I want to describe a tester you buy cheaply and add to.
I advise everyone I meet in & help home stores to rig one up.
It's just 3 cheap pieces you plug together.
1- Get a Polarity tester.
These are usually yellow and $5-10, and nowadays, usually has
a lil blk button to test GFI's as well. They are the size of a big
elec plug, with 3 wires, or a golf ball.
2- get a 3-2 wire adaptor, that bypasses Ground.
50¢ - $1
3- Get a receptacle that screws into a lamp socket where
a bulb would go. It makes a lamp into a 2 wire receptacle.
Plug them all together. you cannot err here; there's just 1 way.
Now, with the Polarity tester alone, you can test for ground,
and polarity. This protects you and your computers, TVs, etc.
It helps some Surge protectors work even better.
The GFI part tests new or old GFIs. OLD GFIs did not have
the usual test/reset buttons.
Polarity? Yes- read it below in the next part;
Add the 3-2 adaptor and you cannot test ground, as that's
bypassed, BUT it still tests for polarity. in the old days many
electricians were carpenters. if AC went back 'n forth, what
did polarity mean, to them?!?
SOME few TVs etc do care. But it also means a switch will
be in the wrong wire. When the switch is off, the device,
a light or etc, will go off, BUT; The item itself will still be
HOT from YOU to any ground you touch, say, a sink faucet.
So, it's a SAFETY ISSUE! you or an electrician needs
to swap the two wires if polarity error lights up!
3- The Lamp Socket adapter. This allows you to test for
power and polarity to avoid shock, if you screw in a light
bulb w/o remembering to turn off the switch! It also protects
the prongs of your toy from damage over the eons you will
be using it.
...Taking it proudly to friend's house when they get a new
puter, or, have a "handy-man electrician" do some work.
This will test every common thing expected of a homeowner
for elec. Beyond this, you'd need a "Radio-Shack" $6 VOM.
And, further instruction. But it can diagnose a dead, unplugged
(!) <or even plugged-in> lamp. But this is not for every
homeowner.!.!.!
It's a common tool for most Inspectors and electricians, with add-ons.
CHECK it, with him standing there, before handing over that
last 10% of his pay, that you wisely retained until work was
completed, as with almost any home improvement. The
last 10% is held until inspection; Yours as well as the
City-Guy. The City fella looks for Code. You look for finish
and "built -to-contract," written or verbal.
Verbal? Better have notes that he saw you go over with him,
in hand. No arguements. being always, nice & listening.
Deviation, ~"I had to because,' MAY be valid.
Is it something that you'd want/need him to stop work and
waste time & money to call you for? What he/she did, may
be quite be reasonable...!
Last thing... Safety glasses are handy for many things.
Sparks can and do, blind a few folks each year. Tiny balls
of molten metal often are thrown a cpl feet with a good short
circuit, caused by a simple error or slip of a finger or wire.
Eyes are a handy tool, to keep. I like to keep two and often
use them at the same time...
BillSF9c
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