Extech Instruments — Authorised South African Supplier
Over 30 Extech product categories, from electrical testers and clamp meters to thermal imagers, borescopes and water quality instruments — all in one place.
Browse the Full Extech Instruments Range →Need a price or availability? Call +27 21 911 5835 or email sales@ecotao.co.za
Electrical testers are portable instruments that verify the condition of an electrical circuit — whether it is energised, whether the conductors are continuous, whether the wiring is correctly connected, and whether the supply can deliver rated current without excessive voltage drop. They are the diagnostic layer between the installation and the person working on it, and in South Africa they are the practical means by which an electrician satisfies the verification requirements of SANS 10142-1 before issuing a Certificate of Compliance.
Ecotao Enterprises supplies the Extech Instruments electrical test range from Cape Town to customers throughout South Africa and neighbouring countries. The range spans four working families: proving instruments that establish whether a conductor is live, identification instruments that answer which cable is which and which breaker feeds what, measuring instruments that put a number on voltage, current, resistance or power, and verification instruments that load a circuit and report how it behaves under that load.
This page covers the general-purpose testers and troubleshooting kits. Specialist instruments — multimeters, clamp meters, insulation testers, earth resistance testers, power analysers and LCR meters — each have their own page:
Supply compatibility — please read before ordering
All models on this page are current in Extech's catalogue; none have been discontinued. However, two items are built around North American practice and are not drop-in tools for a 230 V South African installation:
- Extech CB10 / CB10-KIT — the circuit breaker finder is rated to locate breakers on 110 V to 125 V AC circuits. The CT20 continuity tester and DV20 voltage detector supplied in the same kit are supply-independent and work normally here.
- Extech CT70 — measures 90 V to 240 V AC, so the electronics cover 230 V, but it ships with a North American three-pin test cord and needs a SANS 164 adapter or a re-terminated lead to plug into a South African socket outlet.
Tell us the supply you are testing when you enquire — we will confirm suitability or recommend an equivalent before you commit to an order. Email sales@ecotao.co.za.
How to choose an electrical tester
Most wrong purchases come from buying on function list rather than on the question the instrument has to answer. Work through these four decisions in order and the shortlist narrows quickly.
What question are you asking?
If the question is "is this live?", a non-contact detector answers it in seconds without touching a conductor. If the question is "is this safe to work on?", you need a contact tester that measures a real value and can suppress induced voltage. If the question is "which cable is which?", you need a tone generator or cable tracer, not a voltmeter. If the question is "why does this circuit sag under load?", you need a circuit analyser that applies a known load.
Where in the installation will you use it?
The CAT rating must match the position, not the voltage. CAT II covers plug-connected appliances and socket circuits. CAT III covers distribution boards, fixed wiring, busbars and three-phase motor circuits — this is where most South African installation work happens. CAT IV covers the service head, metering position and overhead lines. Choose the rating for the most upstream point you will ever touch with that instrument, not the average.
Single-phase or three-phase?
For 230 V single-phase work a two-pole tester plus a non-contact detector covers almost everything. Three-phase work adds a requirement no voltmeter satisfies: confirming phase sequence before energising rotating plant. A pump, fan or conveyor connected to a reversed sequence will run backwards, and on a borehole or centrifugal pump that can mean impeller damage on the first start.
One tool or a kit?
A kit is cheaper than the sum of its parts and keeps the tools together, which matters on a service vehicle. It is the right choice when the same technician does breaker identification, cable tracing and voltage proving on the same call. A single specialised instrument is the right choice when one task dominates — a utility crew needs a 69 kV proximity detector and nothing else from the kit.
Voltage detector comparison: which Extech detector for which job
All four instruments below detect the presence of AC voltage, but they are not interchangeable. The difference that matters most is the lower detection threshold, because that determines whether the instrument will respond to low-voltage control and signalling circuits, and whether it will nuisance-trigger on stray fields when you only care about mains.
