I was a safety officer at an military hospital in 1980. I used a early version of the non-contact voltage tester on inspections. I was shocked on an inspection in the waiting room of the obstetrics department. I got indication on a metal table. There was a TV on the table, right next to a sink with metal fixtures. I unplugged the TV and called the engineers. It turned out that a plywood plate was screwed into the chasis of the TV. The screw went through the protective plastic case of the TV to the hot chasis of the TV. That experience made me a believer in the technology. We may have saved a life (or two!) . I am happy to have false positives! I have given the tool to my son and son-in-law. Excellent video
After I got the shock of a lifetime I always use my tick tester 3 or 4 times before I handle wires! Good tip on testing the unit on a known live circuit, that’s one I always do.
I gotta say, I have been shocked countless times because I frequently don't use anything... But unless I'm standing in water or sticking the bare wires in my mouth, I just don't worry that much about being shocked by 120 volts. I'm more worried about jacking up my tools with a dead short, and I have the burnt wire cutters to show for that too. I don't recommend others follow my practice, but I suspect that a lot of people do. When I'm dealing with 220 V or God forbid 480 V I suddenly become my own safety Karen.
@@djcanfield1 I’ve been shocked a few times, and usually not a big deal but one time I was taking a wire I thought was off out of a metal round box…holy crap that was a shock!!! I ended up throwing the metal box across a bedroom and made a big hole in the drywall…ever since then I have flash backs when I work with wires😂
@@djcanfield1: No rudeness intended but if you are burning your tools and have lost count of the number of times you’ve been shocked it would probably be best if you didn’t work on electrical circuits at all, let alone high voltages, or at the very minimum buy properly insulated tools and study up on ‘best practices’ techniques, as I suspect you are probably doing some poor wiring as well. As a long-time renovation contractor I’ve seen more bad and unsafe ‘handyman’ wiring projects than I care to remember - some of them just plain dangerous - all through lack of knowledge or poor workmanship. Maretted and taped wires buried in attic insulation with no J-box, kitchen outlets with the ground wires left off, wires run through door jambs to save a foot or two of wire, bathroom outlets with no GFCI protection, un-split kitchen duplexes on a 15amp circuit, J-boxes buried behind ceilings and walls, aluminum wiring attached to non-approved devices, boxes stuffed beyond safe capacity, unprotected surface wiring, 14g wire used on 20amp circuits, on and on and on - this is what I see every day. There are homeowner/handyman guides readily available everywhere, written by qualified electrical engineers and often fairly specific to your general area and code requirements. Please buy one.
Avoid false negatives by checking every time on a known live circuit, such as a lit bulb. EVERY TIME immediately before/after. NCV testers are great for quick checks but do not replace a multimeter, best to have both.
Master electrician here. Personally I use the NCV tester. Even still I always treat every wire as a live wire, yes even when hooking up devices. It's a good skill to master. When disconnecting wires from a device: hot, neutral then ground. When connecting: ground, neutral then hot. Be careful and be safe.
Thankyou. My father, an A-grade Electrician with the State Electricity Commission, practiced the same procedure- treat every wire as live and used same sequences
Heres another thing a multi-meter can’t do: A friend said their outside light stopped working sometime around the time they hired a handyman to do some electrical elsewhere in the home. I opened up the light, old wiring, 2 wires, no ground, plastic box. White to black measured 0 V with meter. NCVT was going off like crazy though. Confused, I set up a super long multimeter lead to a known ground, and there was 120v on both the black and white wire. NCVT saved me. In fact, if I brushed it off as a false positive, things would have been very bad.
@@R3dp055um There were two live wires in the box, instead of a live and a neutral. Voltage difference _between the wires_ was zero. Voltage difference between either wire and ground, 120V
@@R3dp055um a multimeter, when testing AC, requires two completely different wires, if the neutral and hot were pigtailed together or shorted out together, then it's no different then putting both testing leads together
Hey, 20 year industrial electrician here. I use this as my go to for my troubleshooting once i get on site. Because the one of the first things you do when troubleshooting an electrical issue is check if the equipment has a power source. This is also good for finding open lines.
Master electrician here. I always carry an NCVT, Flir to be exact. The NVCT is just a tool to quickly test for voltage, but I always verify with a Fluke tester prior to touching the conductors or electrical equipment.
Apprentice here. Dude! I learn more from you and your videos than I do from the journeymen and foremen on the job. Thanks for all you do. You're making a difference.
Good summary. I use my NCVT most of the time because it is easy to fit into my bag and you can use it one handed. However I have a multimeter and use that when I need certainty or when wires are packed to gether in a box and I am concerned about false positives
This is one tool I do not own. However, living in an older house it would make sense to have one as not all boxes have a ground wire and evidence of originally being wired knob and tube. Next trip to Lowe's...
I'm a retired Motor Mechanic and Auto Electrician who does a lot of diy and I regularly use my Kaiweets HT100 ncvt for proving a dead circuit but always double check on known live feeds before I start work on that particular circuit,I use multi meters as well but like you mainly for continuity tests,I'm in Scotland so our electrics are different from yours but sometimes I'm a bit envious of the simplicity of some of your components and the ease of fitting or installing them,great video,good to see someone with a sensible approach to NCVT's
THANK YOU! DIY'er here with one of those NCVT-1 testers. I was not happy with the tester and was about to buy a different brand until I saw your video. The recall was approved by Klein and I thank you for sharing this information. It pays to watch your channel!
I was the engineer on a diesel electric paddlewheel gambling boat a few years ago. Our propulsion was 480 three phase AC converted to DC through oilfield style SCR panels. Whenever we had to work on these (there were four on board), you had to make absolutely sure that you had killed_all_power to the SCR panel, as there were multiple sources, and some of the breakers were outside of the machinery spaces. I equipped each of my helpers with NCTV's as a way of assuring that all of the power was off before anyone put their hands inside a panel, and they were trained to always test them first on a known live circuit. Several times we found that a breaker had been missed using these, and the issue was promptly corrected before work began. We never had either an injury or a near miss in my 3.5 years there on the SCR drive panels, and I credit the proper use to the NCTV's for this.
My dad is a master electrician with 50 years of experience and swears by his NCVT. He uses a simple Santronics 3000 and advises to couple them with common sense practice like checking each conductor twice and using a traditional meter when it really counts, etc. (and always treating every wire like it's potentially live, connecting and disconnecting in order, etc., like many others have mentioned)
I’m a retired 40 year industrial electrician. The common ac voltages we work on is 120/240 , 3 phase 480v, 3 phase 600v. I do use a fluke model of that. I will use that and teach my apprentices to only use them to check for the presence of power, not the absence of power. Never use it to verify that it is dead to work on something. Always use a contact tester that you first tested on a know live power source, to verify something is dead.
i work mostly on home wiring. no way am i working on 3 phase 480 volt. and no way to work on that without PPE on. once saw a electrician put a breaker in a 3 phase 277/480 volt panel and no PPE on. i thought to myself , you want to die? fool
@@zerosparky9510 what’s even more scary is starting up a 13,800v 15,000 hp synchronous motor. Even though you are at remote station it still could be tense as it rumbles to life.
I have had the Klein NCV 3P for a few years and it is my go do. I have had other brands have faults detecting voltage in circuits. I got this along with the RT250 outlet tester. Best set of testers I have ever used.
Great video. I use these around home. I do my own electric work unless it’s major. I have a tacklife VT 02. Works great. I found this useful when I was looking for a broken wire in my attic. I found exactly where it was broke with power on but not getting power to a room Upstairs. A contractor was cutting on outside of house and nicked wire. This tool helped me where a voltage meter was useless.
My dad was an electrician but didn't trust these. He told me to always use a meter. But they are just to convenient. I had a Klein but it failed me when I really needed it. I replaced it with a fluke and been going 7 years now with it. Great tool and you can't be to careful
Your Dad was right, the problem is that once they enter your tool bag you'll use it more and more... you will come to trust and rely on it because its so damn convenient... But they are not reliable...so one day....it'll let you down.
