Help Please

[piz]

Been to a House Today to move a light switch and light but in what I think is the switch cable( black one in the back of the switch)
When I put my volt stick on the cable the red is live but the black one gives a continious belep and flash about every 8 seconds ie like it has powered up then no volts I thought I had better ask cos never had this in the few months I have been a junior sparky
at the mo I have left it and got on with other work
any ideas would be a great help
Thanks

 

[coldelsol]

Hi .my advice is dont trust volt stick there ok to bring attention some voltage present .for Peace of mind use a volt meter so you know exactly whats present ,then turn circuit off and confirm dead with meter or reliable proven test voltage leads .
Ive had volt sticks and sometimes light up when you knock em .ive had them light up just removing from tool box !
HOPE THAT HELPS .

 

[Spudnik]

Try rubbing them on your sleeve

 

[kung]

Volt sticks can also give false indication if near a live feed the SEB supplied ones were crap and after throwing it and kicking around carpark few times worked again ! sod that use as said a meter or test lamp better connection also i never use a mains tester screwdriver had this many yrs ago when the world was young and i was handsome ! in a loft thought the circuit was dead but bulb had gone in it brrrrrrrrrrb hells bells and bicycle pumps ! and almost put foot through ceiling !
Just my imput dont mind me irll go back to sleep now !

 

[baldsparkies]

Remember using a volt stick to try and isolate supply to outside carpark floods, damn thing was always on. Then myself and the guy I was with saw the overhead national grid pylons going right across the carpark . Never used a volt stick for testing mains from that day to this.

 

[Andy Smith]

Volt sticks work on mutual inductance great in industry if you want to see if a coil is being activated. otherwise useless unless you need to stur your coffee . Use a meter much safer and certainly more accurate. Be Safe people

 

[baldsparkies]

Volt sticks work on mutual inductance great in industry if you want to see if a coil is being activated. otherwise useless unless you need to stur your coffee . Use a meter much safer and certainly more accurate. Be Safe people

Saw a lad using a volt stick to try and isolate a feed wire in a bunched group in 4x4 trunking, He was going to be there a long time. Your point on inductance proved in practice Andy. Volt sticks have there uses,but are limited in what they do.

 

[electricAl]

Volt sticks have there uses,but are limited in what they do.

Couldn`t agree more - had instances where even differences in cable insulation along a run had it going on & off at different points. Not confidence inspiring

But they certainly do have their uses. The tool of choice for quickly getting a handle on cct composition where there`s no info (but plenty of butchery)