Fluke Electrical Socket tester recall.

[ericmark]

The web page on Flukes web site seems to give a good deal, which I had one, however returning to supplier you only get money back.

 

[blup]

I received a T90 fluke tester a few weeks back, but sold it because I already had a similar tester. As you say, a good deal, given what it replaces.

Blup

 

[333rocky333]

surely the point of having one, is to plug in to a socket, so what good is what there offering, i would have thought they should replace it with a plug in socket tester

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.on-sitetools.co.uk/Fluke

 

[plugwash]

AIUI the problem is that to test a socket's earth you have to pass some current through it, passing current through a bad earth carries a risk of electric shock.

That is It's not that the product is faulty, it's the the whole product category carries some risk and that is apparently a risk that fluke's lawyers don't want to take.

 

[JohnW2]

AIUI the problem is that to test a socket's earth you have to pass some current through it, passing current through a bad earth carries a risk of electric shock. .... That is It's not that the product is faulty, it's the the whole product category carries some risk and that is apparently a risk that fluke's lawyers don't want to take.

That really depends upon what you mean by "electric shock", doesn't it?

There has to be a potential risk of electric current passing through a person's body but, given proper design, the potential magnitude of the current does not have to be high enough to even be noticeable, let alone dangerous - that's been the case with, say, the infamous 'neon test screwdrivers' for decades (albeit the currents from them can sometimes be 'noticeable').

Kind Regards, John

 

[Seb101]

Interesting. I wonder how many other socket testers are similarly affected. I have noticed that a lot of them seem to be the same basic products re-badged for different tester brands.

e.g.

 

[JohnW2]

Interesting. I wonder how many other socket testers are similarly affected. I have noticed that a lot of them seem to be the same basic products re-badged for different tester brands.

As has been said, is it not inevitable that any attempt to test the adequacy of an earth connection (whether by EFLI measurement or less formally) will involve applying a voltage to the local earth/CPC/exposed-c-ps - whether it is done using a "socket tester", a dedicated loop tester, MFT or whatever?

That being the case, designers/manufacturers of all such equipment presumably should ensure that the voltage involved (or, at least, its current-supply capabilities) is limited to a safe level.

Kind Regards, John

 

[blup]

Big Clive, on his youtube channel, draws attention to the Fluke socket tester recall, and in doing so, discusses the sort of current that different testers draw, with examples: and he debates the potential danger, or otherwise, of the various readings he obtains.

.

Cheers,

Blup

 

[dhutch]

Worth knowing, but I think I'll keep my fluke and just be slightly cautious when I use it.


Daniel