Opinions on test lamps

[vernam616]

Hi all

Currently in the market for a new set of test lamps as the Fluke set i bought 12 years ago are getting tired and keep falling apart, quite miracuously they have the same batteries in since day one !

I dont fancy another set of Flukes as around 2-3 years in of ownership, where the lead entered the lamp it became very weak and i ended up taping it all up which has been the same since

Whats the "In" things in terms of test lamps at the moment?

Oh forgot to add, must have simple to use continuity function like the fluke along with phase rotation

 

[Engineer54]

I have absoluley no idea what you are talking about here??

So what DO you mean by ''Test Lamps"?? LED volt meter, multimeter, drummond type test lamp, lamp in a lamp holder connected to a couple of leads, ...What??

 

[bigdavs83]

Can't see past the new fluke ones mate. I've got the t110 ones and they are cracking.

 

[uksparks]

I'm confused

 

[Risteard]

Martindale or Drummond Test Lamps.

 

[Pete999]

Martindale or Drummond Test Lamps.

What he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[vernam616]

Im more confused that some people do not know the common phrase for the tool in our trade of "test lamps"

If we are being pedantic its a "Voltage Tester"

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Im more confused that some people do not know the common phrase for the tool in our trade of "test lamps"

If we are being pedantic its a "Voltage Tester"

Hi

I used to have the little Martindale. - which I loved,for its simplicity,as that is all it did. 4 neons. That's it.

however I left it somewhere and had to replace it, so upgraded to the one mentioned by another, the Fluke T110.

never been a fan of Fluke but have to say for the money (same as Martindale would have been) you get more. It has continuity, a little light, it's not bad actually. Had it 6 months now. I can see a lot of thought has gone into it.

hope that helps

S.

 

[Engineer54]

Im more confused that some people do not know the common phrase for the tool in our trade of "test lamps"

If we are being pedantic its a "Voltage Tester"

Really, ....i never called a voltage tester anything else but a voltage tester, so nothing pedantic about it. A Test lamp was generally (in my day at least) either a Drummond test lamp, a neon lamp with a couple of test leads, or at worst an incandescent lamp in a lamp holder with a couple bits of wires as test leads.

 

[Pete999]

Really, ....i never called a voltage tester anything else but a voltage tester, so nothing pedantic about it. A Test lamp was generally (in my day at least) either a Drummond test lamp, a neon lamp with a couple of test leads, or at worst an incandescent lamp in a lamp holder with a couple bits of wires as test leads.

Thought they were called "voltage indicators"

 

[vernam616]

Test lamps, a device with neon/led lamps inside which light upon whatever voltage is going through it

I think i was being polite when i said pedantic....

 

[Engineer54]

Thought they were called "voltage indicators"

Voltage meter, voltage indicator, voltage tester, but never heard them called a test lamp before, even the older Martindale multi neon voltage testers weren't called ''Test Lamps''

 

[Engineer54]

Test lamps, a device with neon/led lamps inside which light upon whatever voltage is going through it

I think i was being polite when i said pedantic....

Your now making it up as you go now!! lol!!

The above aren't and never have been called test lamps!!

 

[vernam616]

Jesus christ, ive worked with lots of electricians over the years and generally heard them called test lamps, a slang term for a voltage tester/indicator

Fool

 

[Pete999]

Your now making it up as you go now!! lol!!

The above aren't and never have been called test lamps!!

Voltage going through it???

 

[Guest77]

Hi all

Currently in the market for a new set of test lamps as the Fluke set i bought 12 years ago are getting tired and keep falling apart, quite miracuously they have the same batteries in since day one !

I dont fancy another set of Flukes as around 2-3 years in of ownership, where the lead entered the lamp it became very weak and i ended up taping it all up which has been the same since

Whats the "In" things in terms of test lamps at the moment?

Oh forgot to add, must have simple to use continuity function like the fluke along with phase rotation

Ethos 4153 Digital Voltage/Continuity Tester - Ethos Security Products I like the digital scale model, lovely bit of kit IMO

 

[Engineer54]

Jesus christ, ive worked with lots of electricians over the years and generally heard them called test lamps, a slang term for a voltage tester/indicator

Fool

Who gives a ---- what YOU call test equipment, that tests the presence of voltage!! The ONLY time i've heard the term Test Lamp referring to a voltage tester, has been in reference to a Drummond test lamp....

Oh and the only person that's showing himself to be a FOOL here is You!

 

[vernam616]

Yeh ok pal, thanks to others who knew exactly what i meant, i can now see the frustration of some people who come on here and get slated/shot down in flames for pedantic things like spelling mistakes etc...

I think you need to get yourself a life.

This clown has obviously had his head in the sand for god knows how many years!

 

[Geordie Spark]

Who gives a ---- what YOU call test equipment, that tests the presence of voltage!! The ONLY time i've heard the term Test Lamp referring to a voltage tester, has been in reference to a Drummond test lamp....

Oh and the only person that's showing himself to be a FOOL here is You!

I have one of those and it is exactly how it's described - a LAMP.

