Handheld Dimmer Checker

[bradleywolak]

So during our last show, our LD came in and had a handheld device that would beep anytime you would put it up to a "hot" cable. It was really handy because it could tell you if the lamp was out or there was a problem with the dimmer. I dont know what it is called and would really like to get one, because as a lighting designer/master electrician i think that it would be a great thing to have.

It looked like a highlighter with a red tip that lit up and beeped when it touched a "live" cable.

 

[Edrick]

Non Contact Voltage Tester - Google Search

 

[bradleywolak]

Hey thanks I was looking under the wrong wording. Thanks Again

 

[derekleffew]

Non Contact Voltage Tester - Google Search

Sometimes generically called a Volt Tick, even though that's a trademark of Greenlee. To be brand non-specific, use tick tracer. Be aware under some circumstances, can give erroneous readings. Like a loaded gun, always treat all wiring as if it were live, unless you are absolutely certain the circuit is de-energized.

 

[JChenault]

I'm confused.

The implication in this thread is that this tool could sense a hot wire even if it were an open circuit. Is this your understanding?

If so, I can't wrap my head around the physics of how a device could sense electricity in an open circuit where no current is flowing.

Could someone comment?

 

[derekleffew]

Perhaps this article What Do You Know About Capacitive Voltage Sensors? from EC&M will help explain.

 

[Dionysus]

NEVER EVER TRUST THOSE THINGS!!!!!!!!!!

That is the first thing you really learn about the "Volt Tick" (also called about 100 different things that I've heard, from "beep-beep" to "prox tester"). These pick up the magnetic field around the conductor, but they can LIE.

They can tell you a dead circuit is live, that an identified is hot, that a live circuit is dead. I use one on a regular basis, but if I really want to know if something is "dead" or not, I pull out my DMM.

These will also show a dimmed curcuit that is "off" (0%) as "on" quite often. Also sometimes show a circuit that is at 100% as "off".

They are very handy. They can save a lot of time, and they fit nicely on you or in a pocket. Thats the main reason I use them. But never trust them, never trust your life to them. I've known a few guys who fried themselves from a circuit they thought was dead, but was not.

I've even seen them light up near a ground (found a spot that was leaking to ground on the other side of the building later lol).

There are 'plug-in' type testers that work much better, I've even seen them in stagepin and twist formats. When doing electrical work I ALWAYS have my 5-15 tester on me.

 

[icewolf08]

So during our last show, our LD came in and had a handheld device that would beep anytime you would put it up to a "hot" cable. It was really handy because it could tell you if the lamp was out or there was a problem with the dimmer. I dont know what it is called and would really like to get one, because as a lighting designer/master electrician i think that it would be a great thing to have.

It looked like a highlighter with a red tip that lit up and beeped when it touched a "live" cable.

ONe thing to be noted about such devices is that they can't actually tell you if a dimmer or a lamp is working, they can only tell you that a line is live. You could take said device and hold it next to an outlet in the wall and it would beep (unless the circuit is dead), there doesn't have to be a load on the line. So if you had a circuit that was on but the lamp was dead, this device would not tell you that. It can tell you if a dimmer is on or off, but it can't tell you if the dimmer is functioning properly and outputting the correct voltage.

So, yes, a device like this is useful to have and generally they are not that expensive. However, if you really want to be able to check lamps and wiring I would suggest a device like a GAMCheck. At about $100 for the stage pin version it can check lamps, it can check a cable, and it can tell you if the output from a dimmer (and any subsequent cable) is wired correctly.

 

[JD]

Problem is that when a dimmer has no load, the output will be close to line voltage. This is because of bleed through due to the triggering circuit. You really need to load a dimmer with at least 50 watts to see if it is on. 100 watt test light still works best.

 

[DuckJordan]

Problem is that when a dimmer has no load, the output will be close to line voltage. This is because of bleed through due to the triggering circuit. You really need to load a dimmer with at least 50 watts to see if it is on. 100 watt test light still works best.

i second that, the first thing we made in the ME class was a 100 watt test light, its really simple just takes 1 male end of whatever your house uses, and some SO Cable and about a $2 plastic socket for the regular globe bulb.