Monitoring the network voltage is always needed: during the installation of wiring, replacement or repair of electrical equipment, continuity of circuits. The surest way to do this is to use a voltage tester, which is popularly called a probe. Such a device is much cheaper than a multifunctional multimeter. How to use a tester? About it below.
Voltage tester
An electricity tester is a device with which you can measure voltage and determine its presence or absence in the network. The tester is much simpler to build than a multimeter, it is easy to use, you can carry out work quickly, in uncomfortable conditions, for example, keep one hand at a height and use the other to take measurements.
How to use a voltage tester? They can measure the electricity of sockets on bare wires, the contacts of electrical appliances, the output of generators. More complex devices display information digitally, while simpler devices use an indicator light.
Types of Voltage Testers
There are many types of testers - from the simplest devices to complex devices. All of them allow you to analyze stress, but the degree of analysis, of course, will be different. Voltage testers are made as:
- Sampler screwdriver. The simplest device in the form of a screwdriver. It consists of a transparent dielectric casing, metal contact with a direct slot, a neon bulb, resistance, a spring and one more contact-mount.
- Tester screwdriver. The device is similar to the previous one, only the case has a liquid crystal screen and an LED indicator.
- The tester is universal. The device has two probes, one of which is equipped with an LCD screen.
- Multifunction tester - multimeter. Such a tester is used as a device for measuring not only voltage, but also all other electrical parameters. Such a device has two probes and a switch of measurement modes between a constant type of current and alternating current.
How to work with a screwdriver probe
The voltage control device - the probe - is not able to determine the level of electricity. Its main task is to detect the phase. This is very important to know, since during repairs, disconnecting plugs, you need to be sure that the phase is absent. It is she who, locking herself through the human body to the ground, produces an electric shock.
How to use a tester tester:
- Make sure that it is visually functional. The insulation on the device must not be damaged.
- Grasp the screwdriver by the insulating handle with one hand so that one finger is free.
- Insert the device into any hole in the socket and with your thumb touch the contact on the end of the handle.
- If the light does not light, rearrange the screwdriver in another hole in the socket. A lit light indicates the presence of a phase on the contact.
It is also easy to understand how to use a tester-screwdriver to wire the wires, for example in carrying. To do this, you need to determine the phase contact in a specific outlet. Next, insert the plug of the test carrier and find the phase at the output. Changing the location of the plug, determine through which wire the phase does not go - there is an open circuit.
How to measure with a tester screwdriver
This indicator device is similar in form to the one discussed above, but its functionality allows you to determine much more parameters. Such an electric tester is used as an indicator of the presence of electric voltage in the line, they check the batteries for discharge status, determine the polarity of the leads, find the point of wire break in the circuit, and detect the presence of electromagnetic and microwave radiation.
The tester screwdriver has the following technical parameters:
- The ability to measure electricity voltage of constant and variable values in the range: 220, 110, 55, 36, 12 volts with the display of information on a digital display.
- Determination of the polarity of the terminals of the constant power supply and the phase of the variable network.
- Finding a break in an electric wire in the resistance range from zero to 50 MΩ.
- Detection of the presence of radiation in the frequency range from 50 to 500 Hz.
- Input current is less than 0.25 milliamps, voltage is not more than 250 volts.
- Compliance with the requirements of the European standard and the tolerances of DINVDE 0680 Teil 6 / 04.77.
How to use a tester screwdriver:
1. The method of contact testing. In this way, voltage measurements are carried out in the allowable range. Actions:
- The probe touch the connector in the socket, bare wire or the contact of the electrical appliance under voltage.
- Finger click on the sensor button with the designation Directtest, located on the device.
- Take readings from the tester display.
2. The method of contactless testing. In this way, you can find the wiring of a variable line, hidden under a layer of plaster, if current flows in it, electromagnetic and microwave radiation, check the integrity of the electric wire. Actions:
- Finger click on the sensor button with the InductanceBreak-pointtest designation.
- The device is brought to an approximate location of the wiring and carefully moved along and across.
- The appearance of the Z lightning icon on the screen indicates that the device has fixed a weak magnetic field created by the conductor.
- Checking the wire for a break, they move along it until the Z icon disappears.
How to use a voltage tester when working with batteries and chemical batteries?
- By pressing a finger on the Directtest sensor button, the contact with the slot touches any pole of the battery.
- With the second hand, touch the other pole of the battery.
- The display on the lightning indicator Z confirms the operability of the supply element.
- The polarity is indicated by an LED that lights up on the plus and does not light on the minus of the contact.
How to use a multimeter tester
The multimeter is quite easy to operate, it is multifunctional, with a user-friendly interface. But still you need to be extremely careful, because due to the many operating modes and measurement limits it is quite possible to get confused and burn the device. For cheap Chinese meters, it is better to immediately replace the wires of the measuring probes with more reliable ones.
How to use the tester correctly, measuring direct voltage:
- The red test lead is inserted into the VΩmA jack, and the black one is inserted into the COM jack.
- The knob for switching the measuring modes of the round shape is moved to the DCV position at the highest measuring limit.
- Test leads connect to a plus and minus source of electricity. Polarization in this case is not terrible. If allowed, it will simply be displayed with a “-” sign on the screen.
- Record the readings of the device.
If the voltage is approximately known, then it is better to set the measurement limit a little more than the expected value in order to increase the measurement accuracy.
How to use a tester-multimeter, measuring AC voltage:
- The probes remain connected in the same place.
- The mode switch is placed in the ACV position to a limit of over 220 volts for a single-phase network, over 380 volts for a three-phase network.
- Very carefully, without touching the exposed sections of the probes with your hands, connect the latter to the contacts of the outlet. It doesn’t matter where which measuring wire to connect.
- Record the readings of the device.
What is a Keweisi tester
The KWS-V20 USB tester is designed to measure the electrical parameters of USB chargers, devices connected to them, as well as the capacities received and given when charging, discharging the power bank. Technical specifications:
- Measured DC voltage from 3 to 9 volts.
- Measured direct current up to 3 amperes.
- Measured capacity up to 99999 milliampere-hours.
How to use the Keweisi Tester
The procedure for working with the device:
- Plug in the USB port of the measured charge and press the reset button.
- Take voltage measurements displayed on the screen.
- To measure the current consumption by any device, insert its cord into the Keweisi USB connector.
- Take readings on the instrument.
- To determine the delivered capacity of the bank, a tester is connected to the output of a fully charged device, and a load is connected to the output of the tester.
- As soon as the power bank is completely discharged, the tester is switched to a voltage source and takes readings recorded in the device's memory.
Conclusion
If you didn’t have a single tester or even a screwdriver probe on hand, and you need to urgently check if there is voltage in the outlet, the easiest way is to use an ordinary incandescent bulb. To do this, connect a wire with a plug to it through a cartridge and plug it into the test socket. How to use a tester of this type? You need to be extremely sure that there is no increased voltage in the network. Otherwise, the light bulb may explode and cause harm.