voltage tester

[Ken Meyer]

A few months ago, I attended a seminar and won a non contact voltage tester as a door prize. I put it in my tool bag, but haven't had much use for it until today when I used it to check out a suspicious looking lump about 7' up on a kitchen wall. Yikes![:-bigeyes

It mighta usedta be for a clock.

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[Brian G]

You just never know. Weird.

Brian G.

Always a New Wrinkle []

[inspector57]

I have one just like it and didn't use it much, maybe just around knob and tube to see if any of it is still hot.

I had it in my shirt pocket as I inspected an older house when I brushed by the new stainless wall oven when it goes off.

The entire cabinet was hot!

I started using it just a little more!

The only thing is it goes off from static on occasion when wearing a jacket.

[Jack Ahern]

Wouldn't even think about entering a celler or attic without one. Too many close calls.[:-banghea[:-banghea

[jon_ran]

I always use it to check K&T as well as loose wires. One thing to remember is that it will only light up if the power is on. It's a good idea to leave all switches turned on as you check out the home and do the basement/crawl and attic last. You may find K&T or loose wires, but unless the switch is on you won't know if it is live.

[charlie]

Those volt sticks will often go off even when the wire isn't hot. They will read "phantom voltage" or induced current just as well. For example if the ground wire in romex is not used and that wire has been added to a knob & tube circuit the ground wire (and everything it is attached to) will read "hot". So, take a frig with a three prong plug that is plugged into a two wire system the whole refrigerator will read hot.