Thanks for the informative video. i actually have a NCVT-1 Voltage Tester and submitted a Klein Recall this morning based upon your video (THANKS). Additionally, I am a residential home improvement DIY'er and really see loads of value with your videos. Much appreciated.
Hi Scott, I want to thank you for recommending using NCV tester. I have bought one and I use it all the time. It has warn me a number of times upgrading the wiring on my boat. It is really useful in finding the bad light in a Christmas string as you can find where the power stops then flip the plug for the lights to confirm your findings.
I have a non contact tester and swear by it. If at any time I question the validity I first recheck with the Non-contact tester AND than follow up with a multi meter. I love that thing! It's great!
Most electricians that I've worked with only use their multimeters and don't even carry an NCVT. However, I find that using a NCVT is much faster to use in most electrical situations, so I use it the vast majority of my time in the field. I have several types, but I like the Klein because its sensitivity is usually perfect for what I need.
22 years in maintenance here and I agree. It's a great quick check if you are trying to figure out whether you have a localized or ballast issue or if the switch is broken. I wouldn't bet my life on it, but that's not what the tool is designed for. I also carry a small voltage tester and I always treat everything as if it's hot anyway.
I have about 3 of these, mainly because I have 3 tool pouches. I only use em for a quick voltage finder to save time. But if needed I have a volt meter to be sure. Like I said, it's a time saver!
Good of you to review this. Advice given to me was "this is used to confirm the presence of electricity, not the absence." I would do known live testing, then check the circuit I was going to work on, open it, test it, close it again & test again, then open & test again. I've never been shocked performing any electrical work.
As an electrician/ electrical inspector, I do use a ncvt almost every day, but only as a quick test to see if somthing needs further investigation, this would be followed up but the use of a specific contact voltage tester , like my fluke t110 using the prove test prove method , before trusting that a circuit is actually dead. Also very handy to carry out a prove test prove method, is a proving unit, such as my megger mpu690.
Short but sweet. I had a "pen" tester in my pocket. At a customers home, the complaint was "erratic" power loss. Standing in the kitchen, my partner pointed to my pocket and said"hey, your touch tester is lit. ..... huh?..... This simple device alerted me to something. The light fixture in the kitchen was a "MULITAP" for a huge addition. Result? It was able to detect a massive neutral loss (burnt wire nut connection) simply by standing 8 feet away. These work!!!!!!!!!!! Understand "what" they can tell you.!
Been wiring/re-wiring homes for 45 yrs and I use a NCVT all the time. And so did the guy who trained me. They’re not perfect but used properly they’re useful.
20+ year field service technician. Always, ALWAYS, perform a live/dead/ live test with a good multi meter. You are trusting your life to your test equipment.
You know, nothing substitutes for the equipment between your ears. I use a non-contact tester for gross indications of power / no power before I investigate further. This includes troubleshooting equipment plugged into an outlet. I had an incident where an appliance stopped working. I could quickly verify current at the outlet, current on the cord to a Variac, and then power cord from the Variac to the appliance. It was obvious the problem was with the Variac and a quick check of the Variac's fuse proved that was the problem. No need for a multi-meter for that kind of work.
I really appreciate the video. I am in the early stages of selling my house and want to take care a number of repairs before it hits the market. One of them was to check the outlets and also replace a few so I purchased the RT250KIT which includes the RT250 line tester, the NCVT3P non-contact tester, and a case for $41.99 on Amazon. Your videos have given me the direction and push to become proactive on home repairs before they get written up in a house inspection when I sell.
Not a common issue, but some people could get bit if they aren't aware that they don't test for DC voltage. Maybe in a furnace or if someone buys a new house with solar. I use both the meter and the non contact as a redundancy.
Good review and was unaware of the Klien Recall notice. Checked my model number and date code, and apparently it is exempt and not included in the recall. Maybe bad habit, but this is my primary go-to tester to confirm no power on the black/hot wire. Mostly a DIY'er with occasional light switch or receptacle change out. Have been converting incandescent light fixtures with LED recessed wafer lights and or ceiling fan install or upgrade remove and replace fan/light kits. This tool has never let me down. Also have volt/ohm meter and will use that as welll on certain projects especially gang boxes with multiple connections/switches. Thanks for the heads-up on these.
Fluke is what I use , I love NCV's but I always double check with a DMM (Fluke) as well, it is also meters that have built in NCV testing some are glitchy (either too sensitive or not sensitive enough in specific ranges ) , always double check with safe methods & meters.
I'll get one of these. I can see it would catch many cases a multimeter wouldn't. No need to list them since others already have. I also use the "short poke" test as a secondary check. I stick a screwdriver in to short the hot to box. It shouldn't matter after testing, but mistakes can be made. I have one slightly shorter screwdriver as a reminder of the one time this test caught a live box due to an earlier mistake.
I have used a NCVT for almost 40 years now in the HVAC trade and it can be a life saver. It will show you if the cabinet of the equipment that you are about to service it grounded or not.
I am a DIYer who is 100% with you on this. A SouthWire 40126N NCVD is my go-to device, but I like your better. But like you, I also always have a circuit tester and a multimeter with me. I always test on a known live circuit first, but I like your idea of checking the known live circuit again after. One problem I will point out is that you are showing receptacles that are not Tamper Resistant (TR), which I have everywhere in my own house. You often can't get the NCVD into the slot, or even close enough to detect with TR receptacles. That's where the circuit tester is useful. I came across a boneheaded thing a previous owner/occupant had done, to use one piece of 12/2 Romex cable to run a fan and a light on two switches, using the black wire for one, and the white for the other. They both used the equipment ground conductor for the return. Note that this is a case where a voltmeter might give a false negative. Because both black and white wires had 120V, there was no potential between them, but the NCVD would light up on everything. After disconnecting both wires and the equipment ground at the switch, my NCVD still lit up on all everything in the box due to an induced voltage from another Romex cable in the wall on a different circuit in proximity to the disconnected wire. That is a situation where your NCVD might be more selective than than mine. I think all three tools are essential. NCVD, circuit tester, and multi-meter. But the one I trust my life to is the NCVD. That one stays in my pocket whenever doing anything electrical.
I use an NCVT all the time. Professional here. All tools are useful. NCTV, Voltmeter, and Continuity Tester. These three functions i use almost on every troubleshooting job daily.
Like you said, a multimeter/continuity tester is the proper way of checking if something is live. But if you are fault finding a major installation, a voltage detector is insanely handy. There might be a cable that has been connected to the wrong breaker, and being able to quickly test what breaker it belongs to is why electricians use them. Because they can detect a live cable even if there is no draw.
I have that NCVT. It's my best friend. A multimeter is not convenient. When I am working on a circuit, I don't care how much power is present, I care about if any is present that can bite or kill me. So the NCVT is the best tool for that part of the job.
Love your videos, love your instructional style! Great calm, even, slow pace, clear enunciation, so easy to hear and understand. Great visual aids and demos and show 'n' tell (or tell 'n' show). Updating my previous comment (from 8 months ago) now that I've read the current on-line instruction manuals for the NCVT-2P and NCVT-3P. They both have the spade nose now, like my NCVT-2, not the dolphin nose my NCVT-3 has. They both have the same dual operation, same ranges, same indicators. Now the 3P is simply a 2P with a light. (I agree with the comment(s) saying it's better to have a headlamp to keep your hands free, but I respect different strokes for different folks, all good.) Great tip to check before AND after with a known live circuit. Question - I don't understand your issue with the NCVT-3. Mine has a small blue LED "PWR" indicator. If my batteries are low, I'd see a single light on the power bar at start-up, indicating approx. 20% power. I trust (!) the blue PWR LED would go out if the batteries died in use. I agree having a larger, green (or blue) light always on in the tip is a much better power indicator, but your video sounds to me as if your NCVT-3 had NO power on indicator, no small blue PWR light - is that correct?
