@rl4889 they serve their purpose and they serve it well. They are either useful for finding voltage in troubleshooting, or looking for cable breaks. They should never be used though to verify the absence of voltage as in making sure its safe to touch something.
Always a good quality meter as the definitive test for voltage/power. I also like the Klein RT250 left in a receptacle on the circuit you're working on, if possible. A secondary test/verification is a good thing. A NC tester is good, but I never rely on one alone.
I have and use everything except the clamp amp probe, it seemed to have grown legs at some point. And while I no longer work on other peoples electrical issues I do have a "Laser Infrared Thermometer" which has proved helpful in identifying problem outlets and circuit breakers. One example is I had an elderly neighbor call me about sparks when she plugged in her toaster so I went over to take a look while she was waiting for the electrician. Kitchen and bathroom outlets get a lot of use and tend to get loose which causes heat. Her toaster plug was,... toasted along with the outlet she regularly used. I suggested while the electrician was there he check and replace a number of outlets and the one wall switch that was 15-20 degrees warmer than others. I also noted a space heater in the bathroom which is supposed to have a 20amp outlet, the cord and outlet were both quite warm.
Each time you use your non-contact voltage tester, it's important to test the device on a known working receptacle that you know does have power. This confirms the device is working, has a good battery and has not been damaged. Then move to the system that your working on. Following this check, I've never had a non-contact voltage tester provide a false reading.
2:17 SAFETY HAZARD ALERT! (especially for a Nervous Nelly or a neophyte) Do NOT be flailing around with one probe while the other probe is inserted into the LINE socket,. If you accidentally come into contact with that probe with the other in the LINE socket, you will get shocked. Insert the LINE probe LAST and remove the LINE probe FIRST. Also: Good idea to check Neutral-to-Ground side first to identify the far too common HOT/Neutral reversed condition.
Can one really get shocked? Pretty sure it is "sort of" safe to touch one digital multimeter probe, set to high voltage AC, while the other goes into live. However: - Analog multimeters may have rather low resistance, allowing for dangerous currents of 5 mA or above through your body. - Multimeter may be set to current. Very common mistake, and could be deadly here. - Multimeter is not made for such use, and may e.g. be damaged (imagine its switch being damaged so you are actually in current mode). - Even despite the multimeter's high resistance, a small spark may form at the touch point. That could be enough to startle you off a ladder. - Most cheap multimeters implement AC mode as DC mode with a diode in series, and adjust output value or input resistance to match. So your body would actually receive not AC but a pulsed DC waveform. Some electrolysis may happen even at low currents and can be dangerous. - The result is meaningless. You basically would at best get a ratio of your body's resistance vs the multimeter's inner resistance. So, don't. If you must, put at least 1 megaohm in series just in case. Will then have to do math to get an accurate voltage.
@@I_know_you_are_right_however But why? As said it is entirely pointless, and also, I have already done the equivalent of it - measured live to ground on a GFCI outlet, GFCI did not trip. And also, I have used those screw driver voltage testers which DO send live voltage to your finger - after a resistor of multiple mega ohms and a small neon lamp. Those are very popular in 240V countries. Those things are similarly unsafe as a multimeter - if the resistor ever fails closed (can technically happen due to overvoltage), you are dead. It IS harmless to do this, UNLESS something goes wrong. That stuff goes wrong too often is the reason why this is dangerous. I've seen someone trying to measure the voltage of an outlet with a multimeter, but accidentally having it in current mode. OOPS... tripped the breaker, burned away the tip of the test lead, and was as loud as a gunshot. Multimeter is surprisingly still fine.
The neutral to ground is very important, because an open (disconnected or cut) neutral wire somewhere in the circuit can result in a charged neutral which is extremely dangerous.
I have multiple testers, if I am working and I question a reading, I just reach into my "bag of tricks" and get another tester to verify. I also carry extra batteries for my testers. Part of my tools is also flashlights.
This is super useful, thanks! I'm getting a not grounded trigger with the receptacle tester. I see the ground connected to the outlet. How can I use the multimeter to see if the ground wire is actually connected to ground?
Agreed. I have eight to ten breakers that are simply labeled "lights and outlets" with no indication where. The kitchen lights are labeled "range hood"; I never would have guessed. The CB finder helped me yesterday find which breaker I needed to turn off when changing out a switch in the living room.
