AC HotStick rechargeable — non-contact voltage detector (120 V – 46 kV)
Hand-held detector of high-voltage leakage and electrostatic charge. It detects voltage without touching the conductor and signals it by sound and light at the same time. In this version power comes from a built-in rechargeable battery — up to 500 hours per charge, topped up with the magnetic charger from the set.
What the rechargeable version changes
A voltage detector spends most of its life in a vehicle or a cupboard and has to work the moment it is taken out. With disposable batteries the weak point is the battery: it drains even when nobody uses the instrument, and replacing it depends on somebody remembering.
The rechargeable version removes that problem. Up to 500 hours per charge and a built-in low-battery warning reduce preparation to holding the charger against the housing. The connector is magnetic — there is no socket for water and dust to enter, and it cannot be fitted the wrong way round.
Three sensitivity modes — and the order to use them in
A rotating ring on the housing switches the instrument on and selects the mode. These are not three equal settings but three consecutive steps of one search.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| High Sensitivity | Maximum range. The basic mode — searching an area starts here. |
| Low Sensitivity | Reduced range. Used to narrow down the search area. |
| Front Focused | Sensitivity concentrated in front of the probe tip. Pinpoints the source of the leak. |
Always start in High Sensitivity. Starting in Front Focused is the most common mistake: sensitivity there is deliberately limited and concentrated in front of the probe tip, so the instrument may miss a leak located to the side or further away — leaving the impression that there is no voltage.
Detection range
Values for 50 Hz mains. They are indicative and depend on ambient conditions and the geometry of the installation.
| Installation (50 Hz) | High | Low | Front Focused |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single 220 V conductor (approx. 15 cm above ground) | 7.5 m | 1.5 m | 180 mm |
| Shielded 220 V conductor | 0.9 m | 150 mm | 25 mm |
| 7.2 kV overhead line | 50 m | 15 m | 4 m |
| 46 kV overhead line | > 120 m | > 50 m | > 15 m |
At 60 Hz the ranges are somewhat greater: 65 m / 21 m / 6 m for a 7.2 kV line and over 150 m / 60 m / 20 m for 46 kV.
How it signals
The alarm rate rises as you approach the source. This is the key working feature: the instrument does not merely say "voltage present" — it lets you walk in on the leak by following how quickly the signals repeat.
The alarm is audible and visual at the same time. An occasional signal with no leak present is normal — it results from the change of field caused by moving the probe and does not indicate a fault.
Self-test before every use
After switch-on the instrument runs a self-test lasting about three seconds. A correct run means a sound signal and a flash of the LEDs.
Do not use the detector if after switch-on it produces no sound, does not flash, or emits one long continuous signal — the self-test has failed. A steady-rate alarm immediately after switch-on means a low battery: the instrument needs charging.
Safety rules
- Treat every conductor — especially a broken or fallen high-voltage line — as live. Never approach or touch it.
- Set the ring to High Sensitivity before starting work.
- The absence of a signal is not permission to touch an installation. Permission comes from isolation and securing against re-energising.
- The housing is watertight — resistant to rain and normal humidity — but not intended for immersion or underwater use.
Charging and care
The instrument needs no special maintenance: keep it clean with a soft, slightly damp cloth. No solvents or abrasives — they damage the housing and the markings.
Use only the charger supplied with the instrument. Another power supply may damage the battery or the electronics. A replacement or a second charger for the vehicle is available separately — magnetic charger DC 5.6 V / 1 A.
Scope of delivery
- AC HotStick detector — 1 pc
- SafeTech carrying pouch — 1 pc
- Magnetic charger DC 5.6 V / 1 A — 1 pc
- Operating manual — 1 pc
The pouch is included. Should it wear out or get lost, it can be bought separately — carrying pouch for AC HotStick. The spare part of the signalling circuit is the buzzer.
Applications
Fire and rescue services at road incidents and downed lines, technical rescue, power utilities and maintenance teams, police and emergency services, health and safety inspectors, infrastructure managers, construction and demolition crews.
Specification
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | hand-held non-contact detector of AC voltage leakage and electrostatic charge |
| Operating range | 120 V – 46 kV |
| Detected signal frequency | 20–100 Hz (AC) |
| Sensitivity modes | High · Low · Front Focused |
| Audible alarm | acoustic sounder |
| Visual alarm | flashing LEDs |
| Alarm rate | varies automatically with signal strength |
| Self-test | automatic, approx. 3 s after switch-on |
| Low battery indication | yes, built in |
| Power supply | built-in rechargeable battery |
| Operating time | up to 500 h per charge |
| Charging | magnetic charger DC 5.6 V / 1 A (included) |
| Operating temperature | −30 °C to +60 °C |
| Storage temperature | −40 °C to +70 °C |
| Dimensions (length × diameter) | 53 cm × 4.5 cm |
| Weight | 500 g |