Advice on Mains Tester e.g. Drummond MTL 10

[macabethiel]

I have decided at last to ditch my Neon Mains Testing Screwdriver as its not a reliable means of checking things are not live on 240 volt AC house circuits.

I am thinking of getting something like the Drummond MTL 10 tester (£65 approx) rather than a cheap Rolson unit (£4.00) .

Advice from anyone who uses one of these professionally (or competent person) would be welcome.

Is there a better one around for similar money ?

[jonela]

It depends what you are needing it to do, if you want something a bit more flexible I would go for a multimeter .or if its just to test circuits and continuity something like this .
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluke-T110-Voltage-and-Continuity-Electrical-Tester-/151509470789?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement _Equipment_ET&hash=item2346ab0e45

[Mobieus_uk]

There is only one way to properly check for no voltage and that is with a multimeter, we use non contact voltage checkers but that is simply to prove that the equipment we are working on is safe to touch, even then we have to prove the NCVD works before at a known voltage and then recheck after.
Once we have proved safe to touch all other checks are done with a multimeter as this is the only true way to be sure, we also carry our earth loop impendence tests, this to ensure a good earth as a bad earth mean your consumer unit may not function correcty and not trip when it needs to
They so so concerned about electrics that if one is to receive a accidental shock its reported and a ambulance is sent for, don't matter if you feel fine, its all about heart rythm and the possibility of throwing it out, many stories of people dropping dead a few days later and it all being traced back to a electric shock

can never be to careful, you cant see it, you cant hear it, it moves at the speed of light

we use equipment called socket and see

if your checking plugs this looks good http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/details.asp?categoryid=199&ProductID=38&Product=Socket%20&%20See%20SOK36%20Professional%20Socket%20Tester

we us this bit of kit, very good

http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/details.asp?categoryid=197&ProductID=11&Product=Socket%20&%20See%20PDL234%20Plus%20Part%20P%20Loop%20Testing %20Kit

[solarman216]

If you have only ever used a neon, I would buy a cheap sub £10 multimeter and see how you get on with it, I usually pay around £40, but only because I mislay them regularly, you would think that if I leave something like that at a customers house they would let me know, but no the thinking seems to be, he will realize and call back, but I only realize it when I next need it, maybe a month later, :doh, Rick

[Terrano Steve]

If you have only ever used a neon, I would buy a cheap sub £10 multimeter and see how you get on with it, I usually pay around £40, but only because I mislay them regularly, you would think that if I leave something like that at a customers house they would let me know, but no the thinking seems to be, he will realize and call back, but I only realize it when I next need it, maybe a month later, :doh, Rick

I also spend around £40 for a meter for everyday use but also have a more expensive meter which measures capacitance & hz, not something I use everyday.
I did an electronics course years ago we tested some of the cheaper meters for accuracy they were all very good.

[macabethiel]

Thanks folks as it happens I have Multimeter that I have always used for working on the car with never thought of using it on the the mains.

It has an A.C. volt setting on the dial so plan to treat myself to some new tails for it and will probably extra sleeve the tips to just leave the end of the spike only vissible.

[Terrano Steve]

We also discovered if you set the dial to ohm's then connect the probes to live terminals the meter glows a funny orange colour & smoke comes out of it :augie

[jims-terrano]

So what are the little testers called that work on proximity, you run it along side a live wire and it blleps and flashes like crazy.
I bought one after getting a belt from a cheapo neon screwdriver, i know shouldn't get a belt from a working neon screwdriver but this obviously had a fault that some chinese factery person didn't spot as I'm sure they'll all be quality checked won't they:augie

[macabethiel]

So what are the little testers called that work on proximity, you run it along side a live wire and it blleps and flashes like crazy.
I bought one after getting a belt from a cheapo neon screwdriver, i know shouldn't get a belt from a working neon screwdriver but this obviously had a fault that some chinese factery person didn't spot as I'm sure they'll all be quality checked won't they:augie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLAJ-keFmpk#t=16

This video demonstrates the problem its inherent in the design it would appear!