The Extech CT70 Outlet Circuit Load Tester is a no-brainer for electricians. We've also received questions about the relevance of the new CT70 for other professionals. Let's take a look at its usefulness for HVACR applications. When diagnostic work needs to be performed, electrical factors may be a big part of that. Many HVACR systems are hardwired and run on their own circuits. They do not necessarily plug into a standard wall outlet.

Now, there may be a problem in the equipment. Or there may be nothing wrong with it and instead, the problem lies in the circuit supplying energy for that equipment. In the latter case, with wiring that is concealed in walls and/or conduit, it may be tough to discern the origin.

This tester can be plugged into any available outlet on that circuit to get an instant snapshot of the condition of that circuit, even simulating loads comparable to the HVAC component that it should be able to support. This can provide valuable insights on issues related to grounding, e.g., did humidity in a basement or mechanical room cause corrosion of electrical connections on the circuit and diminished its grounding as a result? Or, is a system grounded to a copper  pipe that itself is connected to a plastic main (resulting in no actual grounding)?

If wiring has deteriorated or was never installed properly, power quality might suffer causing blower motors in an air handling unit for example to operate at slower or intermittently variable RPMs, or cause the solid state motor control to malfunction due to flicker in the electrical signal.

On top of that, there are many, many components that do in fact plug into existing outlets to support HVACR or plumbing  functions. Some are standalone examples like circulator/recirculating pumps or a macerating motor, while some are ancillary systems like an inline humidifier or an add-on ultraviolet light for example. They do  not require dedicated 220V circuits and instead are equipped with a power cord and use standard outlets.

It’s a no-brainer that an HVACR-mechanical engineer should have a multimeter or clamp meter at the ready for any job. This tool performs many of those functions as well. But, it eliminates using test probes to stick into an outlet or accessing a junction box, and then going mode by mode on the multimeter to get at different variables. Instead, the CT70 performs a comprehensive analysis and provides results on a range of factors, helping to immediately determine if an issue is circuit-related.

I hope that’s helpful in painting a picture of the relevance of the CT70 for the HVACR/mechanical audience.

more info: www.extech.com/ct70