Boiler & Voltage Stick

[Malky]

Hi,
Anyone seen this before? I got called out to a job because when a gasman did a check with a Voltage Stick over the cover of the boiler it lit up. I got the same thing when I tried it and even on the surrounding copper pipework. It stopped when the boiler was switched OFF at the local spur but there were still points at which you could get the V/S to light up. I also noticed that if I touched the metalwork it stopped glowing when I was 'earthed', so to speak. The copperwork is all well earthed as is the boiler itself. I tried disconnecting the incoming and outgoing earths at the spur but still got V/S readings. Any help would be appreciated; btw, the spur is off a local lighting circuit, though I don't see how that could affect it.

Cheers.

 

[rmaynard]

voltsticks are S***, i got a kewtech one and it glows when im 30 cms away from the source, best off using an approved tester and putting it between the casing and a good earth.

Rob

 

[Farmelectrics]

Never trust volt sticks mains tester allways

 

[Farmelectrics]

Just brought a fluke t500 brilliant piece of kit

 

[Malky]

Thanks for quick responses. I know they aren't to be totally trusted but was curious in case anyone had found another reason for it. Thanks again.

 

[Andy78]

They also light up if you rattle them gently. I wouldn't trust them at all.

 

[rmaynard]

They also light up if you rattle them gently. I wouldn't trust them at all.

i used to have a fluke one that beeped in my pocket as i walked, never trusted them.

 

[mickys86]

Gonna take a wild stab in the dark here. I'm pretty sure that a v/a works by detecting the magnetism in the current so if you have metal work running alongside live cables it's possible that it could pick it up. My old v/s used to beep on a dead cable if it was running alongside a load if live cables.

I have a di-log PL107N now and it's great. I wouldn't change it for any other one. Not let me down yet although I never take it for gospel it's nice to check before you cut through a cable

 

[1shortcircuit]

They are not an approved voltage indicator for proving dead, if it shows live then you can presume it may be live but you cannot proved dead with them. They can be handy but my Kewtech has been pushed to the bottom of my tool bag since illuminating on a cable I had only just pulled in, passed it through two joists and was holding the end of it lol

 

[vernam616]

Just brought a fluke t500 brilliant piece of kit

Why oh why do so many people on various forums state that they "Brought" something and not "Bought", its seen all the time.

Is it me thats wrong? and it actually is "Brought" (now questioning my own sanity)


Oh and a answer for the OP, use a voltage tester, volt sticks should never be trusted

 

[mickys86]

Why oh why do so many people on various forums state that they "Brought" something and not "Bought", its seen all the time.

Is it me thats wrong? and it actually is "Brought" (now questioning my own sanity)


Oh and a answer for the OP, use a voltage tester, volt sticks should never be trusted

I'm sure it's bought...... But does it really matter? We're electricians not English teachers....... Anyway. The op knows they shouldn't be trusted, he was asking why they can't be trusted lol

 

[Knobhead]

Many years ago a company I worked for issued them. Three days later they asked for them all back.
I took great pleasure in throwing a box of 50 of the damn things in to a kiln.

 

[nickblake]

I have one and use it as a guide and that only i always test with my approved testers ,in this case there could be a fault but im not saying there is but the course of action here is to take it seriously and test the circuit including the boiler just to confirm that it is safe you never know there may be a lost earth and its potetially dangerouse ,

 

[Farmelectrics]

I gather little things get to you venom lol