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| Model | Detection range | Adjustable sensitivity | Also detects current | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DV25 | 24–1000 V AC (low range) 100–1000 V AC (high range) |
No — two switched ranges | No | General electricians who move between mains and low-voltage control wiring. The switched low range picks up 24 V control circuits that a mains-only detector ignores completely. |
| DV30 | 12–600 V AC | Yes — continuous | No | Pinpointing a single live conductor inside a bundle. Wind sensitivity down until only the nearest conductor triggers the alarm, rather than the whole loom. |
| DVA30 | 12–600 V AC voltage 200 mA–1000 A AC current |
Yes — continuous | Yes | Tracing a circuit that is loaded but screened. Current detection works where voltage detection fails — through armoured cable, steel conduit, concrete slabs and metal distribution enclosures. |
| DV690 | 100 V AC – 69 kV AC | No — fixed thresholds | No | Utility, substation, storm restoration and telecoms crews working near medium- and high-voltage lines. Over 106 dB alarm, 507 lux flashing LED, 1.2 m drop rating and hot-stick mounting. |
The 50–500 Hz bandwidth on the DVA30 matters more in South Africa than it used to. Inverter and hybrid solar installations have become common in domestic and commercial premises, and inverter output is not always a clean 50 Hz sine wave. A detector with a wide frequency bandwidth responds to the harmonic content that a narrow 50/60 Hz-only device may miss on a modified-waveform supply.
Electrical testers and troubleshooting kits
The instruments below are the general-purpose testers most often specified for South African installation, maintenance and fault-finding work. Each is described in terms of the job it does rather than a feature list alone.
Extech VT30
LCD Multifunction Voltage Tester — voltage, continuity and phase in one instrument
The VT30 is the instrument to reach for when the question is "is it safe to work on this?" rather than "is something live nearby?". It is a two-pole tester, so it measures across two real points in the circuit and displays an actual value on a backlit LCD with a supporting bargraph, covering 0–480 V AC and 0–690 V DC.
Its most useful feature on South African installations is two-handed low-impedance mode. Below 250 V it presents an impedance under 6 kΩ, which deliberately loads the circuit and collapses any capacitively coupled ghost voltage picked up from adjacent live cables in shared conduit. A reading that survives that load is a real supply; one that vanishes was never there. It also performs continuity testing with an audible tone, indicates DC polarity on separate LEDs, and runs a phase rotation check for three-phase motor circuits — and the voltage function works even with flat batteries.
- AC voltage0 to 480 V AC
- DC voltage0 to 690 V DC
- Indicated steps6, 12, 24, 50, 230, 400, 690 V
- Continuity0 to 200 kΩ
- Low-impedance mode12–250 V, <6 kΩ
- Safety ratingCAT III 600 V / CAT IV 600 V
- ProtectionIP64 double-moulded housing
Extech DVA30
Non-contact AC Voltage and Current Detector
Almost every non-contact detector senses voltage only, which means it goes quiet exactly where you most need it: inside steel conduit, behind a metal distribution enclosure, or on armoured cable, because the screen shorts the electric field to earth. The DVA30 adds a second sensor that responds to the magnetic field produced by current flow — and magnetic fields pass through those same screens.
In practice this is what lets you follow a loaded circuit through a concrete slab, trace a cable run behind plaster, confirm which conduit in a bank is carrying the load, or verify that a supposedly isolated feeder really has no current on it. Voltage detection covers 12 V to 600 V AC and current detection spans 200 mA up to 1000 A, with a sensitivity control so you can raise the trigger threshold to ignore neighbouring circuits or lower it to pick up an HVAC control signal. Bandwidth runs to 500 Hz, which covers inverter and variable-speed-drive output as well as 50 Hz mains.
- Voltage detection12 to 600 V AC
- Current detection200 mA to 1000 A AC
- Frequency bandwidth50 to 500 Hz
- Sensitivity adjustmentYes
- IndicationBeeper and flashing LED
- Supplied with4 × LR44 cells, pocket clip
Extech CB10-KIT
Electrical Troubleshooting Kit
A service call rarely needs one instrument. It needs to establish which breaker feeds the dead socket, then confirm the cable between them is continuous, then prove the conductor is dead before anyone opens it. The CB10-KIT packages the three tools for that sequence into one case.
The CB10 is a transmitter and receiver pair: plug the transmitter into the outlet, sweep the receiver across the board, and it indicates on the breaker carrying the coded signal, with a sensitivity control to separate adjacent breakers that respond weakly. It doubles as an outlet tester, using six LED patterns to identify open earth, open neutral, reversed polarity and other wiring faults, plus a push-button earth-leakage trip test. The CT20 traces and identifies wiring with a bright flashing LED and a loud pulsating beeper, and its remote probe lets one person identify up to three cables without a second pair of hands at the far end. The DV20 handles non-contact proving from 100 V to 600 V AC with a built-in LED torch for dark risers and ceiling voids.
SA note: the CB10 breaker-finder function is rated for 110–125 V AC circuits. The CT20 and DV20 in this kit are supply-independent and work normally on 230 V installations.
