Which voltage tester?

[HappyHippyDad]

I will start by apologising to @westward10 as he will have had to take time out to move this thread to the correct section.
I am terrible at putting my threads in the right section and westward always moves them to the correct location.
This time I did actually look... and look... and look, through the many sub sections as I know there is a tool one somewhere. I just couldn't find it! Sorry.

My fluke T5-1000 is playing up. I can live with other tools playing up but not with something so important (I always remember engineer54 reinforcing the need to look after your tester). As with most things these days (unfortunately, apologies to @marconi for not trying harder to fix it) it's cheaper and easier to replace rather than fix.

Prologue finished...

I'm looking for suggestions for a good quality voltage tester which also has continuity? I really like the T5-1000, but I already have a clamp meter so don't feel to buy the T5 again as it is more expensive than a standard voltage tester.

I guess the only stipulation is it has a holder for one of the probes (whilst in use). It makes it 10x easier to be able to use the voltage tester whilst one of the probes is still attached to it, rather than having to hold 3 items.

Long winded way of asking... "which voltage tester?"

 

[HappyHippyDad]

He's slipping..... 7 minutes in the wrong section!

 

[westward10]

 

[HappyHippyDad]

"Electrical tools and products", directly below the the section I entered my thread in... found it!

Not sure how I missed it

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Just seen this one TIS 851 Voltage & Continuity Tester - Self Proving | Toolstation - https://www.toolstation.com/tis-851-voltage-continuity-tester-self-proving/p51437?store=PF&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=558702669986&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAjwx46TBhBhEiwArA_DjGudJflsNpdBos3qLpOpD7UP7aQ64FHEEwdy7SEp_qsWdb5FvULz5BoCiZ8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Looks good... anyone have any experience with it?
Edit... from reading other threads it sounds "Ok for a DIYer". I'll move on from this one I think.

 

[Vortigern]

Fluke is the only volt tester I use. The rest are just too flimsy for my liking. Megger and Kewtech feel like toys. Kewtech is often to be found in the hands of trainees. I have noticed Kewtech can give false positives and are flimsy. The thing about the VT above by TSI under tech specs is that there are none. Such as RMS voltage measurement. I think where it comes to the most vital test for your safety I would not be looking for a "budget" item really. I also carry a Drummond tester as it can inject a resistance value to show phantom voltages. I also have a Campbel York Cyclim tester which has a bulb and a neon in in case the bulb fails fairly cheap robust and foolproof. It has a fuse in both ends of the leads as well!

 

[Dartlec]

Just seen this one TIS 851 Voltage & Continuity Tester - Self Proving | Toolstation - https://www.toolstation.com/tis-851-voltage-continuity-tester-self-proving/p51437?store=PF&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&mkwid=_dc&pcrid=558702669986&pkw=&pmt=&gclid=CjwKCAjwx46TBhBhEiwArA_DjGudJflsNpdBos3qLpOpD7UP7aQ64FHEEwdy7SEp_qsWdb5FvULz5BoCiZ8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Looks good... anyone have any experience with it?
Edit... from reading other threads it sounds "Ok for a DIYer". I'll move on from this one I think.

I've had similar (slightly cheaper, possibly rebranded) versions of this in the past and they are fine, but not necessarily the most robust. Each one lasted only a year or two before the cable started to fail at the base of the main unit. Perfectly serviceable though.

I upgraded to a Fluke T150, because it also shows the continuity measurement - but I've found that part less than useful because the reading has never been accurate enough in my experience, so I would save the money and go for a Fluke T130 or T110.

 

[SparkySy]

I am currently using this TIS-859 unit, it is quite good and does everything I need it to for a fast go to quick tester, but the only thing that gets me is there is no tone when something is live it vibrates and lights up but it would be good if it had an audible indication as well!
sy

TIS 859 Elite Voltage and Continuity Tester with Removable Leads

TIS 859 Elite Voltage and Continuity Tester is our biggest seller, packed full of features for the professional electrician.

www.testinstrumentsolutions.co.uk

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Thanks for all the replies.

