Other NCVT’s…

What about the NCVT function built into many clamp meters and multimeters?

Mike,

I have sat through a couple of your lectures and we discussed the smaller handheld NCVT's but what about larger ones like those found on Klein Clamp meters like the CL800 or CL390. The CL800 is the one The Big Red School House recommends and the CL390 happens to be the one I own. I just wanted to know how they would work with the RV hot skins and other reversed power cord leads issues. - Steve & Brenda

Steve,

That’s a great question. I have at least half a dozen different clamp-meters and multi-meters that include a Non-Contact Voltage function. For example, my Fluke 117 has a VoltAlert (NCVT) built into the top of the meter. Most of the meters in my lab with a NCVT function only have an indicator light with no beeper. However, I’ll have to look a little deeper to know for sure.

I have limited experience using meters with a built-in Non-Contact Voltage Tester for their NCVT function, but they seem to operate similarly to any pen-style NCVT when testing large surfaces like an RV hot-skin voltage. But I suspect that they won’t be very good at identifying receptacles for reversedNeutral/Hot polarity. That’s better accomplished with a voltmeter and a ground rod (screwdriver stuck in the ground).

But this question is important enough that when I have my Pedestal/Hot-Skin test set up in a few weeks, I’ll check all my various meters that have a built-in NCVT to see how well they work for that function.

Let’s play safe out there… Mike