Flukes Wiggy Replacement

[tom baker]

This new meter from Fluke will sell for about $90 I am told.
* Both have three ways to detect ac/dc voltage: light, sound, and vibration
* Both offer the added functionality of a GFCI trip and continuity beeper, plus the convenience of a built-in flashlight
* The T+PRO Electrical Tester comes with a rotary field indicator for troubleshooting three-phase systems, resistance measurement to 9.99 KOhms, as well as a backlit LCD display for easier viewing

In my opinion the wiggy is unsafe as its low impedance and can cause an arc flash. This meter is cat III rated

 

[tom baker]

Here is a link to an article on solenoid testers, by Fluke, but worth a read.
http://us.fluke.com/usen/promotions/solenoid

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Tom
Would you mind elaborating on this a little more?

 

[tom baker]

tomorrow I'll post some pictures of an arc fault caused by a wiggy.
I've got to get a fluke t+pro- build in LED flash light, shows voltage by light, sound, vibration, and has a rotary field indication for 3 phase....

 

[realolman]

I was involved in a pretty lively discussion on this forum when a new electrician wanted advice on what brand DMM to get.

I hadn't used a wiggy in many moons, and never missed it, but after the discussion I ordered one at work . My boss ( no electrician ) asked what that was going to do for us, and I told him that sometimes the DMM will indicate voltage that is "not really there". If the wiggy indicated voltage it "was there".

Now what should I tell my boss?:smile:


I have used the wiggy a few times since, and I can see the point of their advocates, but I just don't care for them, and I think I'd rather see ghost voltage, than not see something that is there.

Just yesterday a new guy and me were working on a circuit and the DMM showed some small voltage. He seemed puzzled and I told him I'd go get the wiggy because it would tell for sure if there was anything worth knowing about there. About halfway back I turned around because I knew it wasn't going to show anything, so what's the point?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The Fluke article on solenoid testers is another good example of somewhat misleading information.

In fact, you must allow for cool-downs (on the order of half a minute) as you take readings with solenoid-based testers.

Of course this is a fact, but the fact that they leave out is that their electronic "wiggy" has a 1 to 10 duty cycle when used at 240 or above.

For voltages above 240 V, you must only connect to a voltage source for a MAXIMUM of 30s and then disconnect for a MINIMUM of 300s.

This is not that much different than a solenoid votlage tester. The following is from the instructions from an Ideal tester.

The duty cycle onff ratio is 1:7 for 240 volts or less, and 1:40 for 240 volts or greater. Fifteen seconds is the maximum “On” time.

Also Ideal has a CAT III 600 volt rated solenoid voltage tester.
Don