Chris Friesen wrote:
Tom Horne, Electrician wrote:

That scheme only applies to the built in test circuit in the GFCI
itself. A plug in tester does indeed need a ground in order to work
but the ground only has to be good enough to carry six milliamperes.
That would not make it a satisfactory low impedance pathway back to
the source via the main bonding jumper.

Yes, certainly.

Something that this whole discussion has prompted me to wonder...has
anyone ever heard of a tester (with a long heavy cable) that would plug
into the service panel directly that you could use to *really* test
outlets? Could be used to test non-grounded GFCIs, test for floating
ground, put 13A through each of the leads, measure voltage drop under
load, etc...? Seems like it might be useful to highlight possibly
sub-standard circuits.

Chris

The Ideal Suretest does that without a long cable.
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison