Andy Wade wrote:

Sorry John, that's completely wrong. There's no way you'd get enough
inductive (electro_magnetic_) coupling in this sort of situation to
induce a voltage high enough to light a neon.

Yup, you could well be right thinking about it... different case from
false positives with a high impedance DVM.

What sort of strike voltage does a neon need?

Capacitive coupling is the mechanism involved here, aka electro_static_
induction (note induction, not inductive). What was probably happening
was that the OP's body was near enough to a live cable to pick up a
significant voltage (there's no shock felt of course because any current
flowing is tiny (microamps) and there's no point of skin contact). The
sharp end of the screwdriver was in contact with an earth or neutral
terminal and it was the user that provided the 'live' connection to the
blunt end. You can get similar 'false positive' effects when using a
'volt-stick' type of indicator with your body near to a live cable.

That would better explain the thing lighting on the neutral and earth
wires since unlike the live they would not have been left floating by
pulling the fuse.

Moral: always use a proper voltage indicator or test lamp and test it on
a known live supply (or proving unit) both before and after isolating &
checking the circuit you intend to work on.

Can't argue with that!

--
Cheers,

John.

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