# Best non contact voltage tester



## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

I picked up one of those ncvt-3 the other day after reading this thread. It's a piece of junk, it will be going back. It looked like there was a nose piece for checking receptacles, but it couldn't pick up any of mine and barely showed activity on a lamp cord and only when I was on the hot side of the wire. My old basic greenlee is way more sensitive, so I'll be sticking with it.


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## Defenestrate (Aug 13, 2015)

+1 to the Fluke... normal batteries (not button), and I've never had it false in the wrong way. That said, I'll usually run it over a short length of wire (if available), instead of just hitting one point.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Philament said:


> I picked up one of those ncvt-3 the other day after reading this thread. It's a piece of junk, it will be going back. It looked like there was a nose piece for checking receptacles, but it couldn't pick up any of mine and barely showed activity on a lamp cord and only when I was on the hot side of the wire. My old basic greenlee is way more sensitive, so I'll be sticking with it.


So it was showing not hot when it actually was hot?
I've had that happen.


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## Philament (Dec 9, 2014)

Californiadecks said:


> So it was showing not hot when it actually was hot?
> I've had that happen.


For its intended purpose, yes. My greenlee will start beeping about an inch away, that one would only signal if it was right on the hot wire and couldn't check recepticals, which is what I usually use to test if it's working.


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## daviddarwin (6 mo ago)

Klein NCVT-2 voltage detector pen is a highly recommended item for electricians wishing to expand their toolkit with a small, non-contact voltage tester. I evidently hold this tester in high esteem. Though not a Klein NCVT 3, this is still a nice product to have around.


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