 

[Engineer54]

Yeh ok pal, thanks to others who knew exactly what i meant, i can now see the frustration of some people who come on here and get slated/shot down in flames for pedantic things like spelling mistakes etc...

I think you need to get yourself a life.

This clown has obviously had his head in the sand for god knows how many years!

I need to get myself a life...lol!! What you mean, ...like yours ??

Yep this clowns head is well deep in the sand and why i've been paid the big bucks to run projects
for those many years....

OK,...Stop Now, you are just digging yourself a bigger hole, all for the sake of calling a volt meter tester a test lamp or not. Forget about it and move on!!

 

[andyelectric]

I would deem a 'test lamp' to be drawing a significant amount of current(enough to light said lamp) and not succeptible to phantom voltages which might be said of other 'voltage testers'. That said I own a fluke voltage tester as it's handy for basic continuity checks in some situations.

 

[ian.settle1]

Im more confused that some people do not know the common phrase for the tool in our trade of "test lamps"

If we are being pedantic its a "Voltage Tester"

If you want to be pedantic it is a "Voltage Indicator" like Pete said.

 

[andyelectric]

Or to be even more pedantic, they are also termed 'voltage detection instruments' as well as 'voltage indicators' in gs38.

 

[Simonslimline]

The Fluke T150 is a decent AVI i would personally recommend. Also worth having a Drummond test lamp that will not be fooled by phantom voltages

 

[shanky887614]

i went off fluke t series when i got a bad one. all the leds kept coming on till you took the battery out (not self test because ive used my mates and it doesnt stay on it over 30mins)

im using a 179 i paid £60 now after money off voucher.

if i was after an indicator i would go for martin dale.

no batterys and they last forever

 

[Pete999]

i went off fluke t series when i got a bad one. all the leds kept coming on till you took the battery out (not self test because ive used my mates and it doesnt stay on it over 30mins)

im using a 179 i paid £60 now after money off voucher.

if i was after an indicator i would go for martin dale.

no batterys and they last forever

Don't think any of these types are self test, the test only proves the electronics within the instrument, I could be wrong but I was talking to a guy at ELEX in Coventry and that's what I was told, perhaps others have more views on the subject.

 

[shanky887614]

Don't think any of these types are self test, the test only proves the electronics within the instrument, I could be wrong but I was talking to a guy at ELEX in Coventry and that's what I was told, perhaps others have more views on the subject.

the test starts when you hold the probed together for so long.

on mine as soon as i tried to bell a cable all the lights would stay lit

 

[Pete999]

the test starts when you hold the probed together for so long.

on mine as soon as i tried to bell a cable all the lights would stay lit

So you aren't using it as a voltage indicator then?

 

[shanky887614]

So you aren't using it as a voltage indicator then?

yes i use it as a voltage indicator as well.

if it has a function it better do it or its going back.

 

[Pete999]

yes i use it as a voltage indicator as well.

if it has a function it better do it or its going back.

Shanky just googled your tester and it comes up as a multi meter NOT a test lamp

 

[shanky887614]

Shanky just googled your tester and it comes up as a multi meter NOT a test lamp

yeah the one that broke was a t90

the 179 is a £200 multimeter

 

[Pete999]

yeah the one that broke was a t90

the 179 is a £200 multimeter

Do you have a GS 38 approved voltage indicator, if not, and you are using your 179 to prove dead or live then you could be putting yourself at risk, imho

 

[shanky887614]

Do you have a GS 38 approved voltage indicator, if not, and you are using your 179 to prove dead or live then you could be putting yourself at risk, imho

my test leads are gs38 approved with fuses in the leads.


how am i putting myself at risk with it? perfectly safe and it is fused inside the meter as well

 

[Pete999]

my test leads are gs38 approved with fuses in the leads.


how am i putting myself at risk with it? perfectly safe and it is fused inside the meter as well

I was asking if you kit was GS38 if it is then that's OK isn't it

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Martindale approved voltage indicator and proving unit. They are less than a hundred quid and go on forever, and do what they are meant to do without any useless frilly bits.

I had similar problems with my old test lamps, and although they did do the job until some prcik took the lamp out for a laugh, not very funny if my apprentice had have used it on a live circuit and thought it was dead. The martindale is tamperproof.

Cheers.................Howard

 

[shanky887614]

Martindale approved voltage indicator and proving unit. They are less than a hundred quid and go on forever, and do what they are meant to do without any useless frilly bits.

I had similar problems with my old test lamps, and although they did do the job until some prcik took the lamp out for a laugh, not very funny if my apprentice had have used it on a live circuit and thought it was dead. The martindale is tamperproof.

Cheers.................Howard

charge a capcitor up and put it on his desk.

better idea although its cruel, double sided tape it to van door handle

 

[amlu]

anything with a digital display/analog gauge instead of an off/on lamp.
sometimes you get some weird voltages on circuits, not enough to be picked up by a simple tester, enough to give you a
nasty belt when touched...

 

[7029 dave]

My test lamp.

 

[Stu1312]

Drummond have got more advanced now!!!
Drummond MTL20 Test Lamp

 

[Geordie Spark]

My test lamp.

Mine too!

A "proper" lamp!!