What's your opinion on mains socket testers like this AlphaTek one:
http://www.edw-uk.com/e-wholesaler/alphatek/tek1001.htm

I want to test a number of mains sockets to make sure they have been
wired correctly. Is it worth buying one of these testers, or would I be
better off testing by other means?

Suggestions welcome.

Alexei

On 4 Oct 2005 23:22:50 -0700, "Alexei"
wrote:

What's your opinion on mains socket testers like this AlphaTek one:
http://www.edw-uk.com/e-wholesaler/alphatek/tek1001.htm

I want to test a number of mains sockets to make sure they have been
wired correctly. Is it worth buying one of these testers, or would I be
better off testing by other means?

They work fine and are worth the money although, iirc, they don't
detect neutral-earth reversed.

Also, they don't test the socket under load conditions so if the
terminals aren't tightened sufficiently you could get overheating.

I wouldn't pay more than about £5 for one, btw. Maplin have them for
£4.

sponix

s--p--o--n--i--x wrote:

They work fine and are worth the money although, iirc, they don't
detect neutral-earth reversed.

Also, they don't test the socket under load conditions so if the
terminals aren't tightened sufficiently you could get overheating.

Martindale is the best known brand - see
http://www.martindale-electric.co.uk/sockets.htm for a choice of three,
including the E-Ze Check, which includes a basic earth-loop impedance
tester.

--
Andy

On 4 Oct 2005 23:22:50 -0700, "Alexei"
scrawled:

What's your opinion on mains socket testers like this AlphaTek one:
http://www.edw-uk.com/e-wholesaler/alphatek/tek1001.htm

I had one of those once, can't remember what happened to it.....

Anyway, does what it says on the tin, only cost me a couple of quid
IIRC.

I want to test a number of mains sockets to make sure they have been
wired correctly. Is it worth buying one of these testers, or would I be
better off testing by other means?

Always worth having one in the kit just for simple checking. Obviously
the ideal thing to do is test the circuit correctly as per BS7671.
--
Stuart @ SJW Electrical

Please Reply to group

Lurch wrote:
I want to test a number of mains sockets to make sure they have been
wired correctly. Is it worth buying one of these testers, or would I be
better off testing by other means?


Always worth having one in the kit just for simple checking. Obviously
the ideal thing to do is test the circuit correctly as per BS7671.

Round here the sort with 3 neons has doubled as a night light (to avoid
tripping over work in progress on the stairs).

--
Spamtrap in use
To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk

In article ,
Chris Hodges writes:
Lurch wrote:
Always worth having one in the kit just for simple checking. Obviously
the ideal thing to do is test the circuit correctly as per BS7671.

Round here the sort with 3 neons has doubled as a night light (to avoid
tripping over work in progress on the stairs).

Mine generates enough earth leakage to trip some 10mA RCD's.
Not a good idea to leave such a load permanently connected.

--
Andrew Gabriel

Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
Chris Hodges writes:

Lurch wrote:

Always worth having one in the kit just for simple checking. Obviously
the ideal thing to do is test the circuit correctly as per BS7671.

Round here the sort with 3 neons has doubled as a night light (to avoid
tripping over work in progress on the stairs).


Mine generates enough earth leakage to trip some 10mA RCD's.
Not a good idea to leave such a load permanently connected.

Good point, but there aren't any 10mA RCDs around here.

--
Spamtrap in use
To email replace 127.0.0.1 with blueyonder dot co dot uk

Chris Hodges wrote:


Good point, but there aren't any 10mA RCDs around here.

Fairy Neuf; but if you have (as many do) a single nominal-30mA RCD
covering several final circuits in say a split-load CU, slapping a
'preload' of several mA leakage predisposes your installation to
nuisance tripping.

As has been mentioned a few hundred times over the years, a 30mA nominal
RCD is allowed to trip at anything over 15mA - the spec's phrased
roughly along the lines of 'won't trip at 50% of nominal, will trip
within short_time_period at 100% of nominal'; manufacturing tolerances
and manufacturer's understaning of liability means that average tripping
for a largish sample of RCDs won't be at 75% of nominal but closer to
60-65% (allege).

Stefek

Alexei wrote:
What's your opinion on mains socket testers like this AlphaTek one:
http://www.edw-uk.com/e-wholesaler/alphatek/tek1001.htm

I want to test a number of mains sockets to make sure they have been
wired correctly. Is it worth buying one of these testers, or would I be
better off testing by other means?

Suggestions welcome.

Alexei

Theyre a quick way to test for some types of wiring faults. But thats
all. If connected the live to N and E pins, then earth the live pin,
they would give the correct reading. But they do pick up on some
faults.

Its probably quicker to put 3 mains neons into a mains plug than go to
the shop and buy one of those. Thats all they are, a neon between each
2 pins.


NT

wrote:
Theyre a quick way to test for some types of wiring faults. But thats
all. If connected the live to N and E pins, then earth the live pin,
they would give the correct reading. But they do pick up on some
faults.

Its probably quicker to put 3 mains neons into a mains plug than go to
the shop and buy one of those. Thats all they are, a neon between each
2 pins.

Actually, they aren't.
3 neons in a mains plug between each pin (plus resistors)
would only have the live-neutral and live-earth ones glowing
for a correctly fitted socket. Doing a quick check for just
two neons lit would be very error prone. Also, they draw
significantly more current than just the neons themselves,
or they would be susceptable to misdiagnosis, just like neon
screwdrivers are.

--
Andrew Gabriel

In article .com,
Alexei wrote:
I want to test a number of mains sockets to make sure they have been
wired correctly. Is it worth buying one of these testers, or would I be
better off testing by other means?

They give a quick check of correct connection. But if you've just bought a
new house I'd remove each and every socket and make sure the connections
are good and tight. Many electrical problems are down to poor tightening
of connectors on high current circuits - like a final ring main. However,
if you find the first one or two you check are OK in this respect, the
rest may well be OK also.

--
*Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

wrote:
wrote:

Theyre a quick way to test for some types of wiring faults. But thats
all. If connected the live to N and E pins, then earth the live pin,
they would give the correct reading. But they do pick up on some
faults.

Its probably quicker to put 3 mains neons into a mains plug than go to
the shop and buy one of those. Thats all they are, a neon between each
2 pins.

Actually, they aren't.
3 neons in a mains plug between each pin (plus resistors)
would only have the live-neutral and live-earth ones glowing
for a correctly fitted socket. Doing a quick check for just
two neons lit would be very error prone. Also, they draw
significantly more current than just the neons themselves,
or they would be susceptable to misdiagnosis, just like neon
screwdrivers are.

there must be 2 different kinds then, the ones I've seen are just 3
neons with Rs.

Theyre not prone to the neon screwdriver effect, because circumstances
are different. If a wire is disconnected, the glow pattern wil be
different. Bear in mind we're 240v and neons light on 110.

What extra do the ones youre talking about do?


NT