- Tools includedCB10, CT20, DV20
- Functions5 across 3 instruments
- Breaker finder range110 to 125 V AC
- Outlet fault conditions6 identified by LED
- Voltage detection (DV20)100 to 600 V AC
- Supplied inStorage / carry case
Extech CT70
GFCI and AC Circuit Analyzer — outlet load testing
An unloaded voltmeter reading at a socket outlet tells you almost nothing about whether the circuit can actually supply a load. A corroded terminal, an undersized conductor on a long run or a loose neutral will all read a perfectly healthy 230 V open-circuit — and then drop the voltage the moment a real load is connected, which is when the motor stalls or the equipment resets.
The CT70 settles that by applying a switchable 12 A, 15 A or 20 A load and measuring what happens. It reports loaded and unloaded line voltage, calculates percentage voltage drop and line impedance, and displays peak line voltage and frequency. On the fault-detection side it measures neutral-to-earth voltage and separate hot, neutral and earth impedance — which is how you isolate which conductor carries the high-resistance joint rather than just knowing one of them does — and it times earth-leakage trip time and trip current, and flags open or reversed wiring.
SA note: measures 90–240 V AC so the electronics cover 230 V, but the supplied test cord has a North American three-pin plug. A SANS 164 adapter or re-terminated lead is required.
- AC voltage90.0 to 240.0 V
- Selectable test loads12, 15 and 20 A
- Frequency45.0 to 65.0 Hz
- Peak line voltageto 350.0 V
- Voltage drop0.1 to 99.9 %
- Also measuresTrip time, trip current, N-E voltage
Extech 40180
Tone Generator and Amplifier Probe Circuit Finder Kit
When a bundle of unlabelled conductors arrives at a board or patch panel, no measurement instrument will tell you which is which — you need to mark one end and find that mark at the other. A tone generator does exactly that: it injects an audible signal onto a chosen pair, and the inductive amplifier probe picks that signal out of the bundle without you having to strip or short anything.
The 40180 outputs an approximate 1 kHz, 6 V square wave, which is coarse enough to carry along a run and distinctive enough to hear over ambient interference. The probe tip is insulated so it cannot short adjacent conductors if it slips — a meaningful safety detail when probing into a live panel. Beyond wire tracing the kit performs continuity testing, clear, busy and ringing line tests and tip or ring identification, which makes it as useful on structured cabling and telecoms as on power circuits. Alligator clips plus RJ45 and RJ11 modular connectors, a 9 V battery and a case are included.
- Tone output1 kHz, 6 V square wave (approx.)
- Probe tipInsulated inductive
- FunctionsTrace, continuity, line test, tip/ring ID
- ConnectorsAlligator clips, RJ45, RJ11
- Supplied with9 V battery and case
Wall Scanner 3-Way Detector (D45)
Live cable, metal and stud detector — 30 cm depth
The most common cause of an electrical incident during building work is not a testing error — it is a drill or a chase cut into a buried cable that nobody knew was there. A three-way scanner is the pre-work check that prevents it.
The D45 detects live electrical cable, ferrous and non-ferrous metal such as pipework and conduit, and the position of timber or steel studs, to a depth of 30 cm with an indication accuracy of ±15 mm. That combination matters because the three hazards behind a wall need different sensing methods, and a single-mode stud finder will happily walk straight past a live cable. Automatic calibration on start-up removes the guesswork of manual zeroing, and automatic shutdown protects a claimed 50-hour battery life. It is the sensible companion to a voltage tester on renovation, shopfitting and reticulation work.
- DetectsLive cable, metal, wood/metal studs
- Detection depth30 cm
- Indication accuracy±15 mm
- CalibrationAutomatic
- Battery lifeApprox. 50 hours
- SKUP06237902
The complete Extech electrical tester range
Ecotao can supply any current model from Extech's electrical tools catalogue. The table below lists the full range with the specification that most often decides the choice. Models not shown as featured products above are supplied to order — contact us with the model number for lead time and pricing.