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge in an easy format. So us Homeowners can do a repair without paying an arm in a leg to some Unscrupulous contractor.
3:36 Personally I don't use those because to be sure you'll have to use a multimeter for confirmation. It can be handy to trace a "powered" line but should never be used to check if something is not powered. If it detects power you can be pretty sure that there is something but when it doesn't detect anything it is still not safe to touch.
Cheap non-contact testers will false. Sometimes a bad neutral will present 60 volts when the breaker is off, if a good non-contact gives an indication, that's when I get out the multimeter. Oddly enough, the good Klein tool is too thick to push into a receptacle. That's what I use the orange GFCI tester for, a quick indication of a live outlet. If I'm troubleshooting, I use the good Klein GFCI tester that has a digital voltage readout on it. I rarely use an amp meter but, mine is the type that will read instantaneous current and lock it in the display. I'm a Handyman and these are great tools that you showed. Just wanted to let folks know about the options they have. Most folks are totally mystified when it comes to using a multimeter, especially if it's a analog meter.
I'm DIYing my 100 year old house and those are pretty much the same tools i have. There's also a receptacle tester with a Hot to Neutral voltage readout that you might as well get. Comes in handy though it doesn't replace a multimeter. I recently added a clamp meter w/splitter to check amperage. Its really good to know what your appliances actually are pulling in an old house, and if you should be considering adding some more circuits
Laser Infrared Thermometer is very useful in an older home or one where some previous owner has done their own work. Things get hot before they burn,..
I agree that you should have all those. If you ever get all 3 lights at once on the receptacle tester it could indicate a 240v reading. For the clamp meter, I recommend getting the associated splitter, so you can check the current reading from an appliance power cord and then calculate the wattage.
With my plug tester i have run into 3 lights on several different situations. Yes 208v at a 20 amp small appliance circuit landed on a double pull breaker. all 3 lights turn on when i found a floating bus bar.
Before I rewired my whole house that receptacle tester was the best tool I bought. A few things wouldn’t work because hot/N was backwards or no ground. Very helpful but slightly terrifying when 1/2 your shit is wired wrong
@@tchevrier right lol. That’s why I redid the whole house. Still had knob and tube in the attic and walls upstairs. I ran around 2000ft of wire and got it safe
Another tool to consider would be the fox/hound tester. This is a two-piece device that one end plugs into a live outlet and transmits a signal down that wire and the other half of the device can pick up the signal at the breaker. This helps in determining which breaker operates what circuits in the house.
for domestic electrical I would probably skip the full multi meter and grab something like a fluke T140, they will test voltage even when the battery is dead and can also be used as a GFCI test. Obviosly if you really want to prove a circuit is dead they should be combined with a proving unit but you dont always need that.
You state no voltage between neutral and ground but yet your meter displayed a small amount, and there will ALWAYS be a small amount, usually less than a volt. Don't send people chasing a non-issue. This is why I don't trust electrical advice from someone who is obviously just a DIY person with limited knowledge.
When DIY-ers are using a multimeter to check receptacle voltage make sure that you don't pull out the neutral before removing the hot, because you are the ground now. That happened to me and was I shocked. Common sense I guess.
Though you didn't explicitly mention this, when using the NCVT device, it's essential that you verify its proper operation by testing a known powered wire first.
i am a retired industrial electrical tech. one thing i always wondered about is why code allows tying neutrals from different breakers together. you cant tell when you open the box and i have been shocked this way and having to open more breakers can interrupt production..
Hello, is there a tool to determine what outlets are connected to same wire. Like there may be 2/3 outlets connected to same wire and if more than is used there is circuit breaker turned off. So what tool to determine...😮😊✌️🖖
I'm not really one to say you need all these tools you really only need two. Agood non contact voltage tester, and a voltage tester (what old-school guys would call a Wiggy). I say spring for the Fluke non-contact voltage tester. They are about $10 more than the klein, but no one makes better measurement equipment than Fluke. With non-contact testers since they can be a bit finicky don't skimp. As far as voltage testers go not as picky Commercial Electric and Klein have ones available at Home Depot I've used both and I really like the Commercial Electric one which surprised me honestly. With those two tools you can diagnose pretty much any issue you come across and get all the info the receptacle testers give you.