I was working on a house where the power lines were pretty close outside so even the wire I was using to run to outlets and switches would alarm from a voltage sniffer when the wire was still in the roll
Hidy & THANK YOU for an excellent informative video!!! I was pro. electrician, for my main career, and I carried an analog Tripplet 310 VOM multi-meter, a fluke digital meter, (I don't remember what number it was), a "Wiggie" it was LIKE a Wiggins voltage tester, but I liked the Ideal 61-065 Voltage Tester. It reads from 120 to 600 AC or DC. Most of the time you weren't worried about the voltage when chasing a circuit to see where you loose it. It has a spring loaded weight that JUMPS to a certain voltage and has, not only a visual line and an LED showing you have voltage, but it jumps in your hand. The test leads store inside the outer edges of its 1 piece body. You pull the probe out of its holder and turn it around and the case holds it and acts like a handle. Tgen you have your other probe in the other hand. The tip, of the probes have spring loaded covers that all for testing in tight places. Or you can pull them up and give them a twist and the covers stay retracted. It is heavy duty enough to make you feel confident when probing up in a motor control cabinet. It's safety yellow. The test leads are pared and plug in in one right angled plug, in the bottom of the unit. It was designed very well. When I retired, I went to an electrical supply store and bought one for myself. YOU CANT BEAT IT for testing circuits. I have an AMES "Squeaker" non contact voltage sensor, like you're talking of. Its great for finding wires inside walls. It's also great for informing you which wire is HOT. If you separate the wires out a tad, and lay the tip on each wire's insulation, it will tell you which wire is hot. I did have an Ideal, twice; but each one was stolen, right out of my METERS DRAWER in my hobby shop! So, I got a cheaper one and it's stayed for several years! Lots of the time you're NOT worried about what the voltage is...just that you have some there
Thank you for the video. I just bought the NCVT-1P and never realized there was a recall. It appears the 1P replaces the recalled one. I never would have known to check if I didn't watch this video. One thing I have run into is when I was checking all the circuits on my box, I couldn't get a positive for the 2 breakers connected to a 220V outlet for my dryer. I confirmed the dryer was working and had power. Would totally appreciate any answers or advice from the Masters I see commenting here. Thanks to all of you for your input and advice. I do a lot of major work in my house but have always known I was lacking in the electrical department so I'm studying up and making sure I do everything safely.
I am an industrial electrician. I use a non contact regularly, we work on 480vac. I more than once had a high quality digital VOM “lie” to me due to broken leads defective meter malfunction or bad batteries.
You don't own an electrical tester as required by code and guidelines. Neither your Multimeter, nor your deathstick nor your socket tester is suited for it. Get a proper electrical tester. Neither expansive nor difficult. Examples: Fluke T+Pro, T5, T6, T150, T130; Ideal 61-547, Vol-Con; Klein ET40, ET45; Beha-Amprobe 2100 ... and many others Yes, I repeat myself. But you get so many views and people will go by your dangerous suggestions. Please educate yourself before teaching others!
This is what I wonder if testers like the Fluke T130 or Beha are even allowed in the US. I have seen on YT Americans using various NCVs, clamp multimeters, regular multimeters, socket testers, but bipolar voltage and continuity testers? No one
@@kikiv1993 I find it bizarre that voltage testers don't appear to be a thing on YT in the US. For my DIY I have a Martindale VT12 to prove dead before I touch bare wires and also a non-contact for testing/tracing known live cables. Both cheap so why not have both when your life is on the line?
I also have a multimeter that has a built-in NCVT. It's the AstroAI M6KOR True RMS multimeter. Love this thing! It's never given me any trouble at all.
I feel secure now since I bought one of them yesterday. I am going to reconfigure a junction that I did 28 years ago that should have been more neatly wired. There's never been a problem, but I may want to sell before I die, and if I wait longer, I might get to be too old to handle the job.
I am a Journeyman electrician with 26 years of experience in the trade. Common practice is known live, circuit of intrest, known live. Followed by a multimeter check. Another way of safely using it is the on, off, on, off method which should also be followed by a multimeter check. When I was an apprentice, an electrician that was about to retire told me "there is on thing you need to remember if you want to make it to retirement as an electrician" "Never trust anyone!" "Not even yourself!" "Always double and triple check" "Insist that your coworkers test for themselves "
IBEW electrician. I used my non contact recently, to check for power in an LB. On the building roof, it was a simple test that i have power to a unit. No need to hunt down the breaker. I use a meter when I'm going to need safety.
I always write the installation date on the batteries of my tester as a reference. Ideally, I should replace them after 1 year depending on the use. As you stated, it's important to test it first on a known power source to verify good operation. If there's no other power source around, I usually rub it on my clothes or on my hair to make it beep with static electricity.
I just bought the NCVT-2P not knowing there is a NCVT-3. I also don't know how youtube knew I was looking at these testers, but your video just showed up. I didn't pay much attention to the details about this product, as I should have. I thought a non contact tester would give a signal for AC & DC, but this product's details says it's an AC tester. I am working on a gas golf cart installing extra lights, the new 2022 carts are more refined and actually have wiring harnesses and not just wires run with wire ties. Even though this product says it's for AC, it has been working fine for DC and saving me from opening a harness and not finding the wire I need. I set my NCVT-2 in 12v to 1000v, touch a 12 volt line that is hot and I get the signal I need. Why the difference between AC & DC when it come to testing hot or not?
I had a new furnace installed last year and they used it many times while wiring the furnace, but like you said he tested it on known live circuit first.
Two comments (not that anyone was looking for these haha) 1. Most of the issues with non-contact testers (or tickers) are probably solved if people tested a live circuit first. You pointed it out and it is also clearly printed on the device as well. I always test a live circuit first (whether with ticker or my meter) if I'm betting my life my tester of choice is correct. I actually learned yesterday it might not be a bad idea to treat the circuit as live all the way up to intentionally shorting hot and neutral after they're disconnected so if the circuit was still live at the point you had wires disconnected (i.e. your meter or NCV tester failed you), the circuit breaker would eat the dead short instead of you and you would just have to bear the brunt of the arc flash (you are wearing your FR gear right? :) ). 2. I prefer tickers when working on receptacles and any other place where access to testing points is limited. It's happened to me a few times where I might not quite hit one of the bus bars in an outlet and the meter read nothing. A NCV tester doesn't have that problem. - industrial electrician
Those are great ,word of advice buy the one that detects 90 volt and higher usually fluke ,when doing Metallic clad use voltage ohm meter especially after a demolition job I’ve been hit 120volts ouch I’ve been doing this 19 years 277v hurts worse : I was told when your on ladder they don’t work as well I personally like them by the way the Klein meter has a built in tester just found that out the other day ,Keep doing these videos you help out the average Joe !
I was an electrician in the electrical generation field for around 40 years. We used these pen testers a lot. We had structures that were 12 floors high and also had circuits spreading out hundreds of yards in every direction around a very large area. Most of our troubleshooting on AC circuits was trying to find a connection somewhere between the source and the end user that had failed open. We would leave the circuit energized and using our schematics and wiring diagrams, trace the circuits. With this tester, you simply opened each junction box until you lost the voltage. We absolutely did NOT use an induction tester to test a circuit dead before we physically worked on equipment. There could be a low voltage on the circuit that would not be seen by the tester yet could still be enough to hurt you. In the US Navy, they considered anything above 24 VAC/VDC enough voltage to kill you. The logic being that if we had a casualty and you were wet with seawater, giving you low resistance to ground (something like 0.001 ohms), using ohms law you can calculate the current passing through your body. It only takes 100 milliamps to stop the heart if the path to ground is through your chest. In the civilian world, we checked 480 VAC and lower voltages with a Fluke multimeter. Side Note: When I first started in the Navy at 18, we used Simpson 260 multimeters. Still have a working one in fact. For 4160 VAC circuits we use a glow stick (we did have one supervisor check 4160 VAC dead by using a multimeter. It did not harm him, but all that was left were the two leads in his hands). In all cases, we were required to check the multimeter on a live circuit before and after checking the circuit we were going to work on. Another side note: If you are going to unwire a large 4160 VAC motor driving a fan, you never start cutting through the termination kit or unbolting the bus bars while the fan was spinning down, which could take 15-20 minutes. They make really good generators and will knock you on your ass. I know. I did it. Once.
