i-AVT (Absence of Voltage Tester)
Verifying De-Energization – a New, Safer and Quicker Approach. .
When servicing electrical equipment, workers must comply with safety
regulations where qualified personnel must establish an electrically safe work
condition before work can commence on an electrical panel.
The i-AVT (Absence of Voltage Tester) is a simple, fail-safe and intuitive product
that ensures positive indication that current carrying conductors
and circuit parts are de-energized and completes this task safely and quickly.
18.3% of facilities experienced personal injury and 11.7% experienced interruptions of operations, while using hand-held
voltage testers.1
The i-AVT allows qualified personnel to verify that current carrying conductors are de-energized without opening the door to
the electrical cabinet, eliminating the safety risk related to using hand-held voltage testers..
The i-AVT provides the following
indications:
•
•
•
Positive indication of presence of voltage
Positive indication of absence of voltage
Positive indication of loss of phase
Figure 1. Typical Application
The i-AVT is mounted on the load side of a disconnect switch.
•
The i-AVT has two leads for each phase and two leads for ground.
•
The i-AVT provides a visual indicator to confirm the absence of voltage and the visual indication is green
•
The i-AVT has a supervisory circuit to ensure that the tester is functioning properly before and after the AVT performs
voltage measurements.
•
If a phase conductor is connected to ground or a ground conductor is connected to phase, the green lights will not
illuminate.
•
The i-AVT visual indicators will not illuminate green unless the phase conductors and ground leads are in direct contact
with the circuit conductors being tested.
1 H.L Floyd and B.J Nenninger, “Personnel Safety and Plant Reliability Considerations in the Selection and Use of Voltage Test Instruments”, IEEE Transactions on
Industry Applications, vol.33, no. 2, pp. 367-373, 1997
Phone: 905-673-1553
Toll Free: 1-888-737-4787
Fax: 905-673-8472
support@i-gard.com
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What Happens Once The Test Button is Pressed?
Supervisory circuit verifies
the phase voltage lights
are off
Supervisory circuit verifies
the sensor leads are
connected
Supervisory circuit verifies
that the energy level on
the bus is low enough to
conduct the test
Supervisory circuit verifies
that the voltage source is
sufficient to conduct the
test
Test to verify that AC
voltage is less than 3 Volts,
phase to phase and phase
to ground
Conduct connectivity
check to ensure all cables
are connected correctly
Test to verify that DC
voltage is less than 3 Volts,
phase to phase and phase
to ground
Conduct connectivity
check to ensure all cables
are connected correctly
Test to verify that AC
voltage is less than 3 Volts,
phase to phase and phase
to ground
Conduct connectivity
check to ensure all cables
are connected correctly
Test to verify that DC
voltage is less than 3 Volts,
phase to phase and phase
to ground
Conduct connectivity
check to ensure all cables
are connected correctly
Supervisory circuit
validates that the tester is
functioning satisfactorily
after completing absence
of voltage test
Visually Indicate results of
absence of voltage test
Green LED’s solid for 5
seconds indicates that there
is no hazardous voltage
present and it is safe to open
the electrical panel.
If the test fails, the Amber lights will
remain illuminated advising to test
again or troubleshoot the situation.
Phone: 905-673-1553
Toll Free: 1-888-737-4787
Fax: 905-673-8472
support@i-gard.com
www.i-gar
NFPA 70E – Evolution of a Safety Standard.
Article 120 Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
120.5 Verification of an Electrically Safe Work Condition:
2018
(7) Use an adequately rated test instrument to test each phase conductor or
circuit part to verify it is de-energized. Test each phase conductor or circuit part
both phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground. Before and after each test, determine
that the test instrument is operating satisfactorily through verification on a
known voltage source.
120.5 Verification of an Electrically Safe Work Condition:
7) Use an adequately rated test instrument to test each phase conductor or circuit
part to test for the absence of voltage. Test each phase conductor or circuit part
both phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground. Before and after each test, determine
that the test instrument is operating satisfactorily through verification on a known
voltage source.