Note about the amp clamp. It only reads amperage around a single wire. If you have it around a two conductor wire with your line and neutral, it won't register amperage.
Neutral to ground should ALWAYS read zero. There is usually a slight amount of current on the neutral due to imbalanced loads but essentially you should never have voltage present.
Lazy or incompetent electricians will sometimes use ground for a neutral when no neutral is present in the box. This will make your devices work, however, it comes at the expense of energizing your entire grounding system. Needless to say that is very very bad. If you’re getting voltage readings from ground to Neutral then I would recommend you stop your project and call a professional electrician to sort it out.
I remember a friend who is an Electrician told me. They call the tester a "Widow Maker" for a reason. He instructed me to always use a meter to check and double check outlets even tho you turn off the circuit breaker. One day I walked in on my son. He was kneeling down on an outlet. I asked him. Did you throw the circuit breaker yet? He gave me a smug look and said. Dad I am an Electrician. I work it HOT. As I was standing there. BAM ...an arc flash .. I said..UH huh...so your an Electrician. No your just an apprentice. You are not an Electrician. Now get your butt to the circuit breaker and turn the SOB off right now. Or you will see the back end of my boots. This is how people make stupid decisions.
This video you have the link for Klien CL120 clamp meter and one of your other videos has a link for the CL800. Is the CL120 good enout to check the amperage on an HVAC unit? Thanks.
I’m surprised that continuity check function wasn’t mentioned. I guess that’s addressed in the video explaining multimeter uses but I use that a lot more than checking voltage. But I also do more smaller dc projects. Still, an extremely useful function.
@@cpK054L Listening for beep while tracking down breaks in a circuit and keeping your eyes on point has been invaluable to me. I like to be able to keep my eyes on specific things and having to focus on a voltage reading while working with dc components just wouldn’t work for me. Different strokes.
Would never use a volt stick, apart from to stir my coffee. Having worked as a spark, I'm fortunate to still have the proper testing kit. That said, I'd say to any home owner that was contemplating doing some DIY involving electrics... don't cheap out on this side of your toolkit. If you're not prepared to buy quality test gear, then I believe you should really think twice about whether or not you should be doing the work.
Overall, a good presentation. I think you should have stated that it's always BEST to let a licensed electrician do electrical projects in your home that require adding a circuit or other more complicated electrical tasks that the majority of homeowners are NOT trained or competent to do!!
i cant remember if i had any sort of multimeter when i tapped into a line that once went to a back porch and my powerstrip and UPS would be able to tell me if i had done anything wrong (red led for building wiring fault)....it had added grounded outlets to my room and if needed the process can easily be reversed
I am having an issue in my garage. I have an old house, and this one breaker keeps cutting out when I turn the garage light on. What are some ways I can resolve this issue? I replaced the plug in outlets, the light switch itself. I was hoping it was just a simple issue of them being so old they are worn and need to be replaced. First I thought it was the overhead lights because they kicked out one day, so I replaced them with all new units, which was necessary because the ends of the bulbs were single ends as where the newer ones are double. I apologize if I am not using the correct wording. I am a first time home owner, and an DIY enthusiast. There is a GFCI in the garage I have to reset in order to get the light back on. So I have not replaced that one yet. Could that be the issue?
What is the advantage of the regular multimeter over the clamp style? It seems like the clamp meters like CL390 can do most (all?) of the tests the regular multimeter.
Seems like less work to clamp a wire than work out a solution for measuring things in-line. Other than that, maybe there’s scenarios where the clamp is safer.
How do you determine which wire in a box goes to the light being controlled? I pulled off a single-pole switch and replaced it and now the light doesn't turn on. Same Black wires went back into their respective screws. The light bulb was swapped out and nothing; the Black wires were reversed thinking I goofed that up, and nothing. I got a new switch and nothing works again. I then swapped out an old light timer (clunky to reprogram after a power outage) and for some reason the switch is powered but it doesn't control the porch light. Same goofy thing--power but not controlling the light. Any thoughts on what's going on?
