good GS38 approved voltage tester

[Jumbonipondon_squilobidon]

Hi,

Could you provide links to and recomment to me a good GS38 approved voltage tester?

Do y'all use a proving unit too?

 

[Cirrus]

No, I don't bother using a proving unit. I use a fluke volt stick tester and steinels to ensure power is off.

 

[rumrunner]

martindale Voltage Indicators and Proving Units - Martindale Electric ,ive used one for years ,never let me down ,,i blew up a stienel thing once testing a discharge lamp,there not fused and are dangerous

 

[Cirrus]

Only as dangerous as the person using it Rum

 

[rumrunner]

I not sure if sentiels comply even
,martindale voltage indicators have been used by electricity boards and throughout industry for decades ,there fused and the probe and robust lead instill confidence in using one
,the man asked for a recomendation ,i know which i would choose ,,

 

[Darius-parky]

Martindale is good. One of the best. As for proving unit, you don't have to use one. Especially if you have to pay 3 times the price of the Voltage Indicator for one of them. But you must test it on a known live source to make sure it is working.

 

[Jumbonipondon_squilobidon]

I suppose it's OK when you have the live incoming supply to prove the Voltage Indicator on ie. at the Consumer Unit, but in other situations it could be risky.

 

[Shakey]

I suppose it's OK when you have the live incoming supply to prove the Voltage Indicator on ie. at the Consumer Unit, but in other situations it could be risky.

proving units are very useful

personally, at the top of a ladder, if i want to prove something dead, a proving unit is invaluable

The alternatives are: come down the ladder and find a live supply, or sod it and just crack on - of course you take the sod it option (and compromise your safety)

 

[rumrunner]

The origional question of this thread was if anyone could recomend a good GS38 voltage tester ,which i did by giving him the link to martindale ,they also make a proving unit ,if you wish to use one.

 

[Jumbonipondon_squilobidon]

I bought the Fluke T50 yesterday and am very pleased with it.

 

[Cirrus]

Another excellent one is the Fluke T5-600 - about £80

 

[wallyanker]

Just a quick question, how can you prove your tester on the incoming side of the consumer unit when the Electricity at Work Regs state that the front cover must never be removed unit power is isolated, ie, main fuse below pulled out? Therefore a proving unit must be used to complete safe isolation procedure on the consumer unit.

 

[zupos40]

Martindale is good. One of the best. As for proving unit, you don't have to use one. Especially if you have to pay 3 times the price of the Voltage Indicator for one of them. But you must test it on a known live source to make sure it is working.

The proving unit works on the same principle as your insulation tester, to if you can not afford one, the use your insulation tester to prove your martindale tester works, set insulation tester to 250 V dc and clamp the test lead to the end of the voltage tester and press the button the apprioprate neons on tester will light up.

Personelly I always use the proving unit from martindales, another good reason for using martindale voltage indicators is that it does not cause nuisance tripping of RCD, unlike some other voltage indicator can.

 

[kung]

I use my trusty test lamp & proving unit i forgot to give back when i handed back my tool kit to S.E.B.
Call it a leaving prezy !
Forgot and the big red marrigolds !

 

[roukel01]

Just a quick question, how can you prove your tester on the incoming side of the consumer unit when the Electricity at Work Regs state that the front cover must never be removed unit power is isolated, ie, main fuse below pulled out? Therefore a proving unit must be used to complete safe isolation procedure on the consumer unit.

How do you measure Ze if you can't have the cover off and power to the incomming side?

Never used a proving unit personally, apart from my 2391 exam.

 

[wallyanker]

When measuring Ze, R1+R2, polarity, etc, this is classed as testing procedures where the main fuse is allowed to be re-instated to power the consumer unit for testing purposes only. When removing the consumer unit front cover for the first time, the main fuse below must be taken out and isolated.

 

[roukel01]

When measuring Ze, R1+R2, polarity, etc, this is classed as testing procedures where the main fuse is allowed to be re-instated to power the consumer unit for testing purposes only. When removing the consumer unit front cover for the first time, the main fuse below must be taken out and isolated.

Utter rubbish, on the 2391 practicle exam, the main isolator on the board had to be locked off and then the cover could be removed. You could then use the known source (ie incomming supply) to test your meter and check that isolation on the installation has been carried out correctly.

 

[wallyanker]

I had this same discussion at night college last week with my tutor regarding using the incoming supply to test voltage indicators and he said you can not remove the CU front cover until it has been totally isolated, as per EaWR regs. He also said that it is not advisable to use another source to test meters therefore a proving unit should be used. I also have an e-mail from the NIC saying the exact same thing.

 

[roukel01]

I had this same discussion at night college last week with my tutor regarding using the incoming supply to test voltage indicators and he said you can not remove the CU front cover until it has been totally isolated, as per EaWR regs. He also said that it is not advisable to use another source to test meters therefore a proving unit should be used. I also have an e-mail from the NIC saying the exact same thing.

You better ask him how I managed to pass safe isolation on my 2391 exam then!! and my last ELECSA assesment

 

[Spudnik]

You CAN remove the cover of the CU provided the main switch and all MCB's etc, are in the off position.

This would then enable the safe isolation test to be carried out either side of the main switch.

 

[roukel01]

You CAN remove the cover of the CU provided the main switch and all MCB's etc, are in the off position.

This would then enable the safe isolation test to be carried out either side of the main switch.

Thank You Jason

 

[wallyanker]

I will speak to my tutor on Thursday evening as he says not, this needs clarifying as if he is wrong, he is teacher the wrong information. With regards to using a proving, below is the response I got from the NIC when asking them whether you can use the supply of the consumer unit as a known source for safe isolation procedure:

Thank you for contacting the NICEIC technical Helpdesk, in answer to your question, some voltage indicators have a self check facility, if you are using these there is no requirement for a proving unit (GS38), BUT if your indicator does not have a self check function, how would you confirm that the supply is dead, if you are working on an old installation with a possible dead supply entering the building (no live supply), your indicator will indicate no voltage, and this might be a blown fuse/faulty component within the indicator, giving the wrong indication and the resultant outcome could be fatal.

We have attached BPG 2 and GS38 for your information.



Regards

NICEIC Technical

 

[electricAl]

When measuring Ze, R1+R2, polarity, etc, this is classed as testing procedures where the main fuse is allowed to be re-instated to power the consumer unit for testing purposes only. When removing the consumer unit front cover for the first time, the main fuse below must be taken out and isolated.

Wow - how things have changed. That used to be a dead test. Progress i guess


Seriously tho, whilst i totally agree you need clarification on this point (& your tutor should be doing more to provide it) its often tickled me how some react to proving units. Am i still missing something? It appears the electrical contracting industry is split on this - mention such a contraption to some & they react like they`ve been asked to give a urine sample in the middle of Asda Why? Ask another & they`ll tell you they`ll use the live side of an incomer if they happen to have one on them if not then the P U sure as hell beats roaming around looking for one. & as said, up a ladder, nothing else but chance taking fits the bill.
I agree, they do seem OTT expensive but it potentially may save you or others from harm one day - so to me, whatever i paid for my Martindale pair was worth it.

 

[Des 56]

Having to read some of the advise given to trainees by their tutors and scaremongering nonesense quoted of the NIC chap
Health and safety protocol has overtaken common sense to the point of frightening would be electricians from carrying out their trade safely

If the main switch is off,locked off,then cover removed,approved voltage tester used,correct procedure to prove live and prove dead,why mangle minds with this unhealthy crap