Exception No 1: An adequately rated permanently mounted absence of voltage
tester shall be permitted to be used to verify the absence of voltage…
Article 120 Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
120.6 Verification of an Electrically Safe Work Condition:
(7) Use an adequately rated test instrument to test each phase conductor or
circuit part at each point of work to test for the absence of voltage. Test each
phase conductor or circuit part both phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground.
Before and after each test, determine that the test instrument is operating
satisfactorily through verification on a known voltage source.
2024
This Exception allowed for the use of
voltage test ports.
Exception No 1: An adequately rated permanently mounted test device shall be
permitted to be used to verify the absence of voltage…
Article 120 Establishing an Electrically Safe Work Condition
2021
Added an Exception to Rule 7, that
allowed for permanently mounted
test devices to be used to conduct
the verification test.
Rule 7 was updated and the term
“verify it is de-energized” was changed
to “test for the absence of voltage”
The Exception was also changed and
the new requirement indicated that
you must use a listed absence of
voltage tester to test for the absence
of voltage.
These changes eliminated the option
to use voltage test ports.
Updated Rule 7 to include the
requirement to test “at each point of
work”, which was always a requirement
in the Exception.
This clarification reinforces that position
that you cannot use a voltage test port
which tests at a point remote from the
phase conductors or circuit parts and
not at the point of work.
In What Way is an Absence of Voltage Tester Different from a
Voltage Test Port?
The major difference between a voltage test port and an absence of
voltage tester are design, functionality and certification standards.
A voltage test port is a test device that is designed and tested to UL
61010 and the purpose is to measure voltage.
An absence of voltage tester is designed and tested to UL 1436 and the
purpose is to verify the absence of voltage, and UL contains multiple
design and test clauses that a voltage test port does not comply with.
The i-AVT comes in 2 models:
I-AVT
Standard control enclosure and display module
I-AVT-R
Smaller control enclosure, power source rechargeable via USB-C port on display module
Certification
CSA STD 22.2 #160
Certification
CSA Voltage and Polarity Testers
UL 1436
UL Standard for Outlet Circuit Testers and Similar Indicating Devices
IEC 61508
IEC 61326-3-1 EMC Requirements
IEC 61000-4-5 EMC Surge Immunity
UL 61010 - 1 Transient Overvoltage Test
UL 61010-2-030 Safety Requirment for
Electrical Equipment for Measurement
UL 746 Flammability and Impact Test
IEC Functional Safety Standard
IEC Electrical Equipment for Measurement and Control
IEC Standard for Electrostatic Discharge
UL Electrical Equipment for Measurement and Control
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Toll Free: 1-888-737-4787
UL Electrical Equipment for Measurement and Control
UL Standard for Polymeric Enclosures
Fax: 905-673-8472
support@i-gard.com
www.i-gar
Cost Justification of AVT Technology
In addition to removing personnel from the inherent risk of conducting a live-dead-live test with the
door to the electrical cabinet open, using AVT technology also saves time and money.
Voltage
Indicator
Capital Expenditures
Number of units
Cost per unit
Total Capital Costs
Voltage Test
Absence of
Station
Voltage Tester
1
1
$ 200.00
$ 350.00
$ 450.00
dollars*
$ 200.00
$ 350.00
$ 450.00
dollars
Installation Costs
Time to install a unit in minutes
Labor Rate (installer)
Hourly rate for person performing the i-AVT
installation.
30
30
45
$100.00
$100.00
$100.00
Total Installation Cost
$50.00
$50.00
$75.00
Productivity Savings
Time Required to Complete Absence of Voltage Test
Labor Rate (tester)
Hourly rate for qualified worker performing test with
handheld tester.
Cost per Test
30
20
0.167
$ 100.00
$50.00
$ 100.00
$33.33
$ 100.00
$0.28
Total Installed Costs
Cost per Test
$250.00
$50.00
$400.00
$33.33
$525.00
$0.28
How Many Tests until the AVT is more Cost
Effective than a Voltage Indicator
How Many Tests until the AVT is more Cost
Effective than a Voltage Test Station
Phone: 905-673-1553
Toll Free: 1-888-737-4787
Fax: 905-673-8472
support@i-gard.com
units*
1
5.5
3.8
www.i-gar
minutes*
dollars/hour*