One thing that is wrong is that you said neutral to ground should never give you a voltage reading, neutral wires carry electricity back to a panel always so there is always a voltage reading on a used circuit, very minor but is there and that is not an a mm anomaly. Thankss
A little confused. You moved the black lead on the multimeter. From what I have read you NEVER move the black probe with the red probe inserted. You ONLY move the red probe. The red probe gets removed before you remove the black, or you risk a shock.
I mean it doesn’t technically matter for testing dc voltage either. Just understand that if you reverse polarity while reading dc it’ll just show negative voltage. It might read -24 volts. That just means your leads are reversed and you have 24 volts dc present.
Yes with AC voltage it doesn’t matter. In the video I said this is what I do, not that you have to. Just like when I put outlet covers on I always have my slots on the screws pointed up. I just have habits. Thanks for the feedback.
There are 2 wires, none voltage and one with voltage... If the wire non voltage is interrupted, the multimeter will not show that you have voltage, so that voltage test pencil is important, but a duspol can test separately voltage and separately and with 2 wires is the best
A very important thing to know about non contact voltage testers is that they cannot detect DC voltage, only AC. So they are basically useless for automotive work or certain low voltage lighting setups. The multimeter is your best friend!
That comment that there should b a potential difference between neutral and equipment ground is wrong unless u have a objectional current present grounded and grounding r the same potential
I wish I had the money to buy those things.. unfortunately... my wife won't let me spend anymore money... so I'm stuck making a lot of those diagnostic tools with an Arduino or STM32 board... I can actually calibrate the diagnostics and control the resolution directly through the code but damn is the learning curve not worth the degree.
Most of my videos are pretty much all show. But some are very information based like the one you are commenting on. For example, I can’t show you a magnetic field but I can talk about it. So just varies. Appreciate the feedback.
Which of these tools do you use and are there any you think should be added to this list?
All of them except the "death stick".
Never even considered buying one.
The proper devices are cheap enough and 100% accurate and safe
@rl4889 they serve their purpose and they serve it well. They are either useful for finding voltage in troubleshooting, or looking for cable breaks. They should never be used though to verify the absence of voltage as in making sure its safe to touch something.
Always a good quality meter as the definitive test for voltage/power. I also like the Klein RT250 left in a receptacle on the circuit you're working on, if possible. A secondary test/verification is a good thing. A NC tester is good, but I never rely on one alone.
I have and use everything except the clamp amp probe, it seemed to have grown legs at some point. And while I no longer work on other peoples electrical issues I do have a "Laser Infrared Thermometer" which has proved helpful in identifying problem outlets and circuit breakers. One example is I had an elderly neighbor call me about sparks when she plugged in her toaster so I went over to take a look while she was waiting for the electrician. Kitchen and bathroom outlets get a lot of use and tend to get loose which causes heat. Her toaster plug was,... toasted along with the outlet she regularly used. I suggested while the electrician was there he check and replace a number of outlets and the one wall switch that was 15-20 degrees warmer than others. I also noted a space heater in the bathroom which is supposed to have a 20amp outlet, the cord and outlet were both quite warm.
Do you have any recommendations for a good resource to learn about doing electrical work?
Each time you use your non-contact voltage tester, it's important to test the device on a known working receptacle that you know does have power. This confirms the device is working, has a good battery and has not been damaged. Then move to the system that your working on. Following this check, I've never had a non-contact voltage tester provide a false reading.
Never had one give a false negative reading but encountered plenty of false positive readings.
totally easy to get a false reading. DC Voltage, non grounded system, you are not grounded ....
2:17 SAFETY HAZARD ALERT! (especially for a Nervous Nelly or a neophyte) Do NOT be flailing around with one probe while the other probe is inserted into the LINE socket,. If you accidentally come into contact with that probe with the other in the LINE socket, you will get shocked. Insert the LINE probe LAST and remove the LINE probe FIRST.
Also: Good idea to check Neutral-to-Ground side first to identify the far too common HOT/Neutral reversed condition.
^THIS!
Can one really get shocked? Pretty sure it is "sort of" safe to touch one digital multimeter probe, set to high voltage AC, while the other goes into live. However:
- Analog multimeters may have rather low resistance, allowing for dangerous currents of 5 mA or above through your body.
- Multimeter may be set to current. Very common mistake, and could be deadly here.
- Multimeter is not made for such use, and may e.g. be damaged (imagine its switch being damaged so you are actually in current mode).
