Test Light "Look Ma! No Ground Clip!

[MEXICOWANDERER]

General Technologies Corp
GTC CT8002 Cordless Circuit Tester
4.6 out of 5 stars 53 customer reviews
| 3 answered questions
Price: $18.78 Free Shipping for Prime Members
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Professional cordless computer safe circuit tester constructed in rugged stainless steel requires no ground wire or clip and a safety V-groove accessory is provided for piercing and carrying
Negligible current draw ( 20 micro-amps) is 10,000 times less than regular lamp type testers and is completely safe when working around sensitive electronic control modules and sensors
Operates between 3 and 28 Volt DC in battery powered systems and has a light and sound indicator to give an audio and visual signal when positive voltage is detected
Solid state high impedance electronic circuitry
Long-life alkaline batteries installed

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Ah yes, the Canadian Peso. Failed Lawyers and Greedy Bankers. Say, that sounds similar to the way of greed south of Ottawa. Never let "the burglar" explain your rights as "The Victim". It's almost as degrading as paying a banker to float your bank balance.

I used an ironwood V-block. One inch square. Handle telescope off an old magnet parts retriever

[Harvey51]

Thanks for the tip on the DC tester with the clip pin contact, Mexico Wanderer. I like it but don't need it often enough to justify the $30 Canadian cost. I'll stick with using a needle by hand. Hmm, maybe I could make one of those needle clips with a closepin and needle.

Also thanks for the grease tip for the hole.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The Class VI high voltage alert I had to wear was a four thousand dollar item for 218 Kv AC work. 4-meter corona on those systems.

Plug DC puncture hole with silicone dielectric grease when finished.

[Harvey51]

I have heard of DC voltage proximity sensors.
I even ordered one on eBay, which didn't work. A DC voltage on a wire would cause an electric field near the wire but it would be hard to detect in comparison to the Earth's E field and I expect it would be expensive.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

It's the lack of a ground clip that appeals to me. Proximity sensors are damned near useless when digging in a bundle of wires 🙂

[4x4van]

Again, this (the original post) is NOT an AC tester, nor is it a proximity tester. It is a 12vdc tester that utilizes your body as a ground path rather than a wire with an alligator clip. The V trough is simply an added piece to easily center the wire so that the metal tip can more easily pierce the insulation; it can be removed.

[dougrainer]

D.E.Bishop wrote:

Bobbo wrote:
Does this have to pierce the insulation, or is it proximity like this AC tester?

Check out this description on how a proximity voltage detector works.

Description

If you want a good AC tester tool, this is what I use. I ALWAYS turn the breaker On and OFF to verify the tool is doing its job. Doug

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NGTMWS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[dougrainer]

D.E.Bishop wrote:

Bobbo wrote:
Does this have to pierce the insulation, or is it proximity like this AC tester?

Check out this description on how a proximity voltage detector works.

Description

If you want a good AC tester tool, this is what I use. I ALWAYS turn the breaker On and OFF to verify the tool is doing its job. Doug

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NGTMWS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[dougrainer]

vermilye wrote:

Bobbo wrote:
Does this have to pierce the insulation, or is it proximity like this AC tester?

Unlike the AC equivalents, the GTC CT8002 Cordless Circuit Tester does require piercing the wire. The advantage is you don't need a ground connection.

I wonder it anyone has attempted to make a hall effect version that would not require a positive connection.

You do need a ground connection. The ground is YOU touching the ground of the appliance you are testing. That said, I ordered one and it came today. I tested on a bank of AGM's in my garage. Just touching the probe to the positive on the battery caused the GTC to light dimly and buzz. If I touched the negative with my finger, it went to full led and full sound. NEAT TOOL. Doug

[vermilye]

Bobbo wrote:
Does this have to pierce the insulation, or is it proximity like this AC tester?

Unlike the AC equivalents, the GTC CT8002 Cordless Circuit Tester does require piercing the wire. The advantage is you don't need a ground connection.

I wonder it anyone has attempted to make a hall effect version that would not require a positive connection.

[Bobbo]

D.E.Bishop wrote:
Check out this description on how a proximity voltage detector works.

According to that article, a DC circuit can not be detected by a proximity tester.

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
The V-trough on the blue tester should touch the wire insulation.

That is nice, but it doesn't answer the question, so:

Bobbo wrote:
Does this have to pierce the insulation, or is it proximity...?

[4x4van]

That is not an AC proximity tester; it is a 12vdc test light like the type that normally use an alligator clip to ground. It actually uses your body as a ground path (hence the metal housing) and will only work if you are touching a grounded section of the vehicle you are testing the circuit on. I built one of these about 15 years ago using plans out of Popular Electronics. It uses a MOSFET transistor as a switch to turn on the bulb/buzzer (hence the battery); Although your body does not have the conductivity to act as a ground for a typical 12vdc circuit, it DOES have enough to act as the ground for the MOSFET.

[DrewE]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
The V-trough on the blue tester should touch the wire insulation. The AC proximity tester sometimes is way too sensitive. I wish they were adjustable. For a hoot, with the AC proximity tester, wave it at refrigerator, toaster, microwave. The housing not the connector.

Some AC proximity testers do have adjustable sensitivity. Mine does via a set of up/down buttons. It is indeed an occasionally handy feature.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

The V-trough on the blue tester should touch the wire insulation. The AC proximity tester sometimes is way too sensitive. I wish they were adjustable. For a hoot, with the AC proximity tester, wave it at refrigerator, toaster, microwave. The housing not the connector.