wander lead for fluke 2 pole tester

[JohnW2]

John, if there is distance between the two ends, then the default method really is to use the earth rather than a long wire. That is the default method used throughout the industry.

Never having been involved with 'the industry', I cannot say whether or not it is the "default method used throughout the industry" but, as I've said, I personally prefer to avoid it (in favour of an 'explicit long wire') and I certainly would not want to suggest/recommend what you call the 'default method' to random DIYers who may read what has been written. However, maybe that is 'just me'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

If I've interpreted OP correctly he is a novice in this situation (No criticism intended) and trying to learn in his own home how to do some basic cable tracing ... To a person experienced in this environment using a known good conductor such as earth, which is hopefully present at every location, is an obvious thing to do but to a novice it is far from obvious, especially if there is a problem with the earth.

Exactly my thoughts. As I've just written, regardless of what I might do myself in some situations, I would personally not recommend 'using the earth' for continuity testing (of other conductors) to any DIYer/'novice'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Jupiter01]

However, as I said, one could easily improvise with a 13A plug and a 13A 'trailing socket', which should not cost much at all.

Can you provide some more advice on this please. I have a 25m extension cable on a reel and very interest to add on the adaptations to have this working with my two pole tester.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Can you provide some more advice on this please. I have a 25m extension cable on a reel and very interest to add on the adaptations to have this working with my two pole tester.

He was suggesting you run the extension cable out, from one end of the cable you want to test to the other far end of your cable to test. You thus end up with the plug at one end and the reel with a socket at the other end. -YOU DO NOT PLUG IT INTO ANY SOCKETS

You then use a short lead with a croc at each end, to connect the larger earth pin of the plug to the wire you are testing. At the other end you connect your continuity tester's probes - one to the earth pin would go on the reel socket, the other to your wire.

 

[Jupiter01]

You then use a short lead with a croc at each end, to connect the larger earth pin of the plug to the wire you are testing. At the other end you connect your continuity tester's probes - one to the earth pin would go on the reel socket, the other to your wire.

Can I chop the plug off and have a croc clip as I will set this extension cable aside purely for this purpose? Which type of croc clip will I use and can I connect it to all three wires?

Similarly, on the reel end, would it be easier to plug into the socket on the reel and have some sort of port that I could apply my probe to?

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Can I chop the plug off and have a croc clip as I will set this extension cable aside purely for this purpose? Which type of croc clip will I use and can I connect it to all three wires?

Similarly, on the reel end, would it be easier to plug into the socket on the reel and have some sort of port that I could apply my probe to?

Yes, if you would prefer to do that. You could use anyone of the three cores of the lead, or even all three at the same. All you are trying to do is have a continuous piece of metal, from one end of the the cable you intend testing, to the other end. The 'metal' in this case is the copper wire in your extension lead.

 

[JohnW2]

Can you provide some more advice on this please. I have a 25m extension cable on a reel and very interest to add on the adaptations to have this working with my two pole tester.

Can I chop the plug off and have a croc clip as I will set this extension cable aside purely for this purpose? Which type of croc clip will I use and can I connect it to all three wires? ... Similarly, on the reel end, would it be easier to plug into the socket on the reel and have some sort of port that I could apply my probe to?

As Harry has said, yes, you could do that. However, I would personally be inclined to call that somewhat of a 'shame', since you will thereby have lost the use of that extension cable for its 'intended purpose'. However, it's obviously entirely up to you.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Jupiter01]

As Harry has said, yes, you could do that. However, I would personally be inclined to call that somewhat of a 'shame', since you will thereby have lost the use of that extension cable for its 'intended purpose'. However, it's obviously entirely up to you.

Kind Regards, John

Thanks John.
Having considered this, I will keep the extension reel intact and add bits to it to work as a wander lead. My plan was to have a plug that goes into the socket on the reel. This plug would have a 3 core flex which then goes into a crocodile clip. I can’t pinch this onto the cable I am testing for continuity.
On the other end I was going to have a trailing socket where the plug will fix there will be a flex coming out the training socket and terminating into something that I can then attach my test probe to.

