wander lead for fluke 2 pole tester

[JohnW2]

... as a DIY'er I think that's adequate as in most instances, I am looking to trace cables and make sure there aren't any broken links. Assuming you agree with this, I would like to extend this capability my introducing a wander lead which is required in most instances as the probes only stretch around a metre apart.

Agreed, and for that purpose, you can use any electrical conductor (wire/cable) to 'extend' your lead - e.g. just a length of cable/wire you have lying around..

In fact, one approach is to use a mains extension cable drum as that 'conductor' to extend the test lead, which is what I usually do. One can easily 'improvise' but I actually have a pair of Kewtech adaptors designed for that (which I use with a a 25m or 50m 'cable extension drum' (the mains extension plugs into the right-hand one and the left hand one plugs into one of the outlets on the mains extension lead) ...

A few of you have suggested an earth lead to play this role but does it get damaged and become a trip hazard? They also don't have the crocodile clips to snap on to one end of the cable. I'd like some advice around this please.

What Harry has suggested is sometimes an option but (as I'm about to write) has its limitations.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

... and here (I hope!) is the missing photo which, for some reason, did not appear! ....

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

I suggested using the actual earth, if that's what you meant? The earth is/should be common throughout your home, so when testing any earth terminal, to any other earth terminal - there should be a very low resistance. In other words - use that common earth, as your long lead to where ever, instead of a long wire.

Yes, that approach is sometimes suitable, but it is not without it's potential problems and limitations.

Firstly, there is potential scope for being mislead if there is a (perhaps 'unsuspected') fairly low resistance path from the conductor under test and earth.

The most obvious limitation is that it cannot be used for testing the 'continuity' of an earth conductor (e.g. CPC) - which is perhaps the type of conductor whose 'continuity' one would commonly want to test.

For these reasons, I would be inclined to suggest that it is best (particularly for a DIYer) to use an explicit 'long wire' - since there are then no doubts!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Jupiter01]

... and here (I hope!) is the missing photo which, for some reason, did not appear! ....

View attachment 247704

Kind Regards, John

does this work out cheaper than a 50metre purpose made wander lead? or does it have some other benefits over that?

 

[Jupiter01]

You are......

E_____________________________________E________Meter
+______________wire on test_______________________Meter

+ is where you connect the wire at the far end to the earth terminal local to it. If your meter indicates continuity, then the wire is that same wire.

What if there is a break on the earth wire but not the positive? Presumably, the suggested test would fail?
If I was using a wander lead with just the + wire, it will succeed and also help me identify that Earth has a break.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The most obvious limitation is that it cannot be used for testing the 'continuity' of an earth conductor (e.g. CPC) - which is perhaps the type of conductor whose 'continuity' one would commonly want to test.

For these reasons, I would be inclined to suggest that it is best (particularly for a DIYer) to use an explicit 'long wire' - since there are then no doubts!

The OP wasn't suggesting testing the continuity of the earth conductor, rather he was asking about testing other wires. As has been discussed on here many times, basic equipment such as the OP has is really not suitable for anything more than testing the basic continuity of the earth.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

What if there is a break on the earth wire but not the positive? Presumably, the suggested test would fail?
If I was using a wander lead with just the + wire, it will succeed and also help me identify that Earth has a break.

Obviously, the method has no value if the continuity of the earth is in doubt, but if there are doubts you have much bigger and more serious issues to deal with. In my experience, that would be extremely rare that there in no conductivity at all in an earth path.

Additionally, how do you manage a long trailing wire, in a busy area commercial or industrial? They are a very serious definite trip hazard, so certainly best avoided if at all possible.

Again how do you check continuity to the far end of a mile and half long multi-core signal cable, as I have sometimes had to do, along river banks for river depth measurement instruments - you use the obvious earth.

 

[JohnW2]

does this work out cheaper than a 50metre purpose made wander lead? or does it have some other benefits over that? ....

That depends a lot of what 'this' costs

In many/most cases (like me), one would already have the 50m (or whatever) mains extension, so the only marginal cost is that of the adapters. Even if one had to buy the (mains) cable reel as well, it would also then be usable for 'the intended purpose', whereas a dedicated product such as you illustrate can clear only be used for one purpose, presumably very very rarely for the average DIYer.

Having said that, having had a quick look, I'm not convinced that 'adapters' such as I illustrated are still available (I've had mine for years). However, as I said, one could easily improvise with a 13A plug and a 13A 'trailing socket', which should not cost much at all.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

The OP wasn't suggesting testing the continuity of the earth conductor, rather he was asking about testing other wires.

