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Help with electrical screwdriver components...

Hi,

I'm new to this group and would like some help if anyone would be so kind...

I am trying to make an electrical tester for 240v identical setup as an electrical screwdriver tester the ones you touch the end of.. I have to repackage the compents in a plastic box smaller than a scewdriver.

I have dismantled the components to see what they are and not being very electrical I have a resister and a Neon.

questions:

1) Do neons have ratings? (sort of ties in question 2) 2) The resisters are different in different makes of screwdriver.. 3) The spring inside the screwdriver, does this have any effect on the current passing through as its not a uniform shape... 4) Do I have to use Neons, could I get away with an LED for a brighter output??

Any help would be appreciated, would like to know these things before i electrocute myself..

Cheers Col

Reply to
techcs
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yes, look up the specs for ne-2 ne-2c ne2-h (and most of the alphabet of suffeses) also ne-3, e-10, BA9S and the list goes on.

a 12 volt tester needs less of a voltage drop across the resistor then a 120 volt or 230 volt tester.

mostly this style of tester is intended for automotive low voltage use.

no

the neon's are more forgiving of overvoltages. the leds just die,,, which may happen to you if your tester is dead and you mistakenly believe that a hot circuit is cold.

be safe out there. way back in high school we made an electronic decision maker with ne-2 lamps. you push one button and one of 2 lamps come on.

Reply to
TimPerry

I would assume with neon lamps that these are not 12 volt testers.

Ben Miller

Reply to
Ben Miller

Line voltage testers are inherently dangerous. You post suggests that you are not very knowledgeable about electricity. The resistors are critical for safety, as well as operation. Attempting to miniaturize the device could lead to possible short circuits which could be lethal.

I suggest that you abandon your idea of making one, and buy a good quality commercial device.

Ben Miller

Reply to
Ben Miller

It kind of sounded to me like he was going to try to modify one the cheapie testers commonly found in the supermarket automotive section.

I'd like to steer him in the direction of safer experiments

Reply to
TimPerry
120 volt or 230 volt tester. I would assume with neon lamps that these are not 12 volt testers. Ben Miller It kind of sounded to me like he was going to try to modify one the cheapie testers commonly found in the supermarket automotive section. I'd like to steer him in the direction of safer experiments

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Heck Yeah ! The OP sounds like he really doesn't know what he's doing., he'd be better off buying something like IDEAL=99 Corporation has, it's a screwdrive type tester that is an actual Tradesman Quality screwdriver with a built in tester.

Roy Q.T. Urban Technician [I don't make em, I just fix em]

Reply to
Roy Q.T.

Thanks for all the replies.. you are all right I do not have much knowledge of these testers etc.. the problem I have without going into much detail is I need a mains tester that will fit into a much smaller space than a scewdriver could.. I was looking at placing the components into a rigid plastic box, I would make sure the components cannot move whilst inside.

The real issue is size of the tester..

Looking at the screwdriver types and i have bought numerous ones and dismantled and they all seem very basic. A resister and a neon, the earth being made by touching the end. I presume the neons only take a minimal amount of current to light.

It looks to me quite easy but I will take on board the advice given here..

Thanks Col

Reply to
techcs

hard to get smaller then this

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for $3.95 US and you don't even have to actually touch the bare wires.

Reply to
TimPerry

hard to get smaller then this

formatting link
for $3.95 US and you don't even have to actually touch the bare wires.

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I was going to suggest a pigtail bulb socket, the leads are small in diameter since they are wire, but it doesn't beat that non-contact tester...good price too.

Roy Q.T. Urban Technician [I don't make em, I just fix em]

Reply to
Roy Q.T.

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