Q. What should I put on this end of the cable to make the testing easier and cor the pens to easily make contact?

 

[JohnW2]

Thanks John. Having considered this, I will keep the extension reel intact and add bits to it to work as a wander lead. My plan was to have a plug that goes into the socket on the reel. This plug would have a 3 core flex which then goes into a crocodile clip. I can’t pinch this onto the cable I am testing for continuity. .... On the other end I was going to have a trailing socket where the plug will fix there will be a flex coming out the training socket and terminating into something that I can then attach my test probe to.

That's essentially what I was trying to describe - provided that the word "can't" which I have highlighted above is meant to be "can"?

Q. What should I put on this end of the cable to make the testing easier and cor the pens to easily make contact?

Almost anything would do, but couldn't you just use a croc clip, as at the other end?

Whilst you may see other approaches (which may raise theoretical 'safety concerns' with some people) suggested, the totally safe/foolproof method would be to use only the earth conductor of the (3-core) extension cable - i.e. the plug which goes into the socket on the reel would have just one single wire (not "three core flex") connected to it's earth terminal, with nothing at all connected to the live and neutral terminals of the plug (and, similarly, just use the 'earth' at the trailing socket end). That's certainly how the Kewtech 'adapters' I illustrated do it, since the L and N pins of the 'plug-in' part of the pair are plastic.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That's essentially what I was trying to describe - provided that the word "can't" which I have highlighted above is meant to be "can"?
Almost anything would do, but couldn't you just use a croc clip, as at the other end?

Whilst you may see other approaches (which may raise theoretical 'safety concerns' with some people) suggested, the totally safe/foolproof method would be to use only the earth conductor of the (3-core) extension cable - i.e. the plug which goes into the socket on the reel would have just one single wire (not "three core flex") connected to it's earth terminal, with nothing at all connected to the live and neutral terminals of the plug (and, similarly, just use the 'earth' at the trailing socket end). That's certainly how the Kewtech 'adapters' I illustrated do it, since the L and N pins of the 'plug-in' part of the pair are plastic.

Kind Regards, John

It is all becoming rather complex and error prone, when compared to just using the existing earth system built in - instead of wander leads

 

[JohnW2]

It is all becoming rather complex and error prone, when compared to just using the existing earth system built in - instead of wander leads

It might appear 'rather complex' when spelt out 'in bite-sized steps' in writing, but we are only talking about connecting one single conductor to the earth terminal of a BS1363 plug and one to the earth terminal of a BS1363 trailing socket - and I would worry about someone doing anything in relation to an electrical installation if that found that to be 'complex'!

In fact, as you will have seen, it is probably appreciably more 'complex' to explain to 'a novice' how to 'use the existing earth system' for continuity testing - so I'm not sure that an argument based on 'complexity' is necessarily very valid.

I have deliberately not talked about what I would personally usually do - my comments have all related to my inclination in relation to advising an unknown DIYer (particularly one who needs to ask the question), but I understand that views about this will vary.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I have deliberately not talked about what I would personally usually do - my comments have all related to my inclination in relation to advising an unknown DIYer (particularly one who needs to ask the question), but I understand that views about this will vary.

Your final comment above is entirely correct, especially so judging by the length of this thread to cover such a simple task.

 

[Jupiter01]

Your final comment above is entirely correct, especially so judging by the length of this thread to cover such a simple task.

come on @Harry Bloomfield it's only simple if you know it pal! Not all of us on this DIY forum are seasoned pros like you
This method has been appreciably simpler for me to comprehend and follow in comparison to using the earth cable.

 

[Jupiter01]

Almost anything would do, but couldn't you just use a croc clip, as at the other end?

Would the croc clip pinch on to the probe and risk damage? I was after something that I can apply the probe to - on this end.
Thanks for your patience.

 

[JohnW2]

Your final comment above is entirely correct, especially so judging by the length of this thread to cover such a simple task.

That's my point. Without intending any disrespect to the OP, if it takes such a long thread to fully and 'satisfactorily' explain a very simple task, then I would hesitate to try to help him get his head around the concept of using the earthing system. However, we seem to disagree, which is fine.

Kind Regards, John