Neon / Mains Tester Screwdriver – Good or bad?

paperclap

Certainly veering toward a multimeter! Especially as can use it on a whole host of things (car battery, etc)

Simonon77

paperclap said:

Certainly veering toward a multimeter! Especially as can use it on a whole host of things (car battery, etc)

They are always handy to have. Even a basic one can be used for lots of things. Continuity test is always handy for testing wires in things, battery connections, fuses etc... and the DC voltage check for seeing if normal batteries are good.

pmartin86

Slight hijack of this thread - Does anyone have a good guide on how to ACTULAY use a multimeter? I've got basic knowledge and can "confirm dead" etc, but theres a lot more on that dial that I havent got a clue about!

Chickereeeee

FreeBear said:

Those neon screwdrivers are dangerous - If the resistor fails in short circuit, you can potentially get a lethal shock from the contact on the end. The non-contact testers can not be relied on to give a definitive yes/no.

Use a multimeter to check for voltage between live/eath, neutral/earth, and live/neutral. A socket tester is handy to check that the socket is wired up the right way round.

I had a cheap one, where  a bit of pressure forced the blade shaft went up into the handle, crushing the resistor. The resistor was then short circuit. Luckily, I noticed the screwdriver was a bit shorter than it used to be, before using it.

Simonon77

pmartin86 said:

Slight hijack of this thread - Does anyone have a good guide on how to ACTULAY use a multimeter? I've got basic knowledge and can "confirm dead" etc, but theres a lot more on that dial that I havent got a clue about!

You will tend to learn as you need to use the features. A basic one will measure AC and DC voltages, current and continuity and can test diodes / transistors. Try some videos on youtube as there should be stuff on there explaining what you can do with them and what sort of applications

Myser

pmartin86 said:

Slight hijack of this thread - Does anyone have a good guide on how to ACTULAY use a multimeter? I've got basic knowledge and can "confirm dead" etc, but theres a lot more on that dial that I havent got a clue about!

MJLorton's videos are quite good. He has a good multimeter series of videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBbgiBU96mM 

If you want to see why a neon screwdriver shouldn't be trusted, watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLAJ-keFmpk

ashe

Definitely get a tester plug with the LED's also; they're great for not only telling you the power has gone off but tells you if you've wired up the plug correctly 

prowla

Well, the way to test a mains test screwdriver is to touch it to a live wire.

I'd be wary of poking about with a multimeter in mains wiring, in case you touch two wires.

Those Mains plugs with a light look really useful!

Risteard

paperclap said:

Didn’t know you could pick these up this cheap!

So, multimeter or the plug socket tester?

Is there a preferred?

A GS38 compliant approved voltage indicator.

You will likely also need a proving unit.

Simonon77

Risteard said:

paperclap said:

Didn’t know you could pick these up this cheap!

So, multimeter or the plug socket tester?

Is there a preferred?

A GS38 compliant approved voltage indicator.

You will likely also need a proving unit.

Or for someone who is going to do very occasional home work on the odd socket, a multimeter is fine