testing fuses with a wiggy

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flashboom

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I have a 3ph fused exo feeding a 3ph motor load directly connected, no starter. If one of the fuses opens under load and I connect my wiggy across the open fuse, line to load, what will happen. Will the same thing happen if the load was a resistive load. Assume the loads are the same 10 amps.
 
flashboom said:
I have a 3ph fused exo feeding a 3ph motor load directly connected, no starter. If one of the fuses opens under load and I connect my wiggy across the open fuse, line to load, what will happen. Will the same thing happen if the load was a resistive load. Assume the loads are the same 10 amps.
Click to expand...

With virtually any load, you'll read a large voltage across an open fuse.
 
Flashboom,

Why would you want to do that?? Shut the power OFF, test for the fuse that

opened, before repowering , find out why the fuse opened, make the repair,

replace the fuse, close the door on the disconnect, turn the power back ON.

Be an Electrician, be SAFE, placing your wiggy's across an open fuse with

the circuit still on will get you hurt, someone else hurt, and your company in

trouble.
 
Not to mention that a wiggy is not a CAT III rated meter and is not allowed to be used on permenantly installed distribution equipment.
 
LarryFine said:
With virtually any load, you'll read a large voltage across an open fuse.
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Larry,
My question about the use of a wiggy across a fuse was to determine if the wiggy would be damaged. I felt that it would not be damaged but I was not sure. If you have any more infow I would appreciate reading it. The safety of this procedure is well understood.
 
Checking fuses

Checking fuses

benaround said:
Flashboom,

Why would you want to do that?? Shut the power OFF, test for the fuse that

opened, before repowering , find out why the fuse opened, make the repair,

replace the fuse, close the door on the disconnect, turn the power back ON.

Be an Electrician, be SAFE, placing your wiggy's across an open fuse with

the circuit still on will get you hurt, someone else hurt, and your company in

trouble.
Click to expand...
I agree it is best to work on things de-energized if possible, but I have found hundreds of bad fuses with my Wiggy , most on 3p 480 , and have never had a problem. To say you will get hurt is stretching things a bit. I'm not saying it isn't possible,just unlikely. Where the real chance of getting hurt exists is from finding an open fuse and replacing it without determining why it opened.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
iaov
I am curious. What type of PPE do you use when testing fuses at 480y/277?
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Pierre. Great question. I'm sure everyone has heard it many times before, but it reminds me of the statement: "There are old electricians, and there are bold electricians; there are no old bold electricians."
 
If the load is trying to run, and you substitute a wiggy for a conductor (or a fuse), then how will that not destroy the wiggy? It's different when there is a low impedance path in parallel with the wiggy when testing voltage.
 
testing fuses with a wiggy

eric stromberg said:
Pierre. Great question. I'm sure everyone has heard it many times before, but it reminds me of the statement: "There are old electricians, and there are bold electricians; there are no old bold electricians."
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Here we go AGAIN! LET'S get REAL!!!!!
I'm an OLD BOLD Electrician and still ticking at age 58 and 35 years in business.
I work safe and work on allot of live circuits.
I have found that by just ohming out circuits sometimes gives you false readings.
There are safe ways to work live and I use them. Those of you that call yourselves electricians and say you don't work on live circuits I believe are not being truthful. You just don't won't to be challenged on this form.
I use the Ideal tester that checks voltage from 110v to 280v and also checks continuity. I have found they are great testers and have good luck with them. Of course I also have about ten meters for different situations. I also use the plug in GFCI tester that cost around $120 but is a great tester.
Just wanted to put in my two cents worth and I'm NOT going to reply to any arguments on this subject. But I really don't understand how those of you that call yourselves electricians but say you don't work on "any" live circuits can do your job correctley.
Maybe we should call ourselves Non Live Volt Wire Pullers and just call Plummer's to check live voltage.
No Semper Fi this time. I'm a little tired of arguing with this form.
I'm OUT
 
I didn't see anything here worthy of an outburst, myself.

But I really don't understand how those of you that call yourselves electricians but say you don't work on "any" live circuits can do your job correctley.
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Look back at the original post. Do you think this is the correct way to check for an open fuse?

I appreciate Pierre's question, because we all need to ask ourselves that same question - for our own safety. In my personal experience, my work has been safer (albeit not perfect) thanks to the influence of this forum. I work hot less frequently, and for better reason.

If you choose to leave, it's up to you, but I think you're building up a preconception in your head and allowing it to obscure what's being said. All he said was, "What PPE do you wear?" If that causes the poster to stop in his/her tracks and go, "You know, I wasn't wearing anything protective at all, come to think of it" (as would be the case frequently), maybe the next time he'll slap on a pair of safety glasses or some gloves at the least.

Then, down the road, after more of these discussions, a Cat-II meter just might explode in his hand from no fault of his own, using it correctly. If he's got gloves on, hard hat and safety glasses and a longsleeve shirt, you think he'll do better than he would have six months prior, with no gloves, no glasses, etc?

Think about it.
 
Brady Electric said:
I'm a little tired of arguing with this form.
I'm OUT
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Well quit arguing then. It might be best to stay out of the threads that irritate you.

Roger
 
You know the ppe issue is serious....it is required by OSHA, there are no cops so they expect us to do the right thing. I check fuses regularly and out of bad habit find myself going oops when Eric asks what ppe did you use. thanks for the reminder to use ppe. It is easy to wear no-max shirts and safety glasses in several areas that is every day wear. now add a hard hat and some voltage rated gloves wallah you are now ppe protected. Wiggies or like meters are unsafe in the industrial world, they maybe okay for residential. DMM are not that expensive couple of cases extra on the bill...So Eric thanks for the reminder on ppe on testing live circuits...
 
Amen George, I also have been thinking about the risks I take and have taken in the past , I expose myself to energized equipment a lot less often than I used to... and no I do not ware the propper PPE when I do, as stupid as that is ,..it is true none the less.
Most of the injuries to electricians are easily avoided.

I hope my son ,should he decide to follow footsteps, looks back on the risks I take and have taken and shakes his head at the stupidity .,... Sort of like he does with the seat belt , when I grew up we just didn't wear them , when he grew up it is the first thing he does every time he gets in a car,.. If not reminded I'm down the road just like the good old days...
 
Testing fuses with a wiggy

Testing fuses with a wiggy

Well put Roger, I'll take your advice.
But really Roger don't you get tired of those who say they don't work on live circuits? After all we are Electricians and professionals who choose to work and fix jobs as we see fit.
After all I'm human and my blood boles sometime.
As a former Marine I have calmed down some but still a real man.
But I will take your advice and stay low.
Have a GREAT day and Semper Fi. Buddy
 
georgestolz said:
If the load is trying to run, and you substitute a wiggy for a conductor (or a fuse), then how will that not destroy the wiggy? It's different when there is a low impedance path in parallel with the wiggy when testing voltage.
Click to expand...

Using the Wiggy in this manner is no different than checking line to neutral or phase to phase for voltage, only you do not have the added impedance of the motor windings. The Wiggy will limit the current flow in the circuit and give you a voltage indication.
 
While safety standards are changing FOR THE BETTER. Using a wiggy for testing to locate open fuses and/or open contacts has been a standard trouble shooting practice (at least around here) since I started in the trade (37+ years) and I am sure it did not begin then.

I know of NO reported instances where using a wiggy in this method resulted in injury or damage to the wiggy, when proper trouble shooting practices in place at the time were followed.

The cases I was involved in where electricians were injured involving a wiggy, both had to do with 5KV equipment were neither the wiggy nor the electrician had any business being there.
 
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