The NEW Fluke T6-1000 Electrical Tester measures voltage the same way you measure current, without test lead contact to live voltage. FieldSense technology lets users slide the open fork over a conductor and see the voltage level. The meter does require a capacitive path to ground, provided through user in most applications. Ground connection via test lead may be required in some situations. This makes jobs safer, faster, and easier.
- Be safer: the meter measures voltage to 1000 Vac through the open fork, without test leads.
- Be faster: No need to open covers or remove wire nuts.
- Be more efficient: Simultaneously measure voltage and current.
- Be everywhere: 17.8 mm open fork is widest in the industry; measure up to 200 A on 4/0 wires (120 mm2).
The T6 takes a measurement of voltage without voltage flowing through the meter. Instead, the Fluke instrument, such as the T6-1000, senses an electrical field in the open fork to make the measurement, a safer method.
With the existing T5 meter, users would slide the open fork around a conductor and safely measure ac current up to 100 amps. No need to clamp the fork shut or break the circuit. This “open fork” technology simply saves time and is safer to use than test leads. But the T5 still requires test leads to measure voltage.
Now, Fluke engineers have developed and are patenting new technology called FieldSense that improves on the open fork functionality by performing ac current, ac voltage, and frequency measurements. Voltage and current measurements can be made on one device at the same time, in real time.
The Fluke T6 Electrical Tester with FieldSense technology is the first handheld test tool using this new patent-pending technology. The safer way to test voltage FieldSense technology is a safer way to accurately measure voltage. Contacting electrical conductors with test leads or alligator clips requires metal-to-metal contact, which as any electrician or technician knows, carries the potential for arc flash. FieldSense eliminates that step. Because the measurement tool and the voltage source under test are isolated, the person performing the test is safer from potential electrical shock. This is performed by means of galvanic isolation or separation, the principle that isolates functions of an electrical current to prevent current flow.
The T6 takes a measurement of voltage without voltage flowing through the meter. Instead, the Fluke instrument, such as the T6-1000, senses an electrical field in the open fork to make the measurement, a safer method. And since the measurement is performed through the cable’s insulation, you reduce exposure to metallic conductors. You also decrease the potential for errors or making contact with the wrong conductor.
FieldSense technology is a significant development in how voltage is measured. While the technology in the T5 detects a magnetic field to derive an ac current measurement, the new technology detects an electrical field. Fluke Research and Development teams first developed the open-fork voltage sensing technology, which involves transducing and calculating a known signal to derive measurements for the source voltage.
This was done by designing the device to generate a reference signal of known amplitude and frequency. Then, when grounded, the resulting composite waveform is detected by an electronic sensor built into the tester. After amplification, processing, and digital calculations, voltage and frequency measurements are derived.
For the rest of the Fluke Application Note: https://goo.gl/K8XYMv
Filed Under: Safety