I use a south wire "dummy Stick" it works well for me. the only time I have ever gotten into trouble, is when I assume there is only one circuit in a box (getting zapped either makes you feel alive, or it kills you). If you check every hot wire after you shut off the breaker, you should be safe. I am not a pro, but I am also not dead.
I am an electrician for a local company. I have used these for years for checking to see if circuits are live to help narrow down my search for whatever the problem may be. I use this for quick checking only and when and if I have to work on the line I always use my multi-meter to make sure the circuit I am working on is actually off. I worked at Power Plants also and they issued these to their electricians. These are a must for electricians if nothing else to check Romex to see if it is hot in out of the way areas. Anyone who says these have no place for electricians in my opinion are not utilizes a very important resource that could save them time and money.
I use a chicken stick several times a week diagnosing ac circuits in RVs, it comes in handy ruling out a bad source of shore power. I just use a cheapy from Princess Auto, they get forgotten in customer units from time to time, and can shrug it off.
I'm an apprentice and I'm using a Laserliner ActiveFinder and mine doesn't have a on and off button and it's always on. Some of my colleges constantly remind me that this tool isn't going to show me what an amper meter would and I always tell them that I'm well aware of that and I used simply to know if the wires, cables or whatever I'm working on have no electricity. I really like mine and I find it to be one of my most if not the most useful tool in my bag and I really don't care what others think.
I didn't use one for ages, then I started using one and it helps cut out a lot of the guess work of what wires are hot. Which just leaves figuring out breakers, not sure if I want to buy that tool yet...
Use it just to know if there is potential, then use a meter to locate and verify. You can always hook a tracer and find the source if needed afterwards.
This boils down to "know your tool", and "test your tool". All tools have a place and reason. I definitely use the multimeter if I need precision or actual voltage/current/load, but the point you made about testing hot on a sealed wire is where the NCV shines.
It's absolutely true. No one should EVER trust non-contact meters. Sure it can be used to get quick reference that something is live. But if it doesn't show anything, one should still test with conventional meters. In industrial use those non-contact meters can easily be deadly as shielded wires aren't detected at all. So all-in-all, it's just backup device.
I’m a home DIY guy and use it around the house for 120V. I’m not touching 240V, I call an electrician for that. But when I change an outlet before doing my work I turn off the breaker, test the outlet with something plug in and test it with the non-contact tester. Then I short the circuit with a screwdriver. Maybe not the best way to do thing, but I prefer to sacrifice my screwdriver rather than myself!
I use mine daily... I still treat each wire as if it is live. I also rub the tip on my sleeve to beep the tester a couple times to test before each use. I had a few times with common and hot reversed in old wiring and my ncvt saved me getting zapped.
I trust and rely on a non contact voltage tester. I have had one consistent false positive non a disconnected wire despite testing on a known live circuit. The situation was in a 120 year old home with unsafely run Romex, the type with a woven silver-ized sheathing. Both ends of an old piece were unhooked but still tested live with non contact, but not with a voltmeter. Had to remove a wall panel to discover another wire was run snug side by side in the same channel for about 4 feet. Clearly evidence of induction from a live wire into a dead wire. Another time at the same property discovered the circuit I was working on was live despite tracing the breaker. I skipped using the non contact and got some sparks. Discovered there were cross circuits fed by two breakers simultaneously. All old wire is being replaced. Be safe.
another good use of a non contact is to find where a cable is broken, lets say in a power tool you can find out where to cut and repair a faulty cable easily
I had a problem with the ncv tester. The thing would show that there was contact when I knew that it was a grounding line. That was because it had a hot line that I had moved over a good amount. Sometimes it’s too sensitive. Having issue with the switch turning on and off the smart fan. Turned out the 221 had 1 cable that didn’t fully clip into it. Who would have guessed.
I love that tool, being a utility worker for a natural gas company you would be surprised how many home owners and professionals ground wires to our gas pipe and some times these pipes are charged…I’m sure they don’t mean to do it…..
HVACR tech with 3 decades under my belt. I use a field piece multimeter with built in NCV. The NCV function, can save you from some nasty shocks if a transformer shorts and puts high voltage on a 24 v circuit, or when some dumbass wires through a disconnect, or many other occasions, I don't touch a wire without using ncv function. Also had a very good friend, we will call him Sparky, had to spend a week in the hospital. He was working on 12v dc on his boat, and someone before he bought it, ran shore power in the same chase as DC. If would he had one, he does now, and used it it would have kept him safe., while standing barefoot on an aluminum hull in 3 inches of salt water. I don't care what anyone says, buy one and use it.
The non-contact tester is pretty good about telling you something is hot (not always, the cheapest ones are hinky). But it is NOT a guarantee something is dead. I carry one in a shirt pocket 24/7, but I understand the philosophy of testing, grounding, etc. Recently retired from 45 years in the field, I saw lots of professionals using these. It’s a tool, not a lifeguard. Even the best testers used in high voltage yards get confirmed on a known hot source, used to test, then confirmed again on a known hot (yes, in 45 years I have discovered bad testers).
Live-Test-Live is a best practice even when using a multimeter. The tic tracer is a useful tool especially when troubleshooting circuits or switch boxes. I personally use the Klein NCV testers myself. I don't trust a NCV with a true dead test but there are situations where an NCV tester will verify a live circuit when your multimeter won't. an example is damaged grounds and neutrals, etc.
I use a NVCT and a DVM on jobs. NVCT to detect the presence of voltage and if I need to verify whether the voltage is correct I use the DVM. As someone else mentioned you can get a false positive with NCVT because many times you have multiple circuits in a electrical box. With multiple wires in close proximity you need to be aware of what circuit your testing. I like the NVCT for quick checks but never is it a substitute for a DVM
You made some very important points, when one knows how to use a tool properly it makes more sense. Also spending a little more money for a better version when dealing with stuff that can hurt you. All the pros I know have a ncv and use it all the time, maybe because I'm not working with the crustiest old timers that don't trust these new fangled things.
I've had my share off 110 zaps but once I got a good 220 experience from something that was not even part of a circuit (copper a/c line touching shielded romex with a short or something) I test all of it with non-contact, plug test, and/or circuit tracer plugged in to find the breaker. If any doubt I flip the main breaker. I still do a quick "spark test" and short the wires with an insulated screwdriver against each other and box. Rolling away to force your hand to let go while getting shocked is not something I'm risking again...
I was a safety officer at an military hospital in 1980. I used a early version of the non-contact voltage tester on inspections. I was shocked on an inspection in the waiting room of the obstetrics department. I got indication on a metal table. There was a TV on the table, right next to a sink with metal fixtures. I unplugged the TV and called the engineers. It turned out that a plywood plate was screwed into the chasis of the TV. The screw went through the protective plastic case of the TV to the hot chasis of the TV. That experience made me a believer in the technology. We may have saved a life (or two!) . I am happy to have false positives! I have given the tool to my son and son-in-law. Excellent video
After I got the shock of a lifetime I always use my tick tester 3 or 4 times before I handle wires! Good tip on testing the unit on a known live circuit, that’s one I always do.
Some guys are just meant to stick with carpentry 😂
I gotta say, I have been shocked countless times because I frequently don't use anything... But unless I'm standing in water or sticking the bare wires in my mouth, I just don't worry that much about being shocked by 120 volts. I'm more worried about jacking up my tools with a dead short, and I have the burnt wire cutters to show for that too. I don't recommend others follow my practice, but I suspect that a lot of people do. When I'm dealing with 220 V or God forbid 480 V I suddenly become my own safety Karen.
@@djcanfield1 I’ve been shocked a few times, and usually not a big deal but one time I was taking a wire I thought was off out of a metal round box…holy crap that was a shock!!! I ended up throwing the metal box across a bedroom and made a big hole in the drywall…ever since then I have flash backs when I work with wires😂
@@EverydayHomeRepairs gotta tell you about the time I wired an entire house in Mexico… nervous times when we hooked the power😅
@@djcanfield1: No rudeness intended but if you are burning your tools and have lost count of the number of times you’ve been shocked it would probably be best if you didn’t work on electrical circuits at all, let alone high voltages, or at the very minimum buy properly insulated tools and study up on ‘best practices’ techniques, as I suspect you are probably doing some poor wiring as well.
