One of the best testers you can have in your kit is AC non-contact tester.
HD sells this one for $9. Money well spent. I use mine every day. You just hold the tip near the hot slot on an outlet or near a loose wire and if it lights and chirps you probably have a hot circuit.
This device has saved me a lot of time and probably saved me from several major "owies".
Note: it will only tell you if you have a hot wire. If the neutral wire is bad it doesn't help. I had a head-scratcher recently where a sconce light's wiring showed I had juice, but no light. Turns out the neutral was open in the wall. Had to fish a new neutral wire through hundred year old walls.
HD sells this one for $9. Money well spent. I use mine every day. You just hold the tip near the hot slot on an outlet or near a loose wire and if it lights and chirps you probably have a hot circuit.
This device has saved me a lot of time and probably saved me from several major "owies".
Note: it will only tell you if you have a hot wire. If the neutral wire is bad it doesn't help. I had a head-scratcher recently where a sconce light's wiring showed I had juice, but no light. Turns out the neutral was open in the wall. Had to fish a new neutral wire through hundred year old walls.
Comment