Electrical Testing Tools

VOLTMETER

A device used to measure the electrical pressure between two points in any electrical system. Voltmeters are used to give accurate readouts of voltage between conductors or between the ground and a conductor. There are many diverse models on the market. The most rugged and precise is the digital multimeter. The advantage of this design is its versatility and auto-ranging. This meter, once set on voltage, will automatically find the best scale to use and give you a reliable, accurate readout.

OUTLET TESTER

An outlet tester can read if a plug is correctly wired. It can determine if there is reversed polarity, open ground, crossed wires, and more.

Your outlet tester may double as a GFCI outlet tester. It can simulate a ground-fault at the press of a button on it. There is a restriction here. Unlike a normal GFI, which can test itself also without reasonable ground, the three-prong GFI outlet checker depends on good ground to purposely trip the GFI. This is likewise true when used to examine the GFI tripping, by pushing the tester’s switch at regular receptacles being protected by the GFI.

PEN TESTER OR CIRCUIT TESTER

This device is different from the voltmeter in that it indicates live circuits without giving certain voltage levels. Standard tools used for this purpose are neon testers and proximity or capacitance testers. These devices are relatively inexpensive; however, they will not indicate problems associated with or caused by low voltage.

AMMETER

The ammeter measures the amperage or intensity of the flow in a circuit. The most popular type is the clamp-on ammeter since it is clamped around any single circuit conductor and gives the readout in amps (A).