As a long-time renovation contractor I’ve seen more bad and unsafe ‘handyman’ wiring projects than I care to remember - some of them just plain dangerous - all through lack of knowledge or poor workmanship. Maretted and taped wires buried in attic insulation with no J-box, kitchen outlets with the ground wires left off, wires run through door jambs to save a foot or two of wire, bathroom outlets with no GFCI protection, un-split kitchen duplexes on a 15amp circuit, J-boxes buried behind ceilings and walls, aluminum wiring attached to non-approved devices, boxes stuffed beyond safe capacity, unprotected surface wiring, 14g wire used on 20amp circuits, on and on and on - this is what I see every day.
There are homeowner/handyman guides readily available everywhere, written by qualified electrical engineers and often fairly specific to your general area and code requirements. Please buy one.
Avoid false negatives by checking every time on a known live circuit, such as a lit bulb. EVERY TIME immediately before/after.
NCV testers are great for quick checks but do not replace a multimeter, best to have both.
Master electrician here. Personally I use the NCV tester. Even still I always treat every wire as a live wire, yes even when hooking up devices. It's a good skill to master. When disconnecting wires from a device: hot, neutral then ground. When connecting: ground, neutral then hot. Be careful and be safe.
100% correct.
Excellent comment!
Thankyou. My father, an A-grade Electrician with the State Electricity Commission, practiced the same procedure- treat every wire as live and used same sequences
Hot ...First to break....Last to make
I use the NCV only for finding out, more or less, wehre the wire went and stuff.
Heres another thing a multi-meter can’t do:
A friend said their outside light stopped working sometime around the time they hired a handyman to do some electrical elsewhere in the home. I opened up the light, old wiring, 2 wires, no ground, plastic box. White to black measured 0 V with meter. NCVT was going off like crazy though. Confused, I set up a super long multimeter lead to a known ground, and there was 120v on both the black and white wire. NCVT saved me. In fact, if I brushed it off as a false positive, things would have been very bad.
That is a good example of how you can get in trouble with a meter. Thanks for the feedback.
@@EverydayHomeRepairs I don't understand what was happening? Why did the multimeter give him a false negative in that scenario?
@@R3dp055um There were two live wires in the box, instead of a live and a neutral. Voltage difference _between the wires_ was zero. Voltage difference between either wire and ground, 120V
@@R3dp055um a multimeter, when testing AC, requires two completely different wires, if the neutral and hot were pigtailed together or shorted out together, then it's no different then putting both testing leads together
If there was 120 on each wire the meter would read 220/240. I don't understand
Hey, 20 year industrial electrician here. I use this as my go to for my troubleshooting once i get on site. Because the one of the first things you do when troubleshooting an electrical issue is check if the equipment has a power source. This is also good for finding open lines.
Master electrician here. I always carry an NCVT, Flir to be exact. The NVCT is just a tool to quickly test for voltage, but I always verify with a Fluke tester prior to touching the conductors or electrical equipment.
It's funny how many dead or messed up fluke meters we have lying around the shop but the cheap klein ones never die
Apprentice here. Dude! I learn more from you and your videos than I do from the journeymen and foremen on the job. Thanks for all you do. You're making a difference.
Good summary. I use my NCVT most of the time because it is easy to fit into my bag and you can use it one handed. However I have a multimeter and use that when I need certainty or when wires are packed to gether in a box and I am concerned about false positives
Its false negatives u need to worry about. Since theres worries and you need a sure thing everytime use a meter everytime.
This is one tool I do not own. However, living in an older house it would make sense to have one as not all boxes have a ground wire and evidence of originally being wired knob and tube. Next trip to Lowe's...
I'm a retired Motor Mechanic and Auto Electrician who does a lot of diy and I regularly use my Kaiweets HT100 ncvt for proving a dead circuit but always double check on known live feeds before I start work on that particular circuit,I use multi meters as well but like you mainly for continuity tests,I'm in Scotland so our electrics are different from yours but sometimes I'm a bit envious of the simplicity of some of your components and the ease of fitting or installing them,great video,good to see someone with a sensible approach to NCVT's
I like the non contact because I only need one hand to use it. The multi meter can be a bit clumsy at times.
And there goes your safety sacrificed for convenience.
THANK YOU! DIY'er here with one of those NCVT-1 testers. I was not happy with the tester and was about to buy a different brand until I saw your video. The recall was approved by Klein and I thank you for sharing this information. It pays to watch your channel!
I was the engineer on a diesel electric paddlewheel gambling boat a few years ago. Our propulsion was 480 three phase AC converted to DC through oilfield style SCR panels. Whenever we had to work on these (there were four on board), you had to make absolutely sure that you had killed_all_power to the SCR panel, as there were multiple sources, and some of the breakers were outside of the machinery spaces. I equipped each of my helpers with NCTV's as a way of assuring that all of the power was off before anyone put their hands inside a panel, and they were trained to always test them first on a known live circuit. Several times we found that a breaker had been missed using these, and the issue was promptly corrected before work began. We never had either an injury or a near miss in my 3.5 years there on the SCR drive panels, and I credit the proper use to the NCTV's for this.
My dad is a master electrician with 50 years of experience and swears by his NCVT. He uses a simple Santronics 3000 and advises to couple them with common sense practice like checking each conductor twice and using a traditional meter when it really counts, etc. (and always treating every wire like it's potentially live, connecting and disconnecting in order, etc., like many others have mentioned)
I’m a retired 40 year industrial electrician. The common ac voltages we work on is 120/240 , 3 phase 480v, 3 phase 600v. I do use a fluke model of that. I will use that and teach my apprentices to only use them to check for the presence of power, not the absence of power. Never use it to verify that it is dead to work on something. Always use a contact tester that you first tested on a know live power source, to verify something is dead.
i work mostly on home wiring. no way am i working on 3 phase 480 volt. and no way to work on that without PPE on. once saw a electrician put a breaker in a 3 phase 277/480 volt panel and no PPE on. i thought to myself , you want to die? fool
@@zerosparky9510 what’s even more scary is starting up a 13,800v 15,000 hp synchronous
motor. Even though you are at remote station it still could be tense as it rumbles to life.
@@konradpetz7317 I will stay with 240/120volt.
I have had the Klein NCV 3P for a few years and it is my go do. I have had other brands have faults detecting voltage in circuits. I got this along with the RT250 outlet tester. Best set of testers I have ever used.
Great video. I use these around home. I do my own electric work unless it’s major. I have a tacklife VT 02. Works great. I found this useful when I was looking for a broken wire in my attic. I found exactly where it was broke with power on but not getting power to a room Upstairs. A contractor was cutting on outside of house and nicked wire. This tool helped me where a voltage meter was useless.
My dad was an electrician but didn't trust these. He told me to always use a meter. But they are just to convenient. I had a Klein but it failed me when I really needed it. I replaced it with a fluke and been going 7 years now with it. Great tool and you can't be to careful
Yeah, the fluke one is the way to go
If you use one of those your not being careful, just foolish because its faster.
@@RadioRich100 👌🏻
Your Dad was right, the problem is that once they enter your tool bag you'll use it more and more... you will come to trust and rely on it because its so damn convenient... But they are not reliable...so one day....it'll let you down.
@@eatdirtmofo there not reliable at all , its just a fast more convenient way giving a false sense of security. Use your meter in the circuit!
Thanks for the informative video. i actually have a NCVT-1 Voltage Tester and submitted a Klein Recall this morning based upon your video (THANKS). Additionally, I am a residential home improvement DIY'er and really see loads of value with your videos. Much appreciated.
Hi Scott, I want to thank you for recommending using NCV tester. I have bought one and I use it all the time. It has warn me a number of times upgrading the wiring on my boat. It is really useful in finding the bad light in a Christmas string as you can find where the power stops then flip the plug for the lights to confirm your findings.
I have a non contact tester and swear by it. If at any time I question the validity I first recheck with the Non-contact tester AND than follow up with a multi meter. I love that thing! It's great!
I'm a DIY'er too and I use the Klein NCVT-2 religiously. Never a problem. Great video, BTW!
