Electricians are known to use various voltage detectors to test the electrical functions and line for the residential and the commercial wiring. But the truth remains, these electrical devices like the voltage detectors are not just for the electrician. If you are in the habit of doing things by yourself around your house or office, these tools will come in handy for you as well.
In the following section of this post, we have gone over the top five types of voltage detectors available in the market these days. Keep in mind that some of these are multi-function testers as well. So, you can use your checker for more than just checking the voltage of the main input line.
Voltage detector uses
Voltage detectors can be used for the following applications at your household as well as the office. Let us have a look.
- Checking the voltage for both AC as well as DC input line.
- Test the ampere of current in the line.
- To check for continuity issues and line damage, if any.
- To test for short and open circuits as well as polarity issues.
- Now we will have a look at the five main types of voltage testers available in the market.
The inductance testers
These are the non-contact voltage testers and are the safest/easy to use testers in the market today. The device is shaped like a wand, and the tip at the head senses voltage in various electrical appliances, wirings, and sockets. Just stick the tip into the outlet or the exposed part of the wire and an audible buzz or red light will assure of the voltage. What’s more, these even come with a handy clip to stick it to your pockets.
Neon voltage testers
These neon circuit testers are easy to use as well. There is a neon light along with a metal probe to sense the live circuit and voltage. All you need to do is touch the circuits or wire with the metal probe and visually check for the voltage. Since this is not battery operated like the inductance testers, the neon voltage testers are more reliable and dependable. However, you have to stay careful not to touch the metal end, which might cause a short circuit and certainly give an electric shock.
The plug-in circuit analyzer tool
These are inexpensive and easy to use testers that you need to plug-in. These testers explicitly designed for testing the ordinary electrical outlets fail in case of the three slot outlets with the ground. Plug-in analyzers aren’t battery operated, and the neon lights have different patterns for different test results, which can be interpreted from the user manual.
The continuity testers
These are battery powered and have a probe at one end with a cord and alligator clip at the other end. You need to touch the two ends to complete the circuit while testing for voltage and amperage of a live electrical feed or line. You need to exercise caution while connecting a continuity tester and switch off the power while connecting/disconnecting the device.
Multimeter
The most versatile of all the tools and a bit expensive as a result, multimeters are the obvious choice for the different options and uses it offers. You can check for precise ratings on voltage, ampere, continuity, capacitance, and frequency of cycles in case of AC line.
That concludes our list of the most popular voltage testers available in the market today. Which one would you go for?