Thread: Bond Tester opinions requested

Texas inspectors are required to test for the absence of bond/ground and report deficiencies...

§535.229. Standards of Practice: Minimum Inspection Requirements for Electrical Systems.

(c) Branch circuits, connected devices, and fixtures. The inspector shall:
(3) report as Deficient:
(F) appliances and metal pipes that are not bonded or grounded;

What do you think of the use of these devices to comply with this standard?
Bond Tester Order

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I have one - I think it works great!

I had coffee with Michael yesterday and bought my deluxe model. Well built if you ask me.

Originally Posted by BARRY ADAIR

Texas inspectors are required to test for the absence of bond/ground and report deficiencies...

§535.229. Standards of Practice: Minimum Inspection Requirements for Electrical Systems.

(c) Branch circuits, connected devices, and fixtures. The inspector shall:
(3) report as Deficient:
(F) appliances and metal pipes that are not bonded or grounded;

What do you think of the use of these devices to comply with this standard?
Bond Tester Order

Barry: It works just fine.

You could do the same exact test with a $5.00 multimeter from Wal-Mart.
Looks to me all the tester is doing is ruuning continuitity from the appliance to the ground in a receptacle.

I like to use both my eyeballs and a DMM or analog MM such as a Simpson but I rely more on my eyeballs than anything.

I got one, and it works fine.

So Barry, what is your opinion? Were you using another device previously?

Barry,

It works very well. As does my multi-meter that I also carry with me.

It is a matter of convenience. It helps save some time when checking the kitchen appliances as it can be a bit of a pain to maintain the connection to a ground lug (for example) and find a bonding point on a microwave that may be inside or more difficult to reach ... due to all the synthetic/plastic.

Also ... my meter leads were coming up too short at times as well as my arms.

I got one of Mike's early units and put it through the paces and am quite pleased.

Of course, one wonders what happens if the wall plug is wired in reverse polarity?

Thanks to all for the replies

Bruce,
I don't have an opinion as I've not tried out any of the devices in the provided link.
I've been using Greenlee V/C tester (can't recall the model) replaced it with the GT-95
Just curious how much more efficient it would be...

Stuart,

Please explain your experience with reversed polarity on the bond tester during testing?

Originally Posted by BARRY ADAIR

Stuart,

Please explain your experience with reversed polarity on the bond tester during testing?

Barry,

What I think Stuart was referring to was not "reversed polarity" as normally thought of with "hot" and "neutral" reversed, but as "ground" reversed with either "hot" or "neutral", especially reversed with "hot".

Actually, any of the incorrect connections. "Hot" & "Neutral" or anything to the "ground" pin. Any way, there would be sparks flying unless everything is taken care of in the circuitry. I was just looking at the little pen-light size tester and wondering about that. I have NO experience with this Bonding tester. However, I do have years of experience in electrical and electronic design, including power applications. I don't claim to be an expert in anything, but I'm working on Margaritas. I've been to too many meetings where everybody gets all buzzed up on the hype but no one, except an old fart like me, considers the details.

Originally Posted by Stuart Brooks

Actually, any of the incorrect connections. "Hot" & "Neutral" or anything to the "ground" pin. Any way, there would be sparks flying unless everything is taken care of in the circuitry.

If the "neutral" and "ground" were reversed, that tester should still work, provided there were not other things wrong with the circuit, because the neutral and ground are tied together back at the service equipment.

If the "hot" and "ground" are reversed, look out!

Reversing the "hot" and the "neutral" should not do anything as the only pin being used is the ground pin (I suspect this is the way it works, I have never used one and also know nothing about them, other than understanding 'how it probably works').

My guess is that there is a light in that probe, which, by the description given, operates on two AA batteries (or was it AAA?), the plug only uses the ground pin, another part, or maybe the probe itself, make contact with another grounded circuit, and, acting as the switch being turned on, the light now lights.

Not unlike the way my Dad used to ring wires out, he had a 6 volt battery, mounted a door buzzer onto it, connected a flexible lead to one terminal of the battery, connected the buzzer to the other terminal of the battery, and connected another flexible lead to the other terminal of the buzzer.

Now all you had to do was clip the two leads from the ringer, one to the wire you are ringing out, the other lead to ground, go to the other end of the pull and start grounding wires, one at a time, when you hear the buzzer buzzing, you have found the other end of the wire you have connected to the ringer. Crude, yes, but it worked like a charm.

Stuart,

Common sense rules:

• Check receptacle(s) first to see if they are compliant before using tester.
• Then use tester ... assuming step above is acceptable.

Not that difficult.


Barry makes good comments that echo what I've also stated. Meters that most all of us have (or should have) can do the task as well.

This device (as I've noted) just makes it a tad easier when it comes to "reach", etc., etc.. Nothing more ... nothing less.