Most electricians that I've worked with only use their multimeters and don't even carry an NCVT. However, I find that using a NCVT is much faster to use in most electrical situations, so I use it the vast majority of my time in the field. I have several types, but I like the Klein because its sensitivity is usually perfect for what I need.
22 years in maintenance here and I agree. It's a great quick check if you are trying to figure out whether you have a localized or ballast issue or if the switch is broken. I wouldn't bet my life on it, but that's not what the tool is designed for. I also carry a small voltage tester and I always treat everything as if it's hot anyway.
I have about 3 of these, mainly because I have 3 tool pouches. I only use em for a quick voltage finder to save time. But if needed I have a volt meter to be sure. Like I said, it's a time saver!
Time saver and life saver are 2 different things.
This is what makes this a great channel. I’m always learning new things. Thanks for the great work you do
Thanks Mark, we will keep the videos coming 👍
Good of you to review this. Advice given to me was "this is used to confirm the presence of electricity, not the absence." I would do known live testing, then check the circuit I was going to work on, open it, test it, close it again & test again, then open & test again. I've never been shocked performing any electrical work.
Hey Sean, appreciate the feedback 👍
As an electrician/ electrical inspector, I do use a ncvt almost every day, but only as a quick test to see if somthing needs further investigation, this would be followed up but the use of a specific contact voltage tester , like my fluke t110 using the prove test prove method , before trusting that a circuit is actually dead.
Also very handy to carry out a prove test prove method, is a proving unit, such as my megger mpu690.
Short but sweet. I had a "pen" tester in my pocket. At a customers home, the complaint was "erratic" power loss. Standing in the kitchen, my partner pointed to my pocket and said"hey, your touch tester is lit. ..... huh?..... This simple device alerted me to something. The light fixture in the kitchen was a "MULITAP" for a huge addition. Result? It was able to detect a massive neutral loss (burnt wire nut connection) simply by standing 8 feet away. These work!!!!!!!!!!! Understand "what" they can tell you.!
Been wiring/re-wiring homes for 45 yrs and I use a NCVT all the time. And so did the guy who trained me. They’re not perfect but used properly they’re useful.
20+ year field service technician. Always, ALWAYS, perform a live/dead/ live test with a good multi meter. You are trusting your life to your test equipment.
You know, nothing substitutes for the equipment between your ears. I use a non-contact tester for gross indications of power / no power before I investigate further. This includes troubleshooting equipment plugged into an outlet. I had an incident where an appliance stopped working. I could quickly verify current at the outlet, current on the cord to a Variac, and then power cord from the Variac to the appliance. It was obvious the problem was with the Variac and a quick check of the Variac's fuse proved that was the problem. No need for a multi-meter for that kind of work.
@@buckhorncortez The fuse at the variac was not the problem ! It's a safety device because of the real problem.
I really appreciate the video. I am in the early stages of selling my house and want to take care a number of repairs before it hits the market. One of them was to check the outlets and also replace a few so I purchased the RT250KIT which includes the RT250 line tester, the NCVT3P non-contact tester, and a case for $41.99 on Amazon. Your videos have given me the direction and push to become proactive on home repairs before they get written up in a house inspection when I sell.
Not a common issue, but some people could get bit if they aren't aware that they don't test for DC voltage. Maybe in a furnace or if someone buys a new house with solar.
I use both the meter and the non contact as a redundancy.
Yup came here for this. Furnace, solar, Automotive, and some commercial applications like I've seen in the NYC Transit (subway) system.
Good review and was unaware of the Klien Recall notice. Checked my model number and date code, and apparently it is exempt and not included in the recall. Maybe bad habit, but this is my primary go-to tester to confirm no power on the black/hot wire. Mostly a DIY'er with occasional light switch or receptacle change out. Have been converting incandescent light fixtures with LED recessed wafer lights and or ceiling fan install or upgrade remove and replace fan/light kits. This tool has never let me down. Also have volt/ohm meter and will use that as welll on certain projects especially gang boxes with multiple connections/switches. Thanks for the heads-up on these.
Love this tool, use it every single day. Has saved my butt
Fluke is what I use , I love NCV's but I always double check with a DMM (Fluke) as well, it is also meters that have built in NCV testing some are glitchy (either too sensitive or not sensitive enough in specific ranges ) , always double check with safe methods & meters.
I'll get one of these. I can see it would catch many cases a multimeter wouldn't. No need to list them since others already have.
I also use the "short poke" test as a secondary check. I stick a screwdriver in to short the hot to box. It shouldn't matter after testing, but mistakes can be made. I have one slightly shorter screwdriver as a reminder of the one time this test caught a live box due to an earlier mistake.
If your multi meter isnt catching something you either need a new one or need to learn how to use it.
I have used a NCVT for almost 40 years now in the HVAC trade and it can be a life saver. It will show you if the cabinet of the equipment that you are about to service it grounded or not.
I am a DIYer who is 100% with you on this. A SouthWire 40126N NCVD is my go-to device, but I like your better. But like you, I also always have a circuit tester and a multimeter with me. I always test on a known live circuit first, but I like your idea of checking the known live circuit again after.
One problem I will point out is that you are showing receptacles that are not Tamper Resistant (TR), which I have everywhere in my own house. You often can't get the NCVD into the slot, or even close enough to detect with TR receptacles. That's where the circuit tester is useful.
I came across a boneheaded thing a previous owner/occupant had done, to use one piece of 12/2 Romex cable to run a fan and a light on two switches, using the black wire for one, and the white for the other. They both used the equipment ground conductor for the return. Note that this is a case where a voltmeter might give a false negative. Because both black and white wires had 120V, there was no potential between them, but the NCVD would light up on everything. After disconnecting both wires and the equipment ground at the switch, my NCVD still lit up on all everything in the box due to an induced voltage from another Romex cable in the wall on a different circuit in proximity to the disconnected wire. That is a situation where your NCVD might be more selective than than mine.
I think all three tools are essential. NCVD, circuit tester, and multi-meter. But the one I trust my life to is the NCVD. That one stays in my pocket whenever doing anything electrical.
I have a Greenlee nc tester that I like and use quite often.
I use an NCVT all the time. Professional here.
All tools are useful. NCTV, Voltmeter, and Continuity Tester. These three functions i use almost on every troubleshooting job daily.
Like you said, a multimeter/continuity tester is the proper way of checking if something is live. But if you are fault finding a major installation, a voltage detector is insanely handy. There might be a cable that has been connected to the wrong breaker, and being able to quickly test what breaker it belongs to is why electricians use them. Because they can detect a live cable even if there is no draw.
I have that NCVT. It's my best friend. A multimeter is not convenient. When I am working on a circuit, I don't care how much power is present, I care about if any is present that can bite or kill me. So the NCVT is the best tool for that part of the job.
Love your videos, love your instructional style! Great calm, even, slow pace, clear enunciation, so easy to hear and understand. Great visual aids and demos and show 'n' tell (or tell 'n' show). Updating my previous comment (from 8 months ago) now that I've read the current on-line instruction manuals for the NCVT-2P and NCVT-3P. They both have the spade nose now, like my NCVT-2, not the dolphin nose my NCVT-3 has. They both have the same dual operation, same ranges, same indicators. Now the 3P is simply a 2P with a light. (I agree with the comment(s) saying it's better to have a headlamp to keep your hands free, but I respect different strokes for different folks, all good.) Great tip to check before AND after with a known live circuit. Question - I don't understand your issue with the NCVT-3. Mine has a small blue LED "PWR" indicator. If my batteries are low, I'd see a single light on the power bar at start-up, indicating approx. 20% power. I trust (!) the blue PWR LED would go out if the batteries died in use. I agree having a larger, green (or blue) light always on in the tip is a much better power indicator, but your video sounds to me as if your NCVT-3 had NO power on indicator, no small blue PWR light - is that correct?
I have both Fluke and Klein NCV testers and I use either one, both works great.
I was working on a house where the power lines were pretty close outside so even the wire I was using to run to outlets and switches would alarm from a voltage sniffer when the wire was still in the roll
Hidy & THANK YOU for an excellent informative video!!!