- Even despite the multimeter's high resistance, a small spark may form at the touch point. That could be enough to startle you off a ladder.
- Most cheap multimeters implement AC mode as DC mode with a diode in series, and adjust output value or input resistance to match. So your body would actually receive not AC but a pulsed DC waveform. Some electrolysis may happen even at low currents and can be dangerous.
- The result is meaningless. You basically would at best get a ratio of your body's resistance vs the multimeter's inner resistance.
So, don't. If you must, put at least 1 megaohm in series just in case. Will then have to do math to get an accurate voltage.
@@I_know_you_are_right_however But why? As said it is entirely pointless, and also, I have already done the equivalent of it - measured live to ground on a GFCI outlet, GFCI did not trip. And also, I have used those screw driver voltage testers which DO send live voltage to your finger - after a resistor of multiple mega ohms and a small neon lamp. Those are very popular in 240V countries. Those things are similarly unsafe as a multimeter - if the resistor ever fails closed (can technically happen due to overvoltage), you are dead.
It IS harmless to do this, UNLESS something goes wrong. That stuff goes wrong too often is the reason why this is dangerous. I've seen someone trying to measure the voltage of an outlet with a multimeter, but accidentally having it in current mode. OOPS... tripped the breaker, burned away the tip of the test lead, and was as loud as a gunshot. Multimeter is surprisingly still fine.
The neutral to ground is very important, because an open (disconnected or cut) neutral wire somewhere in the circuit can result in a charged neutral which is extremely dangerous.
You are the best teacher, straight to point , the best part,no use of vulgar words , one can watch your videos with kids aground. 👌
I have multiple testers, if I am working and I question a reading, I just reach into my "bag of tricks" and get another tester to verify. I also carry extra batteries for my testers. Part of my tools is also flashlights.
CLEAR, PRECISE description of each item! Your videos are FANTASTIC, please keep making them so us DIY'ers can do our projects SAFELY! THANX AGAIN!!!
You are very welcome! Really glad to hear you are finding value in the channel. Thanks a lot for the feedback Marcos!
This is super useful, thanks! I'm getting a not grounded trigger with the receptacle tester. I see the ground connected to the outlet. How can I use the multimeter to see if the ground wire is actually connected to ground?
If you are remodeling an old house andcredoing wiring, or the old circuit breaker panel is not labeled, a outlet-breaker tracer/finder is a must
Agreed 100%
I like your videos. Your delivery, pace and examples are great. Keep up the nice work! I'm learning a lot and appreciate your tips.
A circuit breaker finder is a must also!
Agreed. I have eight to ten breakers that are simply labeled "lights and outlets" with no indication where. The kitchen lights are labeled "range hood"; I never would have guessed. The CB finder helped me yesterday find which breaker I needed to turn off when changing out a switch in the living room.
Your videos help fulfill in the gaps in my knowledge on electrical work. Thank you so much.
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge in an easy format. So us Homeowners can do a repair without paying an arm in a leg to some Unscrupulous contractor.
3:36 Personally I don't use those because to be sure you'll have to use a multimeter for confirmation.
It can be handy to trace a "powered" line but should never be used to check if something is not powered.
If it detects power you can be pretty sure that there is something but when it doesn't detect anything it is still not safe to touch.
I might of missed it but the Klein Outlet tester also does regular outlets for those of you wondering (I was wondering myself having just bought one).
Cheap non-contact testers will false. Sometimes a bad neutral will present 60 volts when the breaker is off, if a good non-contact gives an indication, that's when I get out the multimeter. Oddly enough, the good Klein tool is too thick to push into a receptacle. That's what I use the orange GFCI tester for, a quick indication of a live outlet. If I'm troubleshooting, I use the good Klein GFCI tester that has a digital voltage readout on it. I rarely use an amp meter but, mine is the type that will read instantaneous current and lock it in the display. I'm a Handyman and these are great tools that you showed. Just wanted to let folks know about the options they have. Most folks are totally mystified when it comes to using a multimeter, especially if it's a analog meter.
Electricity is my friend for running stuff, but not a friend to deal with😂 thank you!!!!
