Bought a Klein Tools NCVT-3 non-contact voltage tester for $45 and it saved my bacon yesterday.

Was working in a 1950s house in Tacoma, and the wiring was a real mess. I was about to pull out an old junction box when I got a solid beep from the tester on a wire I thought was dead. That $45 probably kept me from a nasty shock. Anyone have a go-to tester they trust more than anything?

3 comments

3 Comments

valgibson2mo ago

That "nasty shock" part is exactly why I never work without one.

angelab622mo ago

Actually the nasty shock happens because of the ground fault, not from missing the tester itself. The little plug in tester just tells you if the outlet is wired wrong so you don't plug your tools into a dangerous circuit. It won't stop you from getting shocked if you touch a live wire while working. For that you need a GFCI outlet or adapter, which cuts the power in a fraction of a second.

sage_rodriguez4d ago

Ha, exactly. One bad shock and you learn real quick (the hard way).