by sparx »
Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:55 pm
Hi Tortoise,
because they have no return reference point the tester will see any floating voltage around the system which may only be induced voltage from an adjacent core.
Same applies to a digital multimeter, hold the probes in the air near a powered circuit and see a reading!
Neon lights , maybe pick up, maybe neutral with broken connection, maybe live! who knows?
Using multi neon two connection type tester totally different as they need ref. Neutral/Earth to show a live, not fool proof but much better.
The latter type being the only ones acceptable for proving isolation for Electricity at Work regs.
I will not use a neon test driver myself & i've been leckie since 1960's and seen experienced sparkies chase their tails using one to fault find!
So don't recommend them to anyone posting on here as I believe they are dangerously misleadeing to the unwary,
regards SPARX