How to use a 2 poll tester

[jcaan]

Hello guys

I've managed to get a martindale 2 poll tester.

Can someone please explain how to use it ? Ie sockets and lighting? Or a decent youtube showing it.

I think the sole purpose of it is to see if there's voltage going through it and there is a live circuit ?

Thanks

 

[blup]

It tests for continuity as well. Try john ward or search under voltage tester. Manufacturers tend to assume it will be used by a professional so little given in terms of instructions. However if as seems likely you an near absolute beginner start with instructional videos on the basics of electrics (volts current resistance watts etc) then proceed to how they work in practice.

 

[Murdochcat]

Hello guys

I've managed to get a martindale 2 poll tester.

Can someone please explain how to use it ? Ie sockets and lighting? Or a decent youtube showing it.

I think the sole purpose of it is to see if there's voltage going through it and there is a live circuit ?

Thanks

What are you trying to achieve? what do you plan to test?

 

[ericmark]

Most electrical testers are two pole testers. Phase rotation, and earth rod testing needs three, and you can get non contact voltage testers and clamp on ammeters, but in the main they are two pole.

The testing for dead uses a two pole tester with no selection switch and no battery, the idea is you can't in error select wrong range or have discharged batteries. It also should have a tester for the tester called a proving unit that will show the tester will detect low voltage, so should use 50 volt AC to show tester is working, it may also use higher voltages, but must show if any low voltage is present, and low voltage AC starts at 50 volt and goes to 1000 volt.

These were used for years, the early versions had a bulb in them, later versions used another device less likely to fail. The problem was large lumps to carry around, and all they tested was voltage, so we started to use units which could test more, the multi-meter, however I did an 'A' level physics in latter life, and could not believe how many fellow students could not grasp the idea that a meter had to be put into the correct range, and how many ended up blowing the fuse in the meter.

A meter like this has both two probes and non contact testing, so it does not have a probe current range so one can't blow fuses or create a danger by selecting wrong ranges. It also allows one to test to see if likely live before removing screws in sockets or FCU's.

So all testers I have shown are unlikely to cause a danger for the user. But the last one, you can select the wrong range. But all are two prong testers.

 

[jcaan]

Most electrical testers are two pole testers. Phase rotation, and earth rod testing needs three, and you can get non contact voltage testers and clamp on ammeters, but in the main they are two pole.

The testing for dead uses a two pole tester with no selection switch and no battery, the idea is you can't in error select wrong range or have discharged batteries. It also should have a tester for the tester called a proving unit that will show the tester will detect low voltage, so should use 50 volt AC to show tester is working, it may also use higher voltages, but must show if any low voltage is present, and low voltage AC starts at 50 volt and goes to 1000 volt.

These View attachment 329952 View attachment 329950View attachment 329953View attachment 329955were used for years, the early versions had a bulb in them, later versions used another device less likely to fail. The problem was large lumps to carry around, and all they tested was voltage, so we started to use units which could test more, the multi-meter, however I did an 'A' level physics in latter life, and could not believe how many fellow students could not grasp the idea that a meter had to be put into the correct range, and how many ended up blowing the fuse in the meter.

A meter like this View attachment 329957 has both two probes and non contact testing, so it does not have a probe current range so one can't blow fuses or create a danger by selecting wrong ranges. It also allows one to test to see if likely live before removing screws in sockets or FCU's.

So all testers I have shown are unlikely to cause a danger for the user. But the last one, you can select the wrong range. But all are two prong testers.

Thanks mate.

Really appreciate all that info

 

[jcaan]

It tests for continuity as well. Try john ward or search under voltage tester. Manufacturers tend to assume it will be used by a professional so little given in terms of instructions. However if as seems likely you an near absolute beginner start with instructional videos on the basics of electrics (volts current resistance watts etc) then proceed to how they work in practice.

Thanks that sounds like a great idea.

Do you have a link of basic electrics .. so much info out there. Some more to do with electronics instead of electrics. Then some more US related instead of UK.

 

[jcaan]

What are you trying to achieve? what do you plan to test?

I just got one as a gift.

Thought I'd see the uses etc.

 

[CBW]

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/voltage-current-resistance-and-ohms-law/all

 

[ericmark]

Most of the time, mine does nothing, it just sits in my tool bag. I do use it to prove dead from time to time, and use my jump start unit as a proving unit. But in the main easier to use a plug in unit. The plug in energy monitor does so much more and so easy to use, the multi-meter is not used much. But as

What are you trying to achieve? what do you plan to test?

says, I use my meter mainly to test the state of lead acid batteries, we have at work around 8 used for Christmas decorations and I select the one with lowest voltage to go on charge with a smart charger until next time I am in.

I can see mains voltage at a glance from my PC so no reason to get off my backside to measure it. It also shows as seen how much I am using, and mains frequency, why I don't know, not really anything I could do about it.

The same testing a socket, plug in a standard lamp, and if it works, I have power, and tests done when changing a socket to show ring is intact, needs an ohm meter or continuity tester, i.e. multi-meter. I used one daily as a tunnel boring machine electrician as water was running in every where, and the tester with no switches, or batteries could be filled with re-enterable compound so no room for water to get in, and could be used to test any bit of metal to see if live, but one hopes in the home water not running into rooms from the ceiling.

I think some electricians wear them around their neck as a badge of office? Like a doctor with a stethoscope! Same at the tool belts, I could never carry enough tools in a tool belt, had a bag with a strap so would go over shoulder when going up or down scaffold, tool boxes to easy for stuff to fall out of them.

I carried a tester on one job with proving unit, like this on one job because it was a requirement we carried them, were sacked if found without one, but it was a rather silly rule, as the proving unit only gave out the top voltage (690 volt), so one had no idea if the tester would work with 50 volt, so rather pointless, just some safety officer flexing his muscles.

 

[Taylortwocities]

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/voltage-current-resistance-and-ohms-law/all

The easy version

 

[blup]

Thanks that sounds like a great idea.

Do you have a link of basic electrics .. so much info out there. Some more to do with electronics instead of electrics. Then some more US related instead of UK.

As suggested above, then when you have understood the basics, E fixx, gsh electrical, john ward, pouse around the house are all good presenters. There are probably many more. What they don't do is run a complete course, so you will be picking stuff up at random to supplement the basics. There is really no substitute for a good training course and practical experience.