I'm DIYing my 100 year old house and those are pretty much the same tools i have. There's also a receptacle tester with a Hot to Neutral voltage readout that you might as well get. Comes in handy though it doesn't replace a multimeter. I recently added a clamp meter w/splitter to check amperage. Its really good to know what your appliances actually are pulling in an old house, and if you should be considering adding some more circuits
Laser Infrared Thermometer is very useful in an older home or one where some previous owner has done their own work. Things get hot before they burn,..
This was very helpful information. Thank you!
I agree that you should have all those. If you ever get all 3 lights at once on the receptacle tester it could indicate a 240v reading. For the clamp meter, I recommend getting the associated splitter, so you can check the current reading from an appliance power cord and then calculate the wattage.
Thanks a lot for the feedback and tips Ted!
With my plug tester i have run into 3 lights on several different situations. Yes 208v at a 20 amp small appliance circuit landed on a double pull breaker.
all 3 lights turn on when i found a floating bus bar.
Screwdriver for electrical work flat/square/Phillips it’s all three. As in Klein tool 32378 using a #1, #2. Exact fit.
Before I rewired my whole house that receptacle tester was the best tool I bought. A few things wouldn’t work because hot/N was backwards or no ground. Very helpful but slightly terrifying when 1/2 your shit is wired wrong
Only slightly terrifying?
@@tchevrier right lol. That’s why I redid the whole house. Still had knob and tube in the attic and walls upstairs. I ran around 2000ft of wire and got it safe
Another tool to consider would be the fox/hound tester. This is a two-piece device that one end plugs into a live outlet and transmits a signal down that wire and the other half of the device can pick up the signal at the breaker. This helps in determining which breaker operates what circuits in the house.
Nice video, quite instructive. One question, why is it that you insert BOTH probes on your multi-meter at the same time?
Once again---an awesome video.
Thank you..!!!
I really enjoy your videos. And used some of your tips recently. Thank you
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!
for domestic electrical I would probably skip the full multi meter and grab something like a fluke T140, they will test voltage even when the battery is dead and can also be used as a GFCI test. Obviosly if you really want to prove a circuit is dead they should be combined with a proving unit but you dont always need that.
You state no voltage between neutral and ground but yet your meter displayed a small amount, and there will ALWAYS be a small amount, usually less than a volt. Don't send people chasing a non-issue. This is why I don't trust electrical advice from someone who is obviously just a DIY person with limited knowledge.
Keep up the great work 👍
Great video. Can you do a video on explaining all the different modes on the multimeter and what theyre for??
Sounds like a good future video! Thanks!
When DIY-ers are using a multimeter to check receptacle voltage make sure that you don't pull out the neutral before removing the hot, because you are the ground now. That happened to me and was I shocked. Common sense I guess.
Though you didn't explicitly mention this, when using the NCVT device, it's essential that you verify its proper operation by testing a known powered wire first.
You also need a screw drivers with a square head and a wire cutter and stripper. Really difficult to do anything electrical without those tools.
i am a retired industrial electrical tech. one thing i always wondered about is why code allows tying neutrals from different breakers together. you cant tell when you open the box and i have been shocked this way and having to open more breakers can interrupt production..
NCVs are particularly helpful where you don't have access to the bare wire or connection, such as trying to find live cables.
Excellent advice and information......Top gun Electrician.......Thank you Adam for this wonderful Video.....all the best!
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
@@HowToHomeDIY Hi Adam,Thank you again for your advice and Video, Happy New Year 2023!
Hello, is there a tool to determine what outlets are connected to same wire. Like there may be 2/3 outlets connected to same wire and if more than is used there is circuit breaker turned off. So what tool to determine...😮😊✌️🖖
I'm not really one to say you need all these tools you really only need two. Agood non contact voltage tester, and a voltage tester (what old-school guys would call a Wiggy). I say spring for the Fluke non-contact voltage tester. They are about $10 more than the klein, but no one makes better measurement equipment than Fluke. With non-contact testers since they can be a bit finicky don't skimp. As far as voltage testers go not as picky Commercial Electric and Klein have ones available at Home Depot I've used both and I really like the Commercial Electric one which surprised me honestly.
With those two tools you can diagnose pretty much any issue you come across and get all the info the receptacle testers give you.
Note about the amp clamp.
It only reads amperage around a single wire. If you have it around a two conductor wire with your line and neutral, it won't register amperage.
