volt sticks

G

gas man

Hi folks,i Admin over at the plumbing forum,quick question regarding volt sticks,in this case a Fluke brand,now i fault find boilers so am very conversant with a multi meter ,however i use a volt stick to check boiler cases and pipework,on checking the spec on the fluke they go down to 100v,as we know it takes less than 100v to kill you so to my mind volt sticks for what i intend to use one for are pointless,how could i safely test pipework or metal work ?
 
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Seems british gas engineers have to use them as a policy???? noticed the engineer at my dads check all the pipes and frame with his before removing the boiler cover.
 
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Seems a bit paranoid to me, the boiler should be earthed via cpc and bonding, so very unlikely to be 'live', unless wired up by a plumber. Hey hoe, suppose 'once bitten, twice shy'.
 
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Really,this is not the tool,for the test described. I am loathed to dismiss it entirely,as undoubtedly,there have been occasions where "voltsticks" or similar,have probably saved an incident or worse.

If i was to wave anything about,it would be a Megger DCM330,which has a "Voltfinder" tip,switchable and very useful,but NOT infallible.

I do,however,know exactly what to connect some BG fitters to,if the other side of them is bonded...

The use of "fitter" above,is to separate myself,an actual engineer,from the many new breed of BG sales fitters,i have encountered,and attempted to educate...one,only this Monday,was adamant,there was no correlation between pressure,and flow rates:(

I even gave him the scenario of a hole in a bucket,with varying heights of water...easier to teach a hamster to MIG weld...
 
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Taylortwocities said:
I have a recipe for hamster crumble.

If I remember it right, you get an old hamster, and wait, and wait…

I'll get me coat!
Click to expand...
Is this what you mean Taylor?

IMG_2968.JPG
 
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Buy Fluke Testers Fluke T110 | ISSWWW.co.uk | Free Delivery - http://isswww.co.uk/fluke-t110?gclid=CKPflZOC2M8CFYYV0wodCRsOXQ
These will pick up voltage on the live probe alone ! much safer that a volt stick. Volt sticks can be very mis-leading. My friend recently told me of a young man who installs washing machines for John Lewis went into recently rewired council house (all kosher and certificated) went under the sink held the pipe and died. Leaving a wife and kid behind. Just for the sake of a proper tester ! Tragic ! Live and neutral reversed. You can never be careful enough.
 
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How can a reversed L & N make a pipe under the sink live, and what has that to do with Volt Sticks? Or was he holding something else that was live and was shocked when making contact with the earthed pipe? In which case, ditto?
 
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I'll put it in water for an hour and we'll see what it turns out to be.
spinlondon said:
That's a desiccated gerbil not a hamster (or stamp stamp as the daughter of a friend of mine used to say).
Click to expand...
Will get back to you later with the results!
Stamp stamp - I like that though I don't think the pet shop will sell me one if I ask for that!
 
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Lucien Nunes said:
How can a reversed L & N make a pipe under the sink live, and what has that to do with Volt Sticks? Or was he holding something else that was live and was shocked when making contact with the earthed pipe? In which case, ditto?
Click to expand...
Yes very good Lucien I was just testing to see if people are really reading this or on automatic, well done I am very pleased with you. Of course I meant L - E
 
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