Milwaukee launched a new non-contact voltage detector, 2225-20, and it also features a built-in laser-aimed infrared thermometer.
The new Milwaukee non-contact voltage detector has a CAT IV safety rating and can detect AC voltages between 12V and 1000V.
Product images showing green and orange LED lights for signaling whether live wiring is detected, and the tool also has an audible indicator.
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The IR thermometer has a measurement range of -22° to 482°F. It features a backlit LCD display and red laser for pinpointing the area being tested.
There are no details regarding IR thermometer spot size ratio, but given the nature of the tool, it’s best to assume it’s meant for short-distance measurements.
The non-contact voltage detector is powered by 2x AAA batteries, and has a quarter-turn end cap for quick and easy battery changes.
It also has a