If you get a reading on ground to neutral, what would you be looking for?
Neutral to ground should ALWAYS read zero. There is usually a slight amount of current on the neutral due to imbalanced loads but essentially you should never have voltage present.
Lazy or incompetent electricians will sometimes use ground for a neutral when no neutral is present in the box. This will make your devices work, however, it comes at the expense of energizing your entire grounding system. Needless to say that is very very bad. If you’re getting voltage readings from ground to Neutral then I would recommend you stop your project and call a professional electrician to sort it out.
@@esl4058 thank you for the explanation
I remember a friend who is an Electrician told me. They call the tester a "Widow Maker" for a reason.
He instructed me to always use a meter to check and double check outlets even tho you turn off the circuit breaker.
One day I walked in on my son. He was kneeling down on an outlet.
I asked him. Did you throw the circuit breaker yet?
He gave me a smug look and said. Dad I am an Electrician. I work it HOT.
As I was standing there. BAM ...an arc flash .. I said..UH huh...so your an Electrician. No your just an apprentice.
You are not an Electrician. Now get your butt to the circuit breaker and turn the SOB off right now. Or you will see the back end of my boots.
This is how people make stupid decisions.
This video you have the link for Klien CL120 clamp meter and one of your other videos has a link for the CL800. Is the CL120 good enout to check the amperage on an HVAC unit? Thanks.
Great video & important content. Thanks!
You are very welcome! Glad you liked it. Thanks a lot for the feedback!
GoodStuff,GreatTips😀👍🏿
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback Darryl!
I’m surprised that continuity check function wasn’t mentioned. I guess that’s addressed in the video explaining multimeter uses but I use that a lot more than checking voltage. But I also do more smaller dc projects. Still, an extremely useful function.
Continuity is literally unnecessary.
a "short circuit" should always yield around 0 Volts DC.
@@cpK054L Listening for beep while tracking down breaks in a circuit and keeping your eyes on point has been invaluable to me. I like to be able to keep my eyes on specific things and having to focus on a voltage reading while working with dc components just wouldn’t work for me. Different strokes.
Great video 👍
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
realy good advice , thanks a lot
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!
Would never use a volt stick, apart from to stir my coffee. Having worked as a spark, I'm fortunate to still have the proper testing kit. That said, I'd say to any home owner that was contemplating doing some DIY involving electrics... don't cheap out on this side of your toolkit. If you're not prepared to buy quality test gear, then I believe you should really think twice about whether or not you should be doing the work.
Great video. Thank you
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for the feedback!
Overall, a good presentation. I think you should have stated that it's always BEST to let a licensed electrician do electrical projects in your home that require adding a circuit or other more complicated electrical tasks that the majority of homeowners are NOT trained or competent to do!!
Is the Klein clamp meter also a multi meter? It looks like it has the two plugs for the testers.
I wonder that, too, and why you'd need both.
i cant remember if i had any sort of multimeter when i tapped into a line that once went to a back porch and my powerstrip and UPS would be able to tell me if i had done anything wrong (red led for building wiring fault)....it had added grounded outlets to my room and if needed the process can easily be reversed
Had a cheaper "death stick" lie to me resulting in 240V through my arm, ouch. Threw it out immediately. Lesson learned
Love your videos
How is a receptacle supposed to be wired for half on and half work with a wall switch?
I am having an issue in my garage. I have an old house, and this one breaker keeps cutting out when I turn the garage light on. What are some ways I can resolve this issue? I replaced the plug in outlets, the light switch itself. I was hoping it was just a simple issue of them being so old they are worn and need to be replaced. First I thought it was the overhead lights because they kicked out one day, so I replaced them with all new units, which was necessary because the ends of the bulbs were single ends as where the newer ones are double. I apologize if I am not using the correct wording. I am a first time home owner, and an DIY enthusiast. There is a GFCI in the garage I have to reset in order to get the light back on. So I have not replaced that one yet. Could that be the issue?
Good info
What is the advantage of the regular multimeter over the clamp style? It seems like the clamp meters like CL390 can do most (all?) of the tests the regular multimeter.
Seems like less work to clamp a wire than work out a solution for measuring things in-line. Other than that, maybe there’s scenarios where the clamp is safer.
