New Fluke T6-1000 Electrical Tester

The key point of any type of voltage indicator is to act as a warning device.

" All persons must be trained in the use and limitations of any meter, instrument, tester or method" when used to establish an electrically safe work condition. I am paraphrasing OSHA.

By definition the qualified worker will select the correct method(s) and equipment. I would no sooner take my 135kV rated hot stick meter on a residential job, than my 600 volts rated direct contact amp meter into the substation, unless I know where to stick it>

The worker who knows the correct usage and understands, as the comments suggest, the limitations of any approach will be the ones who work safely around and on any voltage.

My collection of vintage voltage sensing devices scares me when I see what we are using now, and I understand what it was like to trust your life on what we had.

Best bet " if it ain't grounded, you will be. Touch before test is the best.

Many do not understand the difference In measuring voltages across a distance Where the units are volts x distance and Point to point. There are no ghost Voltages.

Your comment on the Fluke T6-1000 Electrical Tester was very informative.

Might have to attach a small load onto a phantom powered circuit.

Still a very good device if working a 'good' circuit.

I've had a T6-1000 since 2017, so it doesn't really seem new to me. I'd say 99% of the time I use it as a regular meter, as I don't really trust the non-contact voltage reading as accurate. It tells me voltage is present, but my $20 2AC just as accurately tells me that much.

In retrospect I'd probably have been OK going with the T5-1000 and getting an extra 2AC, but the one thing that I really like on the T6-1000 I use all the time is the back-light. If the T5-1000 would have had the T6's back-light, I'd have gone with the T5 all the way.

It Is possible to measure eléctrical potencial without two point contact by measuring across the electrical field. Previously only laboratory intruments could do this. I want one of these but my pockets are not deep enough.

Looks like a very useful device. It's kinda obvious, though, that you would still need to use probes for certain measurements, for example phase-to-phase voltage on a neutral grounded 3-phase Y or phase-to-phase voltage on the high phase of a corner grounded 3-phase delta, and particularly on a red-leg delta.

I have a T6 and find it unreliable in testing voltage. It usually tells me if voltage is preset but I don't even trust it. When working on 2 ungrounded conductors like 480. It will read 277 when using the jaws. I think most qualified professionals will know how to use it and when to trust it, but for any inexperienced person this could cause harm or death. As for the wider jaw and reading amperage, and voltage with the leads, it is a good tool.

So while there has been a lot of negative about this meter I find it to be a great everyday carry meter. There was one guy on YouTube saying that with the Red test lead in the Hot side of the outlet that the back field sense will have 120 v on it. Which if you read it with another meter to ground it will say 120 v. Just like it will with any two meters connected that same way. Red lead in the Hot and the red lead of another meter to the black lead and the black lead of the second meter to the ground it will read 120 v.

So that being said. When using the meter I place my finger on the back field sense and then with that same hand if I can I touch the box if its metal. Or I use my other hand and touch something grounded to get a more "true" reading. With test leads it says 123 v and with field sense properly grounded it will read + or - 2-3 v. Without it being properly grounded it could read + or - 5-10 v. From what I've seen personally. I have also done a video showing this and could do anther one if it would be something you'd like to see in action. I don't know all the logistics of it but the ground point is just a reference point. So that being said the field sense works the exact same way that a test lead would but it uses your skin to find that reference point.

I have the T6-1000. I enjoy it. There are few bad things. It doesn't always read the correct voltage. Example I was working on a parking lot the voltage is 277/480. When I used the meter on smart sense I got 320 volts. When I used the leads I got 277. Other wise it works great. Not sure why I got a faulty reading. For the most part it works really good.

Grave concern of 'grounding' user for capacity coupling. Interesting how marketing shows insulated gloves with leather protectors on worker yet manufacturer's instructions dictates grounding of user in some cases (250 volts and less I believe). Ghost voltage is one concern. Don't make the user a ghost.

What about stored energy, as in the case of capacitors in much of the new equipment. Can't use a capacitor to measure a capacitor, requires inductive or resistance devices.

NFPA 70E phase/phase and ground/phase testing to ensure absence of voltage. Can't be used in that task. Like all proximity testers it is a pretense of voltage indicator not an absence of voltage tester/meter. Knowing the limitation of all test instruments is key to worker safety.

I have owned for about 9 months Works great

We bought 4 of these a year ago. They work ok but take some getting use to. I found the voltage to display 5-6 volts under actual voltage. For the first release a good option and I'm sure there will be improvements. It's like any other meter whereas you know if it's reading an actual voltage vs a ghost. Paul Vocational teacher Massachusetts

AvE did a review a while back. Very informative...

Tried to post the videos, but this comment box won't allow it.

Just search: "Ave Fluke" and it's the first two videos.