I've had a look at the Fluke and gone for T130. I like the fact it has an actual figure showing the exact voltage as opposed to the T90 and T110 which don't. Also, it vibrates, which will be a novelty!

 

[telectrix]

here' best value for quality.

Megger TPT420 Two-Pole Voltage Tester

Megger TPT420 Two-Pole Voltage Tester The Megger TPT420 Two-Pole Voltage Tester is designed to provide electricians & electrical engineers with a simple, intuitive voltage indicator compatible with both AC and DC voltages. This device can measure AC voltage between 12 to 1000 V and DC voltage...

www.test-meter.co.uk

 

[pc1966]

It is purely a matter of personal preference, but I like a voltage tester to only do that.

My own one bleeps on continuity and half the time I jump thinking "neutral is energised!!!" only to realise it is a different bleep from the voltage one, so if/when I replace it probably going for a Drummond or similar one.

 

[pirate]

I have the Fluke T 150 and I do like it, but the resistance measurement function is tricky and a bit of a gimmick, U feel, though the continuity function with buzzer is useful. Basically, I like it simply for proving dead. I had mine replaced under the recenr recall where there was a problem with the leads. That didn't inspire confidence...but I presume the new version they sent me will have that problem well sorted.
I didn't get the matching Fluke proving unit though, I preferred the Megger one and found it at a very good price on a "deal" from one of our sponsors.

 

[SparkySy]

I carry a Drummond with me for isolation as I know it has never lied to me and doesn't have it's own power so it's totally dependable unless the lamp has gone! But for quick test or continuity just for my own sanity I carry the 859!
Sy

 

[telectrix]

i have a 2 prong tester for volts.....
biggest tick le is L.

 

[adonis2]

It is purely a matter of personal preference, but I like a voltage tester to only do that.

My own one bleeps on continuity and half the time I jump thinking "neutral is energised!!!" only to realise it is a different bleep from the voltage one, so if/when I replace it probably going for a Drummond or similar one.

I replaced my oven today and had that with the TLS 851 and nearly freaked out before I realised it was the continuity tester,
once the wires were disconnected from the old oven and I checked them it was all good.

 

[Teddy Lop]

Had one of those Toolstation efforts; fine for what it is but just felt a bit toy like and clunky compared to say a combivolt 2.

 

[Pauls0212]

2100-GAMMA | Beha-Amprobe

www.beha-amprobe.com

this is what Im using and very happy with it.

 

[Midwest]

When I was an apprentice, I had the legendary Drummond tester. However it was easy to the break the lamp , even the rough service ones. Which happened at a job me and the electrician were at. We were stood there, seeing how we could prove a bunch of DB’s dead, with no replacement lamp. Along came the senior electrician. We explained our predicament. No problem he said. Got his index finger ready, then said, that’s dead, that’s dead, that’s uggghhh that’s live, that’s live, that’s dead …………..I’ve told this story before, but still shocks me today (see what I did there).

 

[pc1966]

Yes, in the olden days the proving of the tester before/after checks was really critical for that reason, but the reliability of LED indicators has the down-side that folks tend to assume they never break, which is a really bad thing to do!

I see the TIS one claims to be "self proving" or something, I am quite sceptical of that. Sure you can check the LEDs like and continuity is showing it, and that is a damn sight better than nothing, but I would be very weary of trusting that self-check options are really verifying the live path is correct to the point I would trust my life (or others) on that alone.

 

[HappyHippyDad]

I have the Fluke T 150 and I do like it, but the resistance measurement function is tricky and a bit of a gimmick, U feel, though the continuity function with buzzer is useful. Basically, I like it simply for proving dead. I had mine replaced under the recenr recall where there was a problem with the leads. That didn't inspire confidence...but I presume the new version they sent me will have that problem well sorted.
I didn't get the matching Fluke proving unit though, I preferred the Megger one and found it at a very good price on a "deal" from one of our sponsors.

I sent back the T130 and got the T150, specifically so it would give an actual figure for resistance.

You're right, it does feel a bit gimmicky. It seems to take a few seconds to work and when it does the figure fluctuates greatly. I didn't expect that with a good brand like Fluke. I will do the same as you and probably use it solely/mainly for proving dead.