Commercial Electric electrical testing equipment

The reports, as CPSC published them

1. No incident, no one hurt

   Made Nov 18, 2023 · , sent to the company Nov 21, 2023 · , published by CPSC Dec 6, 2023

   The product, in the report: 3-Piece Technician Test Kit, package about 9-inches by 10 inches, green and gray . Part number on top right of package is 1004 482 497.

   Before we get to what happened, I think you should know that I am a measurement expert. I am the chair of an [REDACTED] group that just revised [REDACTED], and I am chair of a group revising [REDACTED].

   Now I want to report an unsafe measurement device that I came across by chance. It is the voltmeter part of a “3-Piece Technician Test Kit” sold by Home Depot, part number 1004 482 497. It is made by Commercial Electric. The problem is that the reading on the device was zero when there was actually a voltage on the circuit I was testing. The problem is not a fault in the instrument, it is a design error. Home Depot let me test a second sample, and the same problem was present.

   A voltmeter has two probes. When switched to measure AC, it should not matter which way round the probes are connected. With this device, it does matter if there is a DC component on the signal. In the case I was measuring. The reading was ZERO with the probes one way round, and not zero the other way round.

   I am aware that the condition of having some DC on an AC circuit is unusual, but that’s what there was in my work. (I verified it with my oscilloscope.)

   If a user is unaware of the possibility of there being an AC potential even though the meter displays zero, that could be dangerous.

   The design error would not be evident in the absence of DC on the circuit, but the fact of a misleading indication could lead to an electric shock. (Frankly, I think Home Depot should pull the meter off the shelf until the design is fixed, but I cannot find a way to contact them that seems likely to achieve that outcome. Home Depot will surely let me return the meter for a refund, but that is scarcely the end of the story.)

   Model

   1004 482 497

   UPC

   15108 01039

   Bought from

   Home Depot #4746 West Richland WA

   Bought

   Nov 10, 2023

   Where

   Richland, Washington: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 80, Unspecified

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Commercial Electric, made or sold by The Home Depot

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   No Incident, No Injury

2. No one hurt

   Made Oct 17, 2013 · , sent to the company Oct 28, 2013 · , published by CPSC Nov 12, 2013

   The product, in the report: Commercial Electric Voltage Tester, model MS8903H

   I bought a “Commercial Electric” (brand name) Voltage Detector, model MS8903H form Home Depot. Before using it, I read the User’s Manual that accompanied the product. I read the entire English part, looking for a clue to understanding how to safely use this product. It is NOT POSSIBLE TO LEARN THE SAFE USE OF THIS PRODUCT by reading this document. This is because the writing is such poor English, and what is conveyed assumes the user already has safe-working knowledge of the product.

   The logo on this product is a C with a dash within the top and bottom parts of the C, so the C simultaneously resembles an E, followed by the words, Commercial Electric TM. I have been to the CE site, and they have this disclaimer, in red, on their Contact Us page: Please note that as the Commercial Electric Products Corporation, we are not affiliated with Home Depot or Commercial Electric which has consumer products sold at Home Depot. We cannot provide any information regarding that company.

   In the User’s Manual document, a “Safety” symbol (an exclamation point surrounded by a triangle) refers the user to “the operating manual”. There is no reference to this: no web site, no page number if it means this document; this is a useless remark, and it concerns safety - a paramount concern when working with electricity!

   Here is the first paragraph of the User’s Manual (between === lines), verbatim, with matching punctuation, and line breaks: === GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS This instrument complies with UL 61010-1, CAT. II 250V Product is only applicable to one-time use Protection provided by the instrument will be impaired if used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer.Before measuring hazardous voltages, first measure the voltage which is known to determine if the equipment operate correctly. ===

   This may be a good product, but if anyone wants to test a line to see if it is live, this document does not inform the user of a safe way to do this, and this is the PURPOSE OF THE PRODUCT.

   This product is dangerous in anyone’s hands. I have done many electricity-oriented tasks in my homes in the past 25 years. I have checked out books from the library to learn the safe and proper ways to do the tasks I was interested in. (I even had the library destroy one copy of a book that had important safety information torn out of it, because that page backed a useful reference table that someone wanted.) I have used the same voltage tester for all these years, but have lost it. National Electrical Code has changed, improving the safety and safe use of voltage testers (which excludes my lost one). But this product is going to hurt or kill someone in too big a hurry to read and understand its safe use - and its safe use cannot be determined by reading this document.

   Model

   MS8903H

   Serial number

   n/a

   Bought from

   Home Depot

   Bought

   Oct 16, 2013

   Where

   Portland, Oregon: Home/Apartment/Condominium

   Who was involved

   Age 68, Male

   The reporter’s relation to them

   Self

   As this report names them

   Brand Commercial Electric TM, made or sold by The Home Depot

   How badly, in CPSC’s words

   Incident, No Injury

CPSC’s disclaimer

Sources