Tech Tips: Twist Guard Test Leads

A successful project comes to a great strategic vision, even the little things or the tiniest details count if you put your job and craftsmanship.

With Fluke, they think what a successful project is because working with professionals who use the products are taken into a “little thing”. Hence, electrical leads and added features make them more versatile, durable, and above all, safer.

The new Fluke TL175 TwistGuard™ Test Leads is the world’s first adjustable length tips designed to be used for CAT II, CAT III, and CAT IV environments. For CAT III and CAT IV higher-hazard conditions, a twist retracts the tips to reduce the possibility of accidental contact with energized surfaces while for CAT II, it extends the tips for better access to hard-to-reach contacts such as within wall outlets. The Fluke TL175 TwistGuard™ shows the correct category rating whether the tips are retracted or extended.

A system for safe testing

Test instruments and accessories used for electrical testing comprise a safety system called the personal protective equipment (PPE). According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, test equipment is an important part of PPE. Each piece of equipment used for testing such as clothing, gloves, and eyewear to digital multimeters and test leads must be designed and approved to work safely in the testing environment.

Test leads and other accessories should make sure that are rated for safe use where you’re working. Leads should maintain its usage category (CAT) rating or as high as the multimeter you are using. If the test leads did not reach the multimeter, you are putting yourself in danger. But in today’s standards, does lead come with the product?

Double-insulated, extra-safe

The Test leads that gathered years ago may not be fitted with the insulation needed for today’s electrical environment. In relation, the test leads would likely suffer from wear and abuse that can damage the insulation such as leads that have been strained in a panel door or kinked due to sharp bends have decreased insulating capability at stress points.

Fluke TwistGuard™ together with the double-insulated WearGurad™ wires can provide a safer advantage. The inner contrasting color shows through if the outer layer of insulation gets nicked or worn means it is time to replace a new set of leads.

The wires which rated at temperatures of -20 °C to 55 °C (-4 °F to 131 °F) are insulated with silicone can withstand high temperatures and remains flexible in the cold and their universal input plugs are compatible with all instruments that accept standard 4 mm shrouded banana plugs. Accessories like the Fluke AC72 Alligator Clips simply slide onto the extended tips. The TL175 test leads also accept threaded accessories, such as 4 mm lantern adapters.

The Fluke engineers planned for another “little thing” which is durability because TwistGuard™ leads have extra-heavy-duty strain relief on both probe end and plug end that tested more than 30,000 bends without failure.

For best Fluke TwistGuard™ in the Philippines, check out our products at https://presidium.ph/shop/.