The most important element of an electrical installation is ensuring a safe environment before you start. This means checking there is no voltage present in a circuit, panel or any surrounding metal section that may be acting as a conductor. So what do you do if this is live? How do you even know? It is not possible to detect a live conductor with a simple visual check, so you need a quick, simple and reliable test instrument to check for the presence of voltage and that is the single pole contact voltage detector.
A single pole contact voltage detector is a small, compact hand-held instrument used to detect whether voltage is present in exposed conductive parts. It is approximately the same size as a pen, and has a metal tip at one end. This end will beep and or light up if it detects that voltage is present when contact is made with a conductive part. The device usually has the voltage range it is capable of testing and the sensitivity, printed on the side, such as 50v – 600v. So you would need to be careful to select the correct instrument for the installation you are working on.
How does a single pole contact voltage detector work?
Old insulating material can degrade over time, and heat, mechanical stress or environmental exposure can result in internal conductors being exposed. So there is the potential for anything connected in a circuit becoming a dangerous live conductor if there is voltage present. The single pole contact voltage detector is therefore a direct contact tester which can detect voltage on these exposed live parts.
You would use a single pole contact voltage detector on areas such as terminals, metalwork, old service heads, trunking, external distribution boards and any metal conduits. The user will touch the contact tip of the single pole contact voltage detector to the exposed conductive part and if voltage is present the end will light up using a red LED and/or beep. So there is both a visual and audible indication, meaning the instrument can be used in most industrial situations.
The benefits of the single pole contact voltage detector
There are various benefits to using a single pole contact voltage detector, such as the TIS 810 supplied by Test Instrument Solutions:
- Complete confidence that you can safely work in a location where the integrity of an installation may have been compromised.
- Regulatory compliance.
- A quick and simple test.
- A reliable fault-finding tool.
- This instrument is ideal for detecting dangerous circulating neutral currents caused by PEN faults.
- As a contact instrument, the single pole voltage detector is more reliable than a non-contact instrument. These types of device are available but there are situations where they can be unreliable, such as if the PPE the user is wearing interferes with a reading.
- A small and robust tool that is suitable for domestic and industrial testing and is IP54-rated, meaning it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Check out the single pole voltage detector supplied by Test Instrument Solutions and order yours today.
Please note that this section is for information purposes only. Anyone using equipment referred to in this section must be suitably qualified and/or experienced within the respective field. If in doubt before use, please consult a qualified electrician or engineer & thoroughly read all instruction booklets.