Mains safety, was: Setting up a VAXstation

[der Mouse]

> More seriously, I see no reason why a voltmeter (analuge, digital,
> whatever), used correctly -- test a known live point, test the wiring
> you want to work on, test a known live point again -- is any less
> safe than any other method of determining that wiring is dead.

A method (eg, neon-bulb indicators) that does not require continuity to
the possibly-live circuit is somewhat safer, because it cannot produce
a false dead indication due to bad contact between the probe and the
conductor, since there is no contact with the conductor.

No, this isn't a particularly likely failure mode, but the price of a
false dead indication is, potentially, quite high.

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