Fluke T3 Voltage and Continuity Tester
http://us.fluke.com/usen/products/AccessoryDetail.htm?cs_id=34299%28FlukeProducts%29
$64.81 (including shipping) at: http://store.yahoo.com/tmt/googlefluke.html
good point Greg, forgot about that. can you quickly describe a situation to me were both legs will read 120, and not have 240 across the hots? not trying to be a wise ***, but i can’t think of it.
Is the Fluke tester a sniffer?
Doug where did u get the greenlee sniffer? What about cost?
I worked for an electrician who had another guy hook up a 220v receptacle to two 110v breakers that were not side-by-side. They were across from each other. Both on the same bus bar in the panel. The receptacle had the same 110v to both sides of the receptacle… he might as well had just connected a jumper from one screw to the other. Both sides had 110v but together it didn’t add up to 220v only 110v.
Was that clear enough? It’s late for me.
yeah that does. voltage ontop of voltage vs. voltage next to voltage. that would double the flow, but not the juice right? like parallel vs. series.
Gary,
I got the Greenlee at Home Depot for about $15 if I remember. I have a couple of others that work just fine too, both are made by GB but not as sensitive but about $10 each. The only reason I bought the Greenlee was I was on the way to an inspection and the battery was dead as a doornail in one of the GB’s and the other had been loaned out. I never go into a crawlspace or an attic without one. It slips right into a pocket or a fannypack for easy access.
You can also get a “same phase” problem if someone uses a piggyback breaker instead of a real 2 pole.The reason this strategy is flawed when trouble shooting is you will see 120v to ground on both sides with one open phase, through the load.
NACHI SOP ; Not Required To;
This is not a panel but…
There is no “tester” for the dryer circuit. Using a meter is not a requirement. Taking the plug apart is not required.
Do you “have to”, I don’t think so.
Should you? That would be nice if you feel OK with it.
Several years ago I was doing an inspection and found a conditon that is like what you are talking about. All the lights and plugs had power but I could not make any of the 240 volt equipment work. When I measured the voltage between ground and each leg I read 120 volts. I measured between legs and I read zero volts. I measured zero volts across each 240 volt breaker in the panel. What is going on ??? On this particular distribution panel the cover which gives access to the meter base lugs was unsecured (these typically are wired shut so only the power company can access). I looked inside and found that the power company had removed one leg (must have been bad) and installed a jumper between the one good leg and the lug that had the bad leg. The house was only being supplied with 120 volts.
One other note: I do not make it a practice to enter this area of any distribution panel, but by the time I decided to do it I had spent a long time on the problem and was probably too anxious to figure it out.
Greg,
This is why about all they can do is check with a “Sniffer” and then make sure it is done correctly in the panel. I would advise the HI’s against doing any ACTUAL testing while doing the inspection other than with a Suretest device or simular and visual observation.
If they start “FLUKING” around they could open themselves of to going beyond the SOP…and then someone saying why in the “FLUKING” did you not “FLUKE” them all…so to speak.
Guys…keep it general…“SNIFF” if and if you think it is ok to “FLUKE” thats up to you…but thats about all the HI’s are expected to do on these circuits.
Translation for the younger kids - FLUKING is the use of a FLUKE meter…
Paul
If some company like — GE ---- made up a plug adapter for the SURETEST for driers and stoves would this change things??
240 to me is no big deal – this is the standard in many countries
I think we should test – all or nothing
rlb
Richard,
I hear ya…I don’t write the SOP and have no part in it…I am just suggesting from a fellow HI point of view. Hell I am an Electrician and I don’t test the 240V outlets like Ranges and Dryers unless the unit is in place and I can turn it on…Just not part of my inspection.
Now if they want an enhanced electrical inspection as I have discussed here before with Joe then fine…I will check it physically but I can honestly tell you I can tell everything I need to know about the Dryer or Range from the wire located in the panel…and a sniffer at the outlet…but again thats just ME…maybe others dont agree which is PERFECTLY fine…
Again I dont write policy and want nothing to do with it…
My example would be…if the basement of a dwelling has a dropped ceiling, are you going to LIFT every tile…now be honest…EVERY tile…well lets say you lift a few…( no stains present on the tiles )…and a pipe leaks lets say 2 weeks later…They call you and ask why you did not see it…Well you did not lift EVERY tile is why…are you liable???
Is it not better to NOT lift any tile and note in the report no stains visible…now I am not saying LIFT or NOT LIFT…I am saying when you go beyond the SOP you open yourself up more…thats all…
Hell I don’t personally care if you test EVERY plug and so on…thats up to the HI’s level of comfort…but not all HI’s are equal so a BLANKET statement should not be used here…if someone feels comfortable checking the 240V receptacle with a FLUKE…go for it…but again I can tell just as much by using a sniffer and looking at the wire in the panel going to that receptacle…but again…thats just me…Everyone is FREE to have their own opinion on it…
I would recommend doing just the opposite, Fluking and Sniffing rather than SureTesting.
My inspection protocols state that we operate and test using normal operating controls and equipment just like a normal homeowner would do on a normal day. Granted, there are no normal homeowners, but that’s neither here nor there. . . .
Flukers and Sniffers cost $9.95 to, what, $19.99? SureTesters cost $99 to $449?
A normal homeowner needing a quick determination of electricity and wiring could very well be expected to go down to Home Depot and splurge $20 on a Fluker or Sniffer. Any more and he has to do some serious talking with the Honey Do person (prepare for dialogue):
He: "Honey, are you sure you want this outlet fixed?
Honey Do: “Yes, duckey. I need it for the portable wine rack for tonight’s shindig.”
H: “I need to spend $249 on a testing device.”
HD: “Huh? Duckey, we can’t afford that. Don’t they make a cheaper device?”
H: “Well, they make a $20 doohickey, but it’s not as cool.”
HD: “Duckey, if we don’t get the outlet fixed, then the wine won’t be cool. And if we spend too much money on testing devices, we won’t have money for the wine.”
H: “So you want me to buy the cheap one?”
HD: “Will it do what you need it to do?”
H: “Yeah. But it’s not as cool.”
HD: “Duckey, you’re the one who scheduled a wine-tasting party. Do you want everyone to come over and find no wine? Or hot wine? Do you want us to be broke so that I can’t get my hair dyed blonde? Do you want a brown-haired trophy wife?”
H: “Of course not.”
HD: “So get the cheap one and get it fixed.”
H: “Could I get the cool one and charge everyone $20 for the wine party?”
HD: “James Jonathan Ooberhausen.”
H: “Okay. No need for foul language. [kiss, kiss, hug, hug, smooch, smooch] I’ll be right back.”
Russell,
Are you sure you’ve never been married?
Hey, I might be gay, but you have to remember that even gay people grew up in straight dysfunctional families. And although Jim and I have been together for 12 years in May, we can tango with the best of you straight folks. 
Dave
The link seems to be bad or the server is down
Did DAVE have the test plug we are looking for??
rlb
lol…You are too much Russel…lol…I am not selling my SureTest anytime soon…lol…
I’m getting there with no problem.