socket and see tester

[333rocky333]

I have the old style yellow plug in tester
Instead of the normal 3 green lights, it now keeps showing one red and two green flashing and the tone warbles.
Have tried it in various locations and the same each time so now brought a new one.

Anyone know if there repairable and how they internally work, it looks like two resistors are showing overheating, I did accidentally leave it plugged in for a while recently.

I will try and sort a picture

 

[Taylortwocities]

Hmm, what fault would that indicate then?

Maybe you don't have an earth any more? Have you tried it in a different house?

 

[333rocky333]

Ive tried it at about 10 different sites that show ok when tested by other means.
The resistors look easy to change if i knew there rating so worth a try.

I dont know the fault its actually saying as i only know the 3 green is for ok from memory

 

[Taylortwocities]

With respect, what's the point of having the thing, if you don't know what the lights mean, in the event of a fault?

Drop it in the bin and buy a newone. Most have a guide to the lights written on the thing..

 

[333rocky333]

When your working alone the tone saves you running back and forth to find the circuit, also i dont use it as a serious tester, if it shows a fault the type is irevalent realy as it will need investigating further anyway.
The "correct" indicators more important as initial verification in my veiw
I have a new one but its pointless binning it over 20p resistors.

 

[WabbitPoo]

I dont know the fault its actually saying as i only know the 3 green is for ok from memory

Are you an electrician? if so, its a little worrying you don't know what your equipment does. if not, I bet you are a kitchen fitter or jobbing builder who thinks they know how to test a circuit.....which is it?

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

If they're all flashing, and the red is more of an amber, then its showing earth fault (top led is amber/red) or neutral fault (left led is red/amber). Any other combos are def something wrong with it.

 

[333rocky333]

Are you an electrician? if so, its a little worrying

Time served and indentured actually qualified to jib technician level as well as Ex and electronics qualifications

Not really, worrying, for the purpose i use it, i dont think any electrician should rely on one alone to verify a socket is safe and wired correct.
They are more a convenience Diy tool

http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/pdfframe.asp?type=1&ProductID=1917

You could connect N and E in reverse and most would indicate as the socket correct, would you agree thats acceptable.
As theres about 20 combinations of fault its unlikely anyone remembers them all.
As said above, its only really used as an audible aid to assist circuit isolation, on the rare occasion anything other than the correct indication was encountered it would be further investigated using more superior test equipment.

 

[Johnmelad]

Are you an electrician? if so, its a little worrying

Time served and indentured actually qualified to jib technician level as well as Ex and electronics qualifications

Not really, worrying, for the purpose i use it, i dont think any electrician should rely on one alone to verify a socket is safe and wired correct.
They are more a convenience Diy tool
You could connect N and E in reverse and most would indicate as the socket correct, would you agree thats acceptable.
As theres about 20 combinations of fault its unlikely anyone remembers them all.
As said above, its only really used as an audible aid to assist circuit isolation, on the rare occasion anything other than the correct indication was encountered it would be further investigated using more superior test equipment.

 

[333rocky333]

you don't know what your equipment does.

One combination on these type of testers shows a sequence that according to the manual indicates
"A PHASE FAULT"

I dont know anyone that knows what that is and even the makers technical dept didnt know, so if your tester showed that what action would you take

 

[333rocky333]

Point of that is

 

[flameport]

Getting back to the original post - if the value of the two resistors can be identified, they can be replaced easily and cheaply.

Leaving it plugged in would almost certainly cause overheating, as it's probably designed for intermittent use.

 

[plugwash]

You could connect N and E in reverse and most would indicate as the socket correct, would you agree thats acceptable.

Unfortunately it's unavoidable. Neutral and earth are supposed to be at the same voltage so swapping them doesn't make any difference from the testers perspective.

Testing loop impedances and looking at them in light of known figures for the rest of the installation will reveal a neutral/earth swap in some circumstances but not all (consider a TN-C-S install wired in singles with full-sized earth condutors).

Really the only reliable way to test for N/E reversal would be to do a dead test with the circuit specially configured for testing (for example one could link out L and N at the source and then test for resistance between them at each point)

 

[martinxxxxxx]

If the resistors have overhaeted. Then logicallly they must have exceeded their rated disipation. So judging by the physical size of them and knowing the supply voltage. You can at least determine what value they would have been at a minimum to have enough energy to cook. i would measure the current values and attach a parralel trimmer and series limiter resistor across each of them. Then tweak til it works.

39k at 250v would be 0.16W and allow 6mA enough current for an LED.

Or open your new one. And justbread the values offf :wink

 

[ericmark]

I was surprised when you say leaving connected damaged it. I no longer use a caravan but when I did had a Mantindale one plugged in all the time. Originally when abroad to ensure German plug was right way around.

Made my own years ago for 110v testing. Two diodes and resistors with LED phase to earth and resistor and neon phase to phase. Would show if phase missing and also as diodes back to back if earth was missing.

Went to propitiatory type when they became available purely because of insurance as boss was worried if it went wrong i.e. smashed neon would insurance pay out. For this reason I would not repair one.

I had a radio for testing sockets to see when I had right one. Good excuse for having a radio at work!

As to earth neutral swap it's always hard to test and I will admit very rare I have tested for it always a dead test so can't see how you could make any live tester show it?