Electrical sub-panel cover tested hot but was not?

Would appreciate any help with why this sub panel breaker box cover tested hot but current touched it and it was Not energized.So I took the cover off and here’s what I seen inside.Only thing I’m not sure about is the crossover bar connecting both neutral bus bars ? Can anyone help me with answer to why this dead front cover is showing hot ?? I used 2 different testers so it’s not my equipment. Thank You…

Here’s a pic showing my tester lit up

Capacitive testers like the one you used have varying sensitivities. Proper test for a live panel front is to use the back of your hand. Search for capacitive coupling in the threads and you will find more information.

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Thank You for responding but ,I’ve been using that tester and never tested hot before. And InterNACHI’s Eletrical videos has an Electrician on there telling you to use a ticker before touching the panels … So are you saying everything inside that panel is correct??and this is Not a defect ?

as Bob said the tic tester can not always be trusted for that application.

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Ok then that’s what I explained to the client!! Thanks again for the update about those

While phantom voltages on circuits of less that 600 volts are an annoyance, they can be lethal on overhead power lines.
Conductors that are installed in close proximity to one another, and are capacitively coupled to each other, can cause this a.c. voltage reading. Such a reading could be 2 or 3 volts, or it may be as high as the voltage on the adjacent conductors. This is what is referred to as a “phantom” voltage.

Any Bunched cables.

I would purchase a reliable non contact voltage tester. Fluke 2AC/90-1000VC VoltAlert™ Voltage Detector. I have 3 in my tool box.

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Might be that the tester was reading a wire through the cover.

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Thank You,I will purchase a couple of those testers !!

That is the factory connector for the neutral bar on each side of the panel. The feeder neutral terminates at the bar on the left and the crossover bar connects the neutral to the bus on the right.

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