PSA: that 'fully insulated' screwdriver set I bought off Amazon for $22 failed a continuity test on day one

Stuck it in a live panel to check something and my multimeter lit up like a Christmas tree through the handle, glad I had my rubber boots on so has anybody else found a decent budget brand that actually holds up to UL standards?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_elizabeth24d ago

Wait, so you're telling me my $22 Amazon special might actually be fine and I just don't know how to test it right? That's wild that a continuity test doesn't even check for what I thought it did.

nathan54524d ago

Yeah so just a heads up, that continuity test failure might not mean the insulation is bad. Continuity tests check for a complete circuit, not insulation breakdown. You'd want a megger or insulation resistance tester for that. The multimeter lighting up through the handle could be capacitive coupling or just a bad ground path, not necessarily a safety issue. But yeah, Wiha or Wera are solid budget friendly brands that actually test to UL standards, just watch out for fakes on Amazon.

-1

kevin_schmidt9720d ago

Wait, does this mean I've been testing my tools wrong this whole time and my "totally legit" $8 screwdriver from a gas station is probably fine? I mean, I thought I was being all safety-conscious with my continuity checks, but now I'm just realizing I've been playing electrician with absolutely no clue what I'm doing. Classic me, blaming the tool when the real problem is my complete lack of understanding.