I was pro. electrician, for my main career, and I carried an analog Tripplet 310 VOM multi-meter, a fluke digital meter, (I don't remember what number it was), a "Wiggie" it was LIKE a Wiggins voltage tester, but I liked the Ideal 61-065 Voltage Tester. It reads from 120 to 600 AC or DC. Most of the time you weren't worried about the voltage when chasing a circuit to see where you loose it. It has a spring loaded weight that JUMPS to a certain voltage and has, not only a visual line and an LED showing you have voltage, but it jumps in your hand. The test leads store inside the outer edges of its 1 piece body. You pull the probe out of its holder and turn it around and the case holds it and acts like a handle. Tgen you have your other probe in the other hand. The tip, of the probes have spring loaded covers that all for testing in tight places. Or you can pull them up and give them a twist and the covers stay retracted. It is heavy duty enough to make you feel confident when probing up in a motor control cabinet. It's safety yellow. The test leads are pared and plug in in one right angled plug, in the bottom of the unit. It was designed very well. When I retired, I went to an electrical supply store and bought one for myself. YOU CANT BEAT IT for testing circuits.
I have an AMES "Squeaker" non contact voltage sensor, like you're talking of. Its great for finding wires inside walls. It's also great for informing you which wire is HOT. If you separate the wires out a tad, and lay the tip on each wire's insulation, it will tell you which wire is hot. I did have an Ideal, twice; but each one was stolen, right out of my METERS DRAWER in my hobby shop! So, I got a cheaper one and it's stayed for several years!
Lots of the time you're NOT worried about what the voltage is...just that you have some there
I love it. Is another tool in my arsenal. For me every wire is a live wire. Check and double check.
Thank you for the video. I just bought the NCVT-1P and never realized there was a recall. It appears the 1P replaces the recalled one. I never would have known to check if I didn't watch this video. One thing I have run into is when I was checking all the circuits on my box, I couldn't get a positive for the 2 breakers connected to a 220V outlet for my dryer. I confirmed the dryer was working and had power. Would totally appreciate any answers or advice from the Masters I see commenting here. Thanks to all of you for your input and advice. I do a lot of major work in my house but have always known I was lacking in the electrical department so I'm studying up and making sure I do everything safely.
I am an industrial electrician.
I use a non contact regularly, we work on 480vac.
I more than once had a high quality digital VOM “lie” to me due to broken leads defective meter malfunction or bad batteries.
You don't own an electrical tester as required by code and guidelines. Neither your Multimeter, nor your deathstick nor your socket tester is suited for it. Get a proper electrical tester. Neither expansive nor difficult.
Examples: Fluke T+Pro, T5, T6, T150, T130; Ideal 61-547, Vol-Con; Klein ET40, ET45; Beha-Amprobe 2100 ... and many others
Yes, I repeat myself. But you get so many views and people will go by your dangerous suggestions. Please educate yourself before teaching others!
This is what I wonder if testers like the Fluke T130 or Beha are even allowed in the US. I have seen on YT Americans using various NCVs, clamp multimeters, regular multimeters, socket testers, but bipolar voltage and continuity testers? No one
@@kikiv1993
I find it bizarre that voltage testers don't appear to be a thing on YT in the US. For my DIY I have a Martindale VT12 to prove dead before I touch bare wires and also a non-contact for testing/tracing known live cables. Both cheap so why not have both when your life is on the line?
Point number 3 is very important! I l have 2 voltage testers with two different brands and use both of them every single time.
Great video Scott. Thanks for taking the time, much appreciated!
I'm a DIY guy and my goto at the moment is the Tacklife dmo1m multimeter. It has has a built in Non-Contact Voltage Tester ;-)
I also have a multimeter that has a built-in NCVT. It's the AstroAI M6KOR True RMS multimeter. Love this thing! It's never given me any trouble at all.
I feel secure now since I bought one of them yesterday. I am going to reconfigure a junction that I did 28 years ago that should have been more neatly wired. There's never been a problem, but I may want to sell before I die, and if I wait longer, I might get to be too old to handle the job.
I am a Journeyman electrician with 26 years of experience in the trade. Common practice is known live, circuit of intrest, known live. Followed by a multimeter check. Another way of safely using it is the on, off, on, off method which should also be followed by a multimeter check.
When I was an apprentice, an electrician that was about to retire told me "there is on thing you need to remember if you want to make it to retirement as an electrician"
"Never trust anyone!"
"Not even yourself!"
"Always double and triple check"
"Insist that your coworkers test for themselves "
I have a Southwire non contact tracer, works fine and it has a built-in flashlight to.
IBEW electrician. I used my non contact recently, to check for power in an LB. On the building roof, it was a simple test that i have power to a unit. No need to hunt down the breaker. I use a meter when I'm going to need safety.
I use the same but the added info is real good. Thanks. I can always trust you.
I always write the installation date on the batteries of my tester as a reference. Ideally, I should replace them after 1 year depending on the use. As you stated, it's important to test it first on a known power source to verify good operation. If there's no other power source around, I usually rub it on my clothes or on my hair to make it beep with static electricity.
I just bought the NCVT-2P not knowing there is a NCVT-3. I also don't know how youtube knew I was looking at these testers, but your video just showed up.
I didn't pay much attention to the details about this product, as I should have. I thought a non contact tester would give a signal for AC & DC, but this product's details says it's an AC tester. I am working on a gas golf cart installing extra lights, the new 2022 carts are more refined and actually have wiring harnesses and not just wires run with wire ties.
Even though this product says it's for AC, it has been working fine for DC and saving me from opening a harness and not finding the wire I need.
I set my NCVT-2 in 12v to 1000v, touch a 12 volt line that is hot and I get the signal I need.
Why the difference between AC & DC when it come to testing hot or not?
I had a new furnace installed last year and they used it many times while wiring the furnace, but like you said he tested it on known live circuit first.
Two comments (not that anyone was looking for these haha)
1. Most of the issues with non-contact testers (or tickers) are probably solved if people tested a live circuit first. You pointed it out and it is also clearly printed on the device as well. I always test a live circuit first (whether with ticker or my meter) if I'm betting my life my tester of choice is correct. I actually learned yesterday it might not be a bad idea to treat the circuit as live all the way up to intentionally shorting hot and neutral after they're disconnected so if the circuit was still live at the point you had wires disconnected (i.e. your meter or NCV tester failed you), the circuit breaker would eat the dead short instead of you and you would just have to bear the brunt of the arc flash (you are wearing your FR gear right? :) ).
2. I prefer tickers when working on receptacles and any other place where access to testing points is limited. It's happened to me a few times where I might not quite hit one of the bus bars in an outlet and the meter read nothing. A NCV tester doesn't have that problem.
- industrial electrician
Greenlee goes in the the bibbs pocket with the Leatherman, flashlight, pencil and marker. Weather working on electric or not. Thanks for sharing.
Those are great ,word of advice buy the one that detects 90 volt and higher usually fluke ,when doing Metallic clad use voltage ohm meter especially after a demolition job I’ve been hit 120volts ouch I’ve been doing this 19 years 277v hurts worse : I was told when your on ladder they don’t work as well I personally like them by the way the Klein meter has a built in tester just found that out the other day ,Keep doing these videos you help out the average Joe !
I was an electrician in the electrical generation field for around 40 years. We used these pen testers a lot. We had structures that were 12 floors high and also had circuits spreading out hundreds of yards in every direction around a very large area. Most of our troubleshooting on AC circuits was trying to find a connection somewhere between the source and the end user that had failed open. We would leave the circuit energized and using our schematics and wiring diagrams, trace the circuits. With this tester, you simply opened each junction box until you lost the voltage.
