Tool question

[alaskanassassin]

I am looking for a solenoid tester. At my previous job we called them red devils. They are about two inches long, round at one end and a small tip at the other end. They can be used on AC and DC solenoids, checking to see if a relay is energized, and checking if your vehicle alternater is working. Does anyone know what I am talking about?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Are the ones on this page what you are looking for?

 

[alaskanassassin]

Yes, thanks.

 

[BJ Conner]

OH - you didn't mean a "Wiggy"

OH - you didn't mean a "Wiggy"

Yes, thanks.

My first thought when you said "solenoid" was a Wiggy
like this:

http://www.drillspot.com/products/73461/Wiggy_6610VT1_Voltage_Tester

I was kind of supprized they still made them.
They are safer for a lot of jobs than a meter- you don't have to take your evye off the probe to know you have voltage.

 

[George Stolz]

They are safer for a lot of jobs than a meter- you don't have to take your evye off the probe to know you have voltage.

They have an unfortunate tendency to explode in your hands during a transient spike, however.

 

[alaskanassassin]

As for exploding, the mag-probe or the wiggy?

 

[LarryFine]

I was kind of supprized they still made them.

http://www.knoppinc.com/

They have an unfortunate tendency to explode in your hands during a transient spike, however.

Yikes! Are they that sensitive? How big a spike?

 

[K8MHZ]

http://www.knoppinc.com/
Yikes! Are they that sensitive? How big a spike?

I can't get the image of a Wiggy turning into a rail gun out of my head.

Whack that puppy with about 20kV and watch the weight shoot right out of the bottom!

 

[BJ Conner]

They have an unfortunate tendency to explode in your hands during a transient spike, however.

Most things do. Flukes, Simpsons etc.
Watching the dial on a Fluke ( or similar meter) means you don't have yours eyes on the probe.

 

[George Stolz]

As for exploding, the mag-probe or the wiggy?

The wiggy. Check out this and this. It essentially comes down to CAT rating, most aren't rated higher than CAT-II, if I recall correctly. I've got a Vol-Con XL rated CAT-III, but I think that's unusual.

 

[LarryFine]

The wiggy. Check out this and this. It essentially comes down to CAT rating, most aren't rated higher than CAT-II, if I recall correctly. I've got a Vol-Con XL rated CAT-III, but I think that's unusual.

The afore-mentioned Knopp K-60 is CAT-III rated for 600v, too.