Non contact voltage testers > 1000 volts

[hillbilly1]

Will the non contact voltage testers used for high voltages still work to detect voltages on cables not shielded, but behind metal covers? If so how close will it pickup the voltage?

 

[templdl]

I have a small fluke non contact test or that I love. The tip glows orange when it detects a voltage. It may not be the same as the one that you are referring to but whenever I us it I first church it by test in a known source to assure that it is , the church the circuit in question, and then recheck it against the know source.
This is something that is suggested to do even with contact restore for electrical safe practices an procedures but most of us probably don't follow. But non contact testers there is no way that I would check and double check the tester but I would still remain alert and us common sense when using these devices. I would be very reluctant to rely on it as my only device that I am relying on.

 

[hillbilly1]

I'm not talking about those, I mean the utility grade units. I have to verify 480 volt conduit locations through a metal deck over a 250,000 square foot area. Not for safety, but for preventing screw damage.

 

[SG-1]

Hillbilly, I do not see any non-contact type detector that operates by capacitive coupling detecting a voltage through a grounded steel barrier.

As an experiment I used a Santronics AC 3000, I know not the type you are interested in.

During a 36KV AC dielectric test it could detect the voltage from the test set lead wire through air at 12 feet. Once the voltage had entered the metal clad switchgear assembly it was un-detectable even touching the steel with the probe tip.

Can you give a model number or name of detector you plan to use. A Tic Tracer would behave as the Santronics unit above.

 

[hillbilly1]

Hillbilly, I do not see any non-contact type detector that operates by capacitive coupling detecting a voltage through a grounded steel barrier.

As an experiment I used a Santronics AC 3000, I know not the type you are interested in.

During a 36KV AC dielectric test it could detect the voltage from the test set lead wire through air at 12 feet. Once the voltage had entered the metal clad switchgear assembly it was un-detectable even touching the steel with the probe tip.

Can you give a model number or name of detector you plan to use. A Tic Tracer would behave as the Santronics unit above.

That's kinda the info I was looking for, the one I was looking at was a AMEC model I believe, which I think works the same way. The literature for it said it would not work on shielded cables, so I was skeptical it would work either. I also was looking at an underground utility locator using the frequency detection function, but the rental place said it would not work either thru metal. Thanks for your reply though, I'll have to figure out another way to do this.