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| Model | Type | Key specification | Typical application |
|---|---|---|---|
| VT30 | Two-pole voltage tester | 0–480 V AC / 0–690 V DC, CAT III & IV 600 V, IP64 | Proving dead before work; ghost-voltage suppression via low-impedance mode |
| DV25 | Non-contact voltage detector | 24–1000 V AC or 100–1000 V AC, switched dual range | General electrical work spanning both control wiring and mains |
| DV30 | Non-contact voltage detector | 12–600 V AC, adjustable sensitivity, CAT III 600 V | Isolating one live conductor within a bundle or loom |
| DVA30 | Voltage and current detector | 12–600 V AC and 200 mA–1000 A, 50–500 Hz | Tracing loaded circuits through conduit, armour, concrete and enclosures |
| DV690 | High-voltage proximity detector | 100 V AC – 69 kV AC, >106 dB alarm, 1.2 m drop rated | Utility, substation, storm restoration, telecoms and public safety crews |
| CT20 | Continuity tester / wire tracer | Runs to 3000 m of 26 AWG or heavier; 85 dB beeper | Single-person identification of up to three cables across separate rooms |
| CB10 | Circuit breaker finder / outlet tester | 110–125 V AC circuits, variable sensitivity, 6 fault LEDs | Matching a socket outlet to its breaker; outlet wiring verification |
| CB10-KIT | Electrical troubleshooting kit | CB10 + CT20 + DV20, five functions, carry case | General service and maintenance call-outs |
| CT70 | GFCI and AC circuit analyser | 90–240 V AC, 12/15/20 A selectable load, impedance and trip timing | Diagnosing voltage drop, high-resistance joints and earth-leakage performance |
| 40180 | Tone generator and probe kit | 1 kHz, 6 V square wave; insulated inductive probe | Identifying unlabelled power, data and telecoms conductors |
| CLT600 | Advanced cable locator and tracer kit | Non-contact voltage technology, coded signals, integrated worklights | Locating hidden power and telecom cable; wiring diagnostics and verification |
| PRT200 | Non-contact phase sequence tester | 75–1000 V AC, 45–65 Hz, CAT IV 600 V, 33 mm jaw | Confirming phase order over insulated cable without exposing conductors |
| 480403 | Motor rotation and 3-phase tester | 40–600 V AC, 2–400 Hz, motor rotation plus phase sequence | Verifying motor direction before energising pumps, fans and conveyors |
| 480400 | Phase sequence tester | 40–600 V AC, 15–400 Hz, graphical LCD, no battery required | Phase order checks on switchboards and generator changeover panels |
| EX505A-K | Industrial multimeter kit | EX505A (IP67, CAT IV 600 V, 6000 count) + DV25 + TL808 leads | Industrial electrical troubleshooting where one kit must cover everything |
| D45 | 3-way wall scanner | 30 cm depth, ±15 mm accuracy, auto calibration | Locating buried cable, pipe and studs before drilling or chasing |
Electrical testing in South Africa: what the local context changes
SANS 10142-1 and verification
South African installations are governed by SANS 10142-1, the wiring code, and a registered person issuing a Certificate of Compliance must verify the installation before signing. In practice that verification chain runs through the same instrument families listed on this page: continuity of protective conductors, insulation resistance, polarity, earth fault loop impedance and earth leakage operation. General-purpose testers such as the VT30 handle the polarity, continuity and voltage steps; the dedicated tests are covered by our insulation testers and earth resistance testers.
Backup power, inverters and changeover panels
Load shedding has left a large installed base of inverter, hybrid and generator backup systems in South African homes and businesses, and it has changed what testers need to do. Two consequences matter. First, a changeover point can be energised from the backup source while the utility supply is off, so the main switch position is no longer a reliable proxy for dead — prove at the point of work with a two-pole tester. Second, many lower-cost inverters produce a modified or stepped waveform, so RMS voltage and current measurements need a true-RMS instrument to avoid a low reading, and detectors benefit from a wide frequency bandwidth of the kind the DVA30 provides.
Three-phase rotation on agricultural and industrial plant
Three-phase 400 V supply is standard on farms, packhouses, boreholes, cold stores and processing plant across the Western Cape and inland. Phase sequence checking is not optional on this equipment: a centrifugal or borehole pump run backwards can damage the impeller within seconds, and a compressor or conveyor driven the wrong way can fail before anyone reaches the isolator. Confirm supply sequence with a PRT200, 480400 or 480403 before energising, and re-check after any changeover panel, generator connection or board rewire — those are precisely the events that reverse a rotation nobody thought to re-verify.
Coastal corrosion and enclosure ratings
Instruments used along the Cape coastline, in fishing harbours, on abalone and aquaculture farms and in food processing plants live in salt-laden, wash-down environments. An IP-rated, double-moulded instrument such as the IP64 VT30 or the IP67 EX505A survives conditions that will corrode the contacts of an unsealed tester within a season. Where an instrument will be used in wash-down areas, specify the sealed variant rather than the cheaper open-case equivalent.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a non-contact voltage detector and a two-pole voltage tester?