We absolutely did NOT use an induction tester to test a circuit dead before we physically worked on equipment. There could be a low voltage on the circuit that would not be seen by the tester yet could still be enough to hurt you. In the US Navy, they considered anything above 24 VAC/VDC enough voltage to kill you. The logic being that if we had a casualty and you were wet with seawater, giving you low resistance to ground (something like 0.001 ohms), using ohms law you can calculate the current passing through your body. It only takes 100 milliamps to stop the heart if the path to ground is through your chest. In the civilian world, we checked 480 VAC and lower voltages with a Fluke multimeter. Side Note: When I first started in the Navy at 18, we used Simpson 260 multimeters. Still have a working one in fact. For 4160 VAC circuits we use a glow stick (we did have one supervisor check 4160 VAC dead by using a multimeter. It did not harm him, but all that was left were the two leads in his hands). In all cases, we were required to check the multimeter on a live circuit before and after checking the circuit we were going to work on.
Another side note: If you are going to unwire a large 4160 VAC motor driving a fan, you never start cutting through the termination kit or unbolting the bus bars while the fan was spinning down, which could take 15-20 minutes. They make really good generators and will knock you on your ass. I know. I did it. Once.
As a facilities engineer, that tools is in the bag with my meter. Use it daily. Great tool.
I use a south wire "dummy Stick" it works well for me. the only time I have ever gotten into trouble, is when I assume there is only one circuit in a box (getting zapped either makes you feel alive, or it kills you). If you check every hot wire after you shut off the breaker, you should be safe. I am not a pro, but I am also not dead.
I am an electrician for a local company. I have used these for years for checking to see if circuits are live to help narrow down my search for whatever the problem may be. I use this for quick checking only and when and if I have to work on the line I always use my multi-meter to make sure the circuit I am working on is actually off. I worked at Power Plants also and they issued these to their electricians. These are a must for electricians if nothing else to check Romex to see if it is hot in out of the way areas. Anyone who says these have no place for electricians in my opinion are not utilizes a very important resource that could save them time and money.
I use a chicken stick several times a week diagnosing ac circuits in RVs, it comes in handy ruling out a bad source of shore power. I just use a cheapy from Princess Auto, they get forgotten in customer units from time to time, and can shrug it off.
I'm an apprentice and I'm using a Laserliner ActiveFinder and mine doesn't have a on and off button and it's always on. Some of my colleges constantly remind me that this tool isn't going to show me what an amper meter would and I always tell them that I'm well aware of that and I used simply to know if the wires, cables or whatever I'm working on have no electricity. I really like mine and I find it to be one of my most if not the most useful tool in my bag and I really don't care what others think.
I didn't use one for ages, then I started using one and it helps cut out a lot of the guess work of what wires are hot. Which just leaves figuring out breakers, not sure if I want to buy that tool yet...
I use both. If no contact reads hot then I use multi meter to read voltage value. A safe method of double checking.
James Taylor does DIY electrical on the side! Well done!!
Use it just to know if there is potential, then use a meter to locate and verify. You can always hook a tracer and find the source if needed afterwards.
This boils down to "know your tool", and "test your tool". All tools have a place and reason. I definitely use the multimeter if I need precision or actual voltage/current/load, but the point you made about testing hot on a sealed wire is where the NCV shines.
It's absolutely true. No one should EVER trust non-contact meters. Sure it can be used to get quick reference that something is live. But if it doesn't show anything, one should still test with conventional meters. In industrial use those non-contact meters can easily be deadly as shielded wires aren't detected at all. So all-in-all, it's just backup device.
I’m a home DIY guy and use it around the house for 120V. I’m not touching 240V, I call an electrician for that. But when I change an outlet before doing my work I turn off the breaker, test the outlet with something plug in and test it with the non-contact tester. Then I short the circuit with a screwdriver. Maybe not the best way to do thing, but I prefer to sacrifice my screwdriver rather than myself!
I also use this tool all the time when doing electrical work, but I will always test it with a known live circuit before using it to test a circuit.
I use mine daily... I still treat each wire as if it is live. I also rub the tip on my sleeve to beep the tester a couple times to test before each use. I had a few times with common and hot reversed in old wiring and my ncvt saved me getting zapped.
I trust and rely on a non contact voltage tester.
I have had one consistent false positive non a disconnected wire despite testing on a known live circuit. The situation was in a 120 year old home with unsafely run Romex, the type with a woven silver-ized sheathing. Both ends of an old piece were unhooked but still tested live with non contact, but not with a voltmeter. Had to remove a wall panel to discover another wire was run snug side by side in the same channel for about 4 feet. Clearly evidence of induction from a live wire into a dead wire.
Another time at the same property discovered the circuit I was working on was live despite tracing the breaker. I skipped using the non contact and got some sparks. Discovered there were cross circuits fed by two breakers simultaneously.
All old wire is being replaced.
Be safe.
another good use of a non contact is to find where a cable is broken, lets say in a power tool you can find out where to cut and repair a faulty cable easily
used this as a back -up to make sure. glad i did. i would have got bit.
I had a problem with the ncv tester. The thing would show that there was contact when I knew that it was a grounding line. That was because it had a hot line that I had moved over a good amount. Sometimes it’s too sensitive. Having issue with the switch turning on and off the smart fan. Turned out the 221 had 1 cable that didn’t fully clip into it. Who would have guessed.
I have one of these 3P ones. It's really handy.
These are good for hot or not in a box but the gb livewire is adjustable so you can test individual wires.
I love that tool, being a utility worker for a natural gas company you would be surprised how many home owners and professionals ground wires to our gas pipe and some times these pipes are charged…I’m sure they don’t mean to do it…..
HVACR tech with 3 decades under my belt. I use a field piece multimeter with built in NCV. The NCV function, can save you from some nasty shocks if a transformer shorts and puts high voltage on a 24 v circuit, or when some dumbass wires through a disconnect, or many other occasions, I don't touch a wire without using ncv function. Also had a very good friend, we will call him Sparky, had to spend a week in the hospital. He was working on 12v dc on his boat, and someone before he bought it, ran shore power in the same chase as DC. If would he had one, he does now, and used it it would have kept him safe., while standing barefoot on an aluminum hull in 3 inches of salt water. I don't care what anyone says, buy one and use it.
NCT , great for initial diagnosis, insulated sections,etc., but... always put the voltmeter on to confirm, simple.
The non-contact tester is pretty good about telling you something is hot (not always, the cheapest ones are hinky). But it is NOT a guarantee something is dead. I carry one in a shirt pocket 24/7, but I understand the philosophy of testing, grounding, etc. Recently retired from 45 years in the field, I saw lots of professionals using these. It’s a tool, not a lifeguard. Even the best testers used in high voltage yards get confirmed on a known hot source, used to test, then confirmed again on a known hot (yes, in 45 years I have discovered bad testers).
Live-Test-Live is a best practice even when using a multimeter. The tic tracer is a useful tool especially when troubleshooting circuits or switch boxes. I personally use the Klein NCV testers myself. I don't trust a NCV with a true dead test but there are situations where an NCV tester will verify a live circuit when your multimeter won't. an example is damaged grounds and neutrals, etc.
I use a NVCT and a DVM on jobs. NVCT to detect the presence of voltage and if I need to verify whether the voltage is correct I use the DVM. As someone else mentioned you can get a false positive with NCVT because many times you have multiple circuits in a electrical box. With multiple wires in close proximity you need to be aware of what circuit your testing. I like the NVCT for quick checks but never is it a substitute for a DVM
My meter has ncvt built in. BM235. Awesome. I use whichever one I find first, stick or meter.
You made some very important points, when one knows how to use a tool properly it makes more sense. Also spending a little more money for a better version when dealing with stuff that can hurt you.
All the pros I know have a ncv and use it all the time, maybe because I'm not working with the crustiest old timers that don't trust these new fangled things.
My go to is a Fluke 1AC-A1-II and if there are any questions, I grab my Fluke 117.
Thank you. You may be keeping someone alive.
I have several from Harbor, invaluable. Especially when electricians don't mark the board. Whe are trying to figure out where the circuits go.
I've had my share off 110 zaps but once I got a good 220 experience from something that was not even part of a circuit (copper a/c line touching shielded romex with a short or something) I test all of it with non-contact, plug test, and/or circuit tracer plugged in to find the breaker. If any doubt I flip the main breaker. I still do a quick "spark test" and short the wires with an insulated screwdriver against each other and box. Rolling away to force your hand to let go while getting shocked is not something I'm risking again...
You can read hot on the NCVT from a shared neutral too.