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| Why Does an Electric Tester not Work on DC Current |
Why does the Tester not work on DC Current
In this educational topic, we will learn why the alternating current detector, or so-called tester, does not work on direct current. First, let us learn about the components and definition of the tester and its working principle.
Definition of AC detector tester:
The tester is a screwdriver available in different sizes with a glowing neon lamp inside. It is used to detect the alternating electrical current in the wires and the electrical outlet (the socket) to identify the Vase and Neutral wires in household electrical installations.
AC detector components:
The AC detector or tester consists of several components inside it, and the following picture shows its various basic components:
- Screwdriver body.
- Glowing neon lamp.
- Metal rod.
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| AC tester components |
Why doesn't the AC power detector work on the DC power tester:
The reason is that direct electrical current does not change its polarity, unlike alternating electrical current, which changes its direction on a regular basis, which is known as frequency and may be 60 or 50 Hz, and thus this screwdriver does not allow to detect any difference in electrical voltage, but we can use devices Other measurements can detect continuous electrical current in electrical circuits, such as the multifunctional multimeter device that measures voltage, current, and resistance. We have previously posted a full explanation about it, which you can browse from here.
important note :
Caution must be exercised while measuring and using these devices in live electronic and electrical circuits that contain live electrical current because it may cause a short circuit or damage the multimeter device. Do not forget also to read the device’s user manual and follow the instructions and steps to operate the device correctly.