A non-contact detector such as the DV25 or DV30 senses the capacitive field around a live conductor through its insulation. It answers one question quickly: is something energised nearby. It cannot report an actual voltage, it cannot distinguish an induced ghost voltage on a disconnected cable from a genuine supply, and it can be defeated by screened cable or metal trunking. A two-pole tester such as the VT30 makes contact with two points in the circuit and displays a measured value, and its low-impedance mode deliberately draws a small current that collapses induced voltages so a false reading cannot survive. Use the non-contact detector for a first sweep, and the two-pole tester to prove dead before you work.
Which CAT rating do I need for electrical testing in South Africa?
The CAT rating describes how much transient energy an instrument can absorb without flashing over, and the requirement rises as you move upstream toward the supply. CAT II covers appliances and socket-outlet circuits, CAT III covers distribution boards, fixed wiring, busbars and three-phase motor circuits, and CAT IV covers the origin of the installation, service cable, metering position and overhead lines. For typical South African installation and maintenance work at a 230 V distribution board, choose at least CAT III 600 V. For work at the supply point, choose CAT IV 600 V. The VT30 carries both CAT III 600 V and CAT IV 600 V; the PRT200 is CAT IV 600 V.
Are Extech electrical testers suitable for 230 V 50 Hz South African supply?
Most of the range is. The VT30, DV25, DV30, DVA30, DV690, CT20, CLT600, 40180, PRT200, 480400 and 480403 all cover voltages and frequencies that include the South African 230 V single-phase and 400 V three-phase 50 Hz supply. Two items are designed around North American practice and need to be specified deliberately: the CB10 circuit breaker finder is rated for 110–125 V AC circuits, and the CT70 circuit analyser ships with a North American three-pin test cord. Tell us the supply you are testing when you enquire and we will confirm suitability or recommend an equivalent before you order.
How do I check motor rotation direction before starting a three-phase motor?
Work in two stages. First confirm the supply phase sequence at the isolator or starter with a phase sequence tester such as the PRT200, 480400 or 480403, which shows whether the incoming phases are in clockwise or anticlockwise order and whether each phase is live. Then, with the motor isolated and disconnected from the supply, connect the 480403 to the motor terminals and turn the shaft by hand: the residual voltage generated by the windings tells the instrument which way the motor will run when energised in that connection order. Matching the two results before you close the starter is what stops a pump, fan or conveyor running backwards on first start.
What causes a ghost voltage reading and how do I get rid of it?
A ghost or phantom voltage is capacitive coupling between a de-energised conductor and a live conductor running alongside it in the same conduit or multicore cable. A high-impedance instrument draws almost no current, so the coupled charge is never drained and the display shows a voltage that is real but carries no meaningful energy. The fix is a low-impedance measurement: the VT30 provides a 12–250 V AC or DC low-impedance mode below 6 kΩ that loads the circuit enough to collapse a coupled voltage while leaving a genuine supply unaffected. If the reading disappears under load, it was a ghost.
How do I find which circuit breaker feeds a particular socket outlet?
Use a circuit identifier — a transmitter and receiver pair. The transmitter plugs into the socket and injects a coded signal onto the circuit; you sweep the receiver across the distribution board and it indicates on the breaker carrying that signal, with a sensitivity control to narrow the response when adjacent breakers respond weakly. The Extech CB10 does this and also tests outlet wiring, and it is included in the CB10-KIT alongside a continuity tester and voltage detector. Note that the CB10 is rated for 110–125 V AC circuits, so confirm suitability with us for a 230 V South African board before ordering.
Can I test an inverter or generator supply with the same instruments?
Yes, with two cautions that matter for the backup installations now common in South Africa. First, many low-cost inverters produce a modified or stepped waveform rather than a sine wave, so any RMS voltage or current measurement must be made with a true-RMS instrument or the reading will be low. Second, a changeover point can be live from the inverter even when the utility supply is off, so prove dead at the point of work rather than relying on the main switch position. Non-contact detectors including the DVA30 respond over a 50–500 Hz bandwidth, which covers inverter output as well as mains, and phase sequence should be re-checked after any changeover panel is installed because a rewired changeover can reverse rotation on three-phase loads.
Does Ecotao supply electrical testers outside Cape Town?
Yes. Ecotao Enterprises is based at 39 Olienhout Avenue, Plattekloof, Cape Town, and delivers throughout South Africa as well as to neighbouring countries including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini. Contact the head office on +27 21 911 5835, Zak on 086 142 8716 or Zaid on 082 390 3989, or email sales@ecotao.co.za with the model and quantity you need.
Not sure which tester fits your application?
Tell us what you are testing — supply voltage, single or three phase, and whether the work is installation, maintenance or fault-finding — and we will recommend the right instrument and confirm lead time before you commit to an order.