
• Continuity measuring ranges - 0 to 50MOhm
• Voltage measuring ranges, AC - 70 to 600V
• Voltage measuring ranges, DC - 0V to 250V

[TABLE="class: Specificationtable"]
[TR]
[TH="colspan: 2"]Technical Data [/TH]
[TH][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] AC Voltage Test [/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD] Contact [/TD]
[TD] 70 to 250V ac
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] Non-Contact [/TD]
[TD] 700 to 600V ac
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD] DC Voltage Test [/TD]
[TD] Up to 250V dc
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] Polarity Test [/TD]
[TD] 1.5V to 36V dc [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD] Continuity Check [/TD]
[TD] 0 to 50MΩ [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] Microwave Leakage Detection [/TD]
[TD] ≥5mW/cm [SUP]2[/SUP] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

D01778 - DURATOOL - VOLTAGE TEST SCREWDRIVER | CPC

Does anybody fancy using one in wet or humid conditions as a contact voltage tester to validate the all weather claim?

 

[Silly Sausage]

Save your money buying this rubbish.
The quick brush with the back of the hand proves liveness?
So I've learnt from reading EF for 2 years

 

[Geordie Spark]

Save your money buying this rubbish.
The quick brush with the back of the hand proves liveness?
So I've learnt from reading EF for 2 years

Aye ..... but make sure that it's the back of the apprentice's hand.

 

[One_of_them]

im wary about these cheap versions. A friend of mine had a cheap one and it was very inaccurate (i know they aren't exactly brilliant) and would light/beep when it chose to. Compared with my megger version which was a a lot better. Although you pay for it.

 

[mickys86]

I was leafing through the CPC catalogue when I came across the Duratool Voltage Test Screwdriver which I thought was shocking enough for a trade catalogue, but it's description hit a new marketing high and safety low point:-

• An all-weather voltage test screwdriver for voltage, polarity, continuity testing, bulb/fuse testing and microwave leakage detection. Features an integral LED indication and contact/non contact inductive testing.
  
• Continuity measuring ranges - 0 to 50MOhm
• Voltage measuring ranges, AC - 70 to 600V
• Voltage measuring ranges, DC - 0V to 250V

[TABLE="class: Specificationtable"]
[TR]
[TH="colspan: 2"]Technical Data [/TH]
[TH][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] AC Voltage Test [/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD] Contact [/TD]
[TD] 70 to 250V ac
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] Non-Contact [/TD]
[TD] 700 to 600V ac
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD] DC Voltage Test [/TD]
[TD] Up to 250V dc
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] Polarity Test [/TD]
[TD] 1.5V to 36V dc [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD] Continuity Check [/TD]
[TD] 0 to 50MΩ [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD] Microwave Leakage Detection [/TD]
[TD] ≥5mW/cm [SUP]2[/SUP] [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

D01778 - DURATOOL - VOLTAGE TEST SCREWDRIVER | CPC

Does anybody fancy using one in wet or humid conditions as a contact voltage tester to validate the all weather claim?

I'm not going to lie..... I'm nervous enough using one in the dry!

 

[Guest111]

you can get them for a quid in poundland and they come with a handy neon for stirring your brew with!lol

 

[DurhamSparky]

lol....

just ordered a few for the bag!!

 

[Plonker 3]

I have a Fluke one always to hand in my pocket, this looks like a cheap Chinese imitation and wouldn't trust is as far as I could throw it.

 

[Guest111]

I have a Fluke one always to hand in my pocket, this looks like a cheap Chinese imitation and wouldn't trust is as far as I could throw it.

IF you try it just dont mix them up and end up throwing your fluke.lol

 

[Plonker 3]

No danger of that, as I aint even going to risk buying one.

 

[Top Cat]

Got a Fluke LDV1, nice little tool with a good light on it. I see there is a LDV2 now, anyone got one and is it any better than the LDV1?

 

[jeremy]

I've an LDV2, bought to replace my old fluke one which stopped beeping after a good few years use. Very pleased with it

 

[telectrix]

I have a Fluke one always to hand in my pocket, this looks like a cheap Chinese imitation and wouldn't trust is as far as I could throw it.

i'll let you know if they're any use when i get the 2 i've ordered. at least they got a little led light.

