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Your IDEAL Branch Circuit Troubleshooting Solution. Designed to test voltage drop and circuit integrity, while saving you time and money.
Have hidden wiring conditions ever caused you problems?
Have they ever required pulling wire or receptacles, or breaking into walls to solve them? Have you had to verify existing wiring does not present electrical fire hazards, personal shock hazards, and premature equipment failures?
IDEAL’s SureTest is a comprehensive branch circuit analyzer that allows you to “look behind walls” to find wiring problems saving you time and money while letting you get the job done with safety and confidence.
Bootleg Grounds have been fooling inspectors for years when checking circuits for integrity. Receptacle (Plug) testers only test for voltage and can’t identify an improper wiring condition. Bootleg grounds set up the potential for dangerous undetected fault conditions.
Traditional receptacle tester indicates circuit is good.
IDEAL’ s SureTest can’t be fooled, its advanced processing software gives it the capability to quickly identify bootleg grounds at any receptacle.
SureTest Display provides a clear warning of a potentially faulty ground connection.
Improper Installations can result in electrical fire hazards, personal shock hazards, and premature equipment failure.
Improper solid wire connection
Improper stranded wire connection
Improperly torqued circuit breaker lugs
SureTest measures and displays individual Line Impedance giving the electrician/inspector valuable insight as to whether a particular conductor is the problem due perhaps to faulty splicing, overly long conductor runs, or undersized wire gauge.
Excessive voltage drop in a circuit can cause lights to flicker or burn dimly, heaters to heat poorly, and motors to run hotter than normal and burn out. It also causes overheating of components, often resulting in expensive damage or fire.
SureTest measures the line voltage under simulated load conditions. Results are displayed for 12A, 15A, and 20A loads.
SureTest helps you to verify proper installation and periodically test branch circuits to confirm integrity of wiring and protection devices to ensure continued protection from shock hazards.
Many residential fires are the result of a high resistance point leading to arcing within a branch circuit. Loose and corroded connections, bad splices, faulty cords and defective devices are common causes of many structural fires. (NFPA and US Consumer Product Safety Commission 1997 data). Branch circuit testing using the SureTest analyzer can help identify most potentially dangerous wiring conditions.
The device is intended for use ONLY on 120 VAC H-N circuits but has a generous safety margin for reliable operation.
| Part No. | Description |
|---|---|
| 61-179 | Nylon Carriying Case |
| 61-182 | 1' Extension Cord |
| Part No. | Description |
|---|---|
| 61-175 | Ground Continuity Adapter For checking grounding of cabinets etc. |
| 61-176 | Isolated Ground Adapter For determining whether receptacle has an isolated ground |
| 61-183 | Aligator Clip Adapter For connection to circuits other than outlets. |
61-179
Nylon Carrying Case (included)
61-182
1’ Extension Cord (included)
61-176
Isolated Ground Adapter (included)
61-175
Ground Continuity Adapter (optional)
61-183
Alligator Clip Adapter (optional)
| Characteristics | Description |
|---|---|
| Display | 128 x 64 OLED with backlight |
| Display update for (voltage) | 2.5 times/second |
| Over-range Indication on all functions | Display "OL" |
| Operating Environment | |
| Relative Humidity | 32°F to 122°F (0°C to 50°C) at <80%RH |
| Storage Environment: | 32°F to 122°F (0°C to 50°C) at <80%RH |
| Case Construction: | ABS UL 94V/0/5VA rated |
| Altitude: | 6561.7 ft (2000m) |
| Dimensions: | 6.4" (L) x 3" (W) x 1.4" (D) 162mm (L) x 76mm (W) x 36mm (D) |
| Weight: | 9.4 oz (267g) |
| Safety: | UL61010B-1, CAT III-300V UL-1436 for AFCI, GFCI & Outlet  |
| Accessories: | Includes 1' plug adapter, carrying case, instruction manual. Optional alligator clip adapter available. |
Double Insulation
Instrument has been evaluated and complies with insulation category III (overvoltage category III). Polution degree 2 in accordance with IEC-644. Indoor use.
All specifications are at 23°C ± 5°C at less than 80% relative humidity.
Accuracy is state as ± ([% of range] + [counts]).