Outlet tester best $ I spent on electrical tools - almost every outlet in my house was WRONG. All fixed now.
How do you determine which wire in a box goes to the light being controlled? I pulled off a single-pole switch and replaced it and now the light doesn't turn on. Same Black wires went back into their respective screws. The light bulb was swapped out and nothing; the Black wires were reversed thinking I goofed that up, and nothing. I got a new switch and nothing works again. I then swapped out an old light timer (clunky to reprogram after a power outage) and for some reason the switch is powered but it doesn't control the porch light. Same goofy thing--power but not controlling the light. Any thoughts on what's going on?
Excellent
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
Great content.
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback!
One thing that is wrong is that you said neutral to ground should never give you a voltage reading, neutral wires carry electricity back to a panel always so there is always a voltage reading on a used circuit, very minor but is there and that is not an a mm anomaly.
Thankss
A little confused. You moved the black lead on the multimeter. From what I have read you NEVER move the black probe with the red probe inserted. You ONLY move the red probe. The red probe gets removed before you remove the black, or you risk a shock.
You risk a shock if touching the metal part of the probes. Otherwise it doesn't matter.
I own all these tools.
Is there a device that will tell you if a outlet is part of a multi-wire branch circuit?
A circuit breaker finder would help find all devices on a circuit. Klein makes a good one.
Pretty helpful...
My bill is twice as much as it is should be.. Do you have a video on this issue?
When testing AC voltage, which one is red and which one is black on the meter does not matter.
100% true. No need to consider polarity when it is positive 60 times every second and negative 60 times in a second.
I mean it doesn’t technically matter for testing dc voltage either. Just understand that if you reverse polarity while reading dc it’ll just show negative voltage. It might read -24 volts. That just means your leads are reversed and you have 24 volts dc present.
Yes with AC voltage it doesn’t matter. In the video I said this is what I do, not that you have to. Just like when I put outlet covers on I always have my slots on the screws pointed up. I just have habits. Thanks for the feedback.
@@esl4058 It does when you are using a Simpson 260.
There are 2 wires, none voltage and one with voltage... If the wire non voltage is interrupted, the multimeter will not show that you have voltage, so that voltage test pencil is important, but a duspol can test separately voltage and separately and with 2 wires is the best
Outlet tester is a must.
I disagree. I think they are a waste of money and can't tell you anything a volt stick and voltage tester (what you might call a wiggy) can't.
Agreed 100%
How about hand tools?
A very important thing to know about non contact voltage testers is that they cannot detect DC voltage, only AC. So they are basically useless for automotive work or certain low voltage lighting setups. The multimeter is your best friend!
The link to the clamp meter is not working as of right now. Just giving you an FYI.
Interesting. Was working this morning. Ok changed it. Thanks for the heads up!
Personally, I wouldn’t advertise a tool as a “death stick” on the cover slide. I encourage more careful use of words.
That’s what some call it. Not my words.
That comment that there should b a potential difference between neutral and equipment ground is wrong unless u have a objectional current present grounded and grounding r the same potential
I did not say there should be a difference between neutral and ground. It should not have voltage on it.
👍👍👍👍👍
Is there a tool for figuring out which outlet goes to which fuse? In a house with fusebox not labeled.
There is. amzn.to/3Xj2bjp
I wish I had the money to buy those things.. unfortunately... my wife won't let me spend anymore money... so I'm stuck making a lot of those diagnostic tools with an Arduino or STM32 board...
I can actually calibrate the diagnostics and control the resolution directly through the code but damn is the learning curve not worth the degree.
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"Have an issue"? I think you mean you have a problem, not an issue. An issue is a topic of discussion.
Not even going to engage with this level of ridiculousness 😂
My Dad used to say “you can train a monkey to do electrical”, you’re proving him right, thanks.
If you need to be told that you should have a multimeter and how to use that multimeter, then you probably shouldn't be doing electrical work.
Your overall Video ideas are good.
Your presentation needs work. You talk too much & show too little.
Most of my videos are pretty much all show. But some are very information based like the one you are commenting on. For example, I can’t show you a magnetic field but I can talk about it. So just varies. Appreciate the feedback.
way to much "spastic" hand movement
Just for you!
Thanks for this great info.