That's true but, as you will realise, my comment was a general one in relation to the comment/.suggestion you made - given that there is no telling what wires someone coming across this thread in the future may want to test.

As has been discussed on here many times, basic equipment such as the OP has is really not suitable for anything more than testing the basic continuity of the earth.

You've rather lost me there. As I said, the one thing that your suggested method cannot reliably do is to "test the basic continuity of the earth" (by which I presume you mean 'test a CPC').

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

Additionally, how do you manage a long trailing wire, in a busy area commercial or industrial? They are a very serious definite trip hazard, so certainly best avoided if at all possible.

True, but this is a DIY forum, and I presume that the OP is talking about testing within his own domestic dwelling.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

True, but this is a DIY forum, and I presume that the OP is talking about testing within his own domestic dwelling.

Kind Regards, John

Exactly, which was why I suggested the earth throughout his home, perfectly suitable replacement for a long wire wander lead. I would go even further, as to suggest that using the earth is the default method, rather than a long lead for this sort of test.

 

[JohnW2]

Exactly, which was why I suggested the earth throughout his home, perfectly suitable replacement for a long wire wander lead. I would go even further, as to suggest that using the earth is the default method, rather than a long lead for this sort of test.

I suppose opinions will vary. As I've said, I would personally tend to favour (in most situations) an explicit 'long wire', since there is then no doubt about anything.

For those who know what they are doing, there is (in some situations) a myriad of other possible approaches (some which may qualify as 'short cuts') - such as joining L and N (or any other pair of cores - or, indeed all three/whatever) at one end of a cable and then measuring between the cores at the other end.

When wanting to identify 'which cable is which', I will sometimes connect, say, a 9V battery between two cores at one end, and then measure voltage between cores of cables at the other end ... etc. etc.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I suppose opinions will vary. As I've said, I would personally tend to favour (in most situations) an explicit 'long wire', since there is then no doubt about anything.

For those who know what they are doing, there is (in some situations) a myriad of other possible approaches (some which may qualify as 'short cuts') - such as joining L and N (or any other pair of cores - or, indeed all three/whatever) at one end of a cable and then measuring between the cores at the other end.

John, if there is distance between the two ends, then the default method really is to use the earth rather than a long wire. That is the default method used throughout the industry.

The long wire only comes out when there is a need to test the ELI, or there is some doubt about the earth continuity for continuity testing.

 

[SUNRAY]

Obviously, the method has no value if the continuity of the earth is in doubt, but if there are doubts you have much bigger and more serious issues to deal with. In my experience, that would be extremely rare that there in no conductivity at all in an earth path.

Additionally, how do you manage a long trailing wire, in a busy area commercial or industrial? They are a very serious definite trip hazard, so certainly best avoided if at all possible.

Again how do you check continuity to the far end of a mile and half long multi-core signal cable, as I have sometimes had to do, along river banks for river depth measurement instruments - you use the obvious earth.

If I've interpreted OP correctly he is a novice in this situation (No criticism intended) and trying to learn in his own home how to do some basic cable tracing (and if I have got it wrong then I feel there are bigger issues to address).

To a person experienced in this environment using a known good conductor such as earth, which is hopefully present at every location, is an obvious thing to do but to a novice it is far from obvious, especially if there is a problem with the earth. Let's consider an older property wired in 60's with no earth wires in the lighting circuits with later additions using T&E, some of which are correctly earthed and some which are not (I have multiple T Shirts).

I've been doing this sort of thing for years and would confidently use the 'good conductor' method but learnt a long time ago to ensure it is in fact good. As mentioned in post#7 I was verifying data cables which had been run in and terminated in a patch panel in preparation of the 6 portakabins being lifted into position on the roof of a 5 story building. No such earth was yet available in the temporary office accomodation, (they ran on 'built in' generators for a number of days before mains was connected. Therefore I dropped a twin flex 'wander lead' down the outside of the building for the purpose of identifying each cable before running to the appropriate socket.

 

[SUNRAY]

John, if there is distance between the two ends, then the default method really is to use the earth rather than a long wire. That is the default method used throughout the industry.

The long wire only comes out when there is a need to test the ELI, or there is some doubt about the earth continuity for continuity testing.

I know far too many so called electricians who will never get their head around using part of the installation for the purpose, on that basis alone I say the wander lead method is much better for a novice to get to grips with.