AC converter is true rms sensing.
| Measurement | Ranges | Resolution | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line Voltage | 85.0 - 250.0 VAC | 0.1V | 1.0% ± .2V |
| Peak Line Voltage | 121.0 - 354.0 VAC | 0.1V | 1.0% ± .2V |
| Frequency | 45.0 - 65.0 Hz | 0.1Hz | 1.0% ± .2Hz |
| % Voltage Drop | 0.1% - 99.9% | 0.1% | 1.0% ± .2% |
| Voltage Loaded | 10.0 - 250.0 VAC | 0.1V | 1.0% ± .2V |
| Neutral-Ground V | 0.0 - 10.0 VAC | 0.1V | 2.5% ± .2V |
| Impedance - Hot Neutral & Ground | 0.00Ω - 3.00Ω > 3Ω |
0.01Ω | 2.5% ± 0.2Ω Unspecified |
| GFCI Trip Time | 1mS to 6.500S counter | 1mS | 1.0% ± 2mS |
| GFCI Trip Current | 6.0 - 9.0 mA | 0.1mA | 1.0% ± .2mA |
| EPD Trip Current | 30.0 - 37.0mA | 0.1mA | 1.0% ± .2mA |
The power demands of today’s high-tech world have caused a marked increase in occurrences and levels of transient overvoltages. The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has developed a safety standards model for measurement, control and laboratory use.
Category I – The signal level for telecommunications, electronic and other low-energy equipment with transient-limiting protection. Peak impulse transient range is 600–4,000 volts with a 30 ohm source.
Category II – The local level for fixed and non-fixed powered devices including appliances, lighting and portable equipment. Outlets located more than 30 feet from CAT III sources and 60 feet from CAT IV sources. Peak impulse transient range is from 600–6,000 volts with a 12 ohm source.
Category III – The distribution level for fixed primary feeders or branch circuits. Circuits that are separated from CAT IV sources by at least one level of transformer isolation. Peak impulse transient range is 600–8,000 volts with a 2 ohm source.
Category IV – The primary supply level for the highest levels of transient overvoltage. Includes the utility service both outside and at the service entrance, service drop from the pole to the building, overhead line to remote buildings, and underground line to a well pump. Peak impulse transient range is 600–12,000 volts with less than a 1 ohm source.
Locate the furthest outlet from the panel for the branch circuit to be tested and plug in the unit. If Vd is less than 5% then the integrity of the branch circuit is likely okay. If it is higher, work your way back towards the panel outlet by outlet sequentially getting closer to the panel. When you see a noticeable change between two outlets, the issue is likely located at or between those two outlets.
It is an unintended short between ground and neutral not intentionally made such as you would at the panel.
Average RMS meters will accurately indicate AC voltage and current if the sinewave is not distorted. As AC waveform distortion increases (such as caused by lighting ballasts), higher sampling rates are required to accurately calculate AC current and voltage. TRMS meters sample at much higher rates than average responding meters.
Think of resistance, which is DC (direct current) at a frequency. Since these measurements are at 60Hz, the unit reports impedance Z, not DC resistance.
No, the SureTest measures the ground impedance by pulsing a load through the ground conductor. This will trip a GFCI receptacle.
Excess voltage drop can indicate:
It is difficult to say at what point excess voltage drop is hazardous, because it depends on how much current is flowing through the high resistance connection. A footnote in the National Electric Code states that the maximum total voltage drop for a combination of the branch circuit and feeder shouldn’t exceed 5%. [210-19(a) FPN No. 4]
Excess voltage drop can cause:
Impedance on a live circuit is inferred by monitoring voltage drop when applying a load between two conductors. Applying this load trips the GFI circuitry so impedance measurements on a GFI ground conductor are not feasible.
The actual load is applied for slightly less than 1 cycle, or 1/60th of a second. This does not trip a breaker or disturb loads that are on the circuit.
The 61-164 measures the voltage when plugged in, then applies a load and measures voltage in the loaded state. If the voltage is already reduced somewhat because of normal loads, then it is still valid to be used a s a reference for the test itself.
We use the term estimated because accuracy is limited, typically within plus or minus 2 amps. The display shows the maximum reading the 61-164 has seen and the actual real time and updating reading. The closer you are to the loads, the more accurate the readings will become. If you need accuracy then you should go to the panel and use your clamp meter.
Available Short Circuit Current. Imagine shorting Hot to Neutral with a 10 gauge solid wire. You would trip the breaker of course. The value displayed shows how much current will flow until the breaker trips. Now do the same but short Hot to Neutral AND Ground. Typically this will be less resistance and thus more AMPS.
Good integrity branch circuits should have less than 0.25 ohms per conductor. Higher than that and you have to decide if further troubleshooting is necessary. Remember, these are the readings at 15 amps, what the circuit was anticipated to carry at max load. If you’re only loading up to several amps, you likely won’t experience this voltage drop.
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