Neon Tester Issue

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I just recently was going to test which circuit this one lightswitch was on, with a neon tester. When I put one probe on one wire, it immediately made a huge spark and damaged the probe. I have used this tester before many times, and it worked fine. Why did this happen? I thought you can test wires with a neon tester? Now I'm afraid to test that lightswitch.

[ December 21, 2003, 03:06 PM: Message edited by: wiredanny ]
 
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greensky

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Re: Neon Tester Issue

I assume that you are using neon tester with metalic tip because there is also one type which I categorise as neon tester but other called it magnetic neon tester same function only differ in tip construction,magnetic have all plactic component so in the event of contact with live wire it will not produce short circuit.
In your question it is probably that the tip of your tester touched the metal casing of the switch which produce short circuit with the ground or earth.In the event that there is a grounded wire/circuit it will produce much spark depending on the phase of grounded line and the one you are testing.
If the switch you are testing are attached to the RSC(rigid steel conduit)or any metalic conduit there is a provision that this pipe must have continous connection with the earth for safety reason and that what happen to your tester it get in touched with switch metal casing which causes severe spark and damage the tip of your tester, in other words SHORT CIRCUIT occur while you are conducting a test.My suggestion is to use a plastic tip or the magnetically operated one,this operate just putting to the conductor to be tested and the neon lamp will lit showing a live conductor.
 
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Re: Neon Tester Issue

How would a plastic tip conduct the current to test?
 
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