 

[redcbr]

My Fluke packed up last week, I might go and have a look at the new one.

 

[Plonker 3]

i'll let you know if they're any use when i get the 2 i've ordered. at least they got a little led light.

Cheers, but won't be holding my breath expecting anything other than something where you would rather use a neon driver instead of one of these..

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Geordie Spark]

lol....

just ordered a few for the bag!!

I didn't know Your Lass was a spark.

 

[applemac]

i just ordered two of these, i have a sagem sound stick that was handy sometimes, but would take a few goes to get it up and running like its in a sleep mode...

 

[Geordie Spark]

i just ordered two of these, i have a sagem sound stick that was handy sometimes, but would take a few goes to get it up and running like its in a sleep mode...

Aye .... that's like me most mornings.

 

[ExArmy]

well, they seem to work ok! can't really argue with the £2 price.

 

[Marvo]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Do you guys all use these things? What do you use them for? Do you honestly trust them?

 

[trev]

I got one as a freebie from a wholesaler, it's rolling round in the bottom of my toolbox underneath all the odds and sods of screws, plugs and clips which are underneath all kinds of other sundry crap.

 

[ExArmy]

I can't believe what I'm reading here. Do you guys all use these things? What do you use them for? Do you honestly trust them?

is it non contact voltage detectors on the whole you don't like, or just the £2 chinese variants?!

they are just handy IMO, quick and handy, and time is money. of course with the £2 version i'd prove it every time before i touched bare copper

 

[trev]

with the £2 version i'd prove it every time before i touched bare copper

So if you're proving dead anyway what's the point of it? That £2 could have bought a Pasty and a cup of tea from Greggs or a saveloy dip from Dicksons

 

[ExArmy]

So if you're proving dead anyway what's the point of it? That £2 could have bought a Pasty and a cup of tea from Greggs or a saveloy dip from Dicksons

no sorry i meant i'd check to see if the £2 tester was still working, so for example i'm changing a light in the kitchen, lighting circuit is off, i check for voltage using the £2 tester, if it doesn't light up then i'd check it on a known source i.e the kitchen ring or the DB and if it lit up then i'd crack on, but if it didn't then i'd have to go and get something else to test it with(voltage/continuity tester leads) as the £2 tester has obviously developed a fault! never had one go faulty yet though i've used fluke and metrel ones for the past few years, it's such simple technology if used right i can't see there being a problem with the cheap one either.

 

[wallyanker]

no sorry i meant i'd check to see if the £2 tester was still working, so for example i'm changing a light in the kitchen, lighting circuit is off, i check for voltage using the £2 tester, if it doesn't light up then i'd check it on a known source i.e the kitchen ring or the DB and if it lit up then i'd crack on, but if it didn't then i'd have to go and get something else to test it with(voltage/continuity tester leads) as the £2 tester has obviously developed a fault! never had one go faulty yet though i've used fluke and metrel ones for the past few years, it's such simple technology if used right i can't see there being a problem with the cheap one either.

WOW... I would never use one of these to prove dead. I had one given a while ago and it lights up when it wants too.

 

[trev]

The one I got from the wholesaler lit up on a bit of wood in the back garden, that;s why I've never used it

 

[robsparky1975]

Ive been using these for years and if used for the job that they are intended they are a useful tool.Would it be wrong to think that most electronic equiptment was indeed made in china anyway so what looks like an immitation fluke may actually be the same spec just bagded up differently,after all your tv sets,pcs etc are all made there.

 

[One_of_them]

I use them for a quick reference on fluorescent fittings to see if anything is coming out of the ballast so I know if its the that or the tubes for defo. I found use for them on other little bits and pieces to but I would not trust it to prove dead

 

[telectrix]

just got mine in the post. identical to the fluke one i lost when working in a house when a plumber was there!. as said previously, they've got their place in the great scheme of life and if used correctly, no problem.

 

[wade88]

i have two and use them as musical drumsticks to impress clients....its earned me a few more biscuits in my time.

 

[applemac]

my two stick turnt up after two weeks slow boat, quite impressed! bright and bit loud!

i was on a job monday and the dno pole guys love them , well fluke ones,