Voltage still detected after rcd had tripped? why could this be...

[7029 dave]

Test Test Test, with approved tester, seperates or MFT.

 

[PEG]

Quick few games to show voltsticks pick up stray and non dangerous currents.... place voltstick near tv screen... rub voltsick on your jumper, all will lite the voltstick, but non are dangerous.

I disagree. My friend went into a pub in Liverpool,with a MCFC jumper on....and it ended badly

 

[Deleted member 72666]

I would sack any electrician that relied on a voltstick.! Too right, they should not be relied upon.

I gathered them all up at work and threw them in a kiln. Use recognised test methods.A little ott imo, unless of course they were being relied upon and then in which case dismiss the offenders and then bin the sticks.

,
......

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I think voltsticks are great! .. Wave it over something and it gives you an 'indication' of whether something is live without dismantling the switch/socket etc. If you want to touch that part or need a definite answer then you test properly with your MFT.

 

[trev]

I think voltsticks are great! .. Wave it over something and it gives you an 'indication' of whether something is live

I got one given by a rep in a wholesalers a while back. I waved it over a damp piece of wood in the rear storage yard of a pub I was working on. It indicated it was live.
I threw it away.

 

[7029 dave]

We have them on the board , BUT, they are desensitized, about £90 worth of kit and they are good.

 

[Jurassic Sparks]

You need to use the proper test equipment voltsticks have their uses but NOT to prove dead or live

actually they can save your life
recently I was asked to remove some flourescent fittings in an attic, the property had a partial rewire, new CU bonding earth electrode and a lighting circuit with CPC fitted by an aprroved electrican
(I did not want to do the work due to the distance involved)
I do the small domestic jobs for the client, so I said no probs
all the lights were off at the switch
I pop the tube out of the first one, lift the cover, and stick my test leads across R1 RN nada
but I just waved the volt stick in the area and bugger me it light up!!!
reason
the chappy doing the upgrade had not bothered to check the circuit as it was to difficult to get to ( fat lazy lump)
no CPC at all
No Neutral at all
permanent live
I ended up shutting the CU down and tracing the wiring back to a rose and it was a mess
just a looksee would have shown that up,
so the voltstick saved me bacon
ps the muppet concerned also failed to note on his report 1 burnt out and cracked socket outlet and one fractured one ? ( I took pictures for when I see him)
specsavers are fairly cheap these days???
I might be old
I might have trouble understanding modern high tech test gear
but I always like to have 2 different methods of testing

 

[Simonslimline]

actually they can save your life
recently I was asked to remove some flourescent fittings in an attic, the property had a partial rewire, new CU bonding earth electrode and a lighting circuit with CPC fitted by an aprroved electrican
(I did not want to do the work due to the distance involved)
I do the small domestic jobs for the client, so I said no probs
all the lights were off at the switch
I pop the tube out of the first one, lift the cover, and stick my test leads across R1 RN nada
but I just waved the volt stick in the area and bugger me it light up!!!
reason
the chappy doing the upgrade had not bothered to check the circuit as it was to difficult to get to ( fat lazy lump)
no CPC at all
No Neutral at all
permanent live
I ended up shutting the CU down and tracing the wiring back to a rose and it was a mess
just a looksee would have shown that up,
so the voltstick saved me bacon
ps the muppet concerned also failed to note on his report 1 burnt out and cracked socket outlet and one fractured one ? ( I took pictures for when I see him)
specsavers are fairly cheap these days???
I might be old
I might have trouble understanding modern high tech test gear
but I always like to have 2 different methods of testing

Out of interest what AVI do you use? My fluke t150 would of indicated the live wire by just putting the 1 probe on to it.

 

[Knobhead]

stantheman the electricians were employed and had a list of approved test instruments to choose from that the company would provide. The list at one time included a volt stick.

The volt sticks were taken off the list following an incident. I collected them in and threw them in a kiln. They were company property so why would it be OTT to confiscate and destroy them?

Normally if something was taken off the approved list and you had that type of meter you could take it home with you. Not so the voltsticks.

They are bloody dangerous.

 

[micknew]

Volt sticks should only be used by qualified electricians with a knowledge of electrical theory.
Previous comments by 'qualified electricians' who condemn there use are wrong.
As an aid for fast fault finding they are invaluable, ask Megger who make them.
They must not to be used for proof of safe isolation.

 

[7029 dave]

They are the first point in our process, then comes out the Drummond/ volt meter.

 

[PEG]

...This debate is circular,as approved test gear aside,ADDITIONAL equipment is at the testers discretion.Surely folk cannot be "against" a device,only its' particular use in any one instance. Personally,i chose to give my volt-stick type yokes away,but only because i got a Megger dcm330,which had a built in volt detector in the head of it,and i prefer devices which have more than a single function.It has proved to be a VERY useful item of equipment. Condemning chaps for ownership of volt-sticks is pointless,WITHOUT knowing what they do with them.Even if it is amusing the children...When i was a teenager,i worked on a local farm,where the owner,and his son,would use divining rods to grid out any proposed land drain,before we got the excavator out.All i know,and science has helped to form me,is,it worked. I reckon you would still have a fight on your hands,to convince the son,not to continue with those rods,before each dig....just off to "throw the bones",to see what my future holds...:thinking:

 

[eddieboy]

My voltstick once picked 'live' current on an earth. It must have been due to eddy currents.

 

[Jurassic Sparks]

A Steinel its prone to giving a signal on cables but often through inductance

Out of interest what AVI do you use? My fluke t150 would of indicated the live wire by just putting the 1 probe on to it.

 

[richy3333]

Hi all,

I have install a RCD fused spur on the end of line feed to a bathroom lighting circuit. Thus protecting the bathroom with rcd.

I tested the rcd (manually via the push 'test' button) and it killed the lights and fan as expected.

I used my volt stick to confirm that the cables were dead, but to my surprise , The voltstick was telling me the there was voltage still present. How could this be?

My understanding was that with the RCD tripped, it should kill all power on the load side of the spur, .

Any ideas????

Thanks

Really!?
A voltage stick is not appropriate in this situation. You may as well wave your dick around to indicate voltage.

 

[Pete999]

Really!?

That's what he said

 

[dingledong]

But is that what he meant

 

[dingledong]

Really!?
A voltage stick is not appropriate in this situation. You may as well wave your dick around to indicate voltage.

Now I have seen and done the wet finger test but never ever seen the wet dick test but I'll give it a go

 

[Pete999]

Now I have seen and done the wet finger test but never ever seen the wet dick test but I'll give it a go

Now Now lets not get smutty.

 

[Jurassic Sparks]

Its been done
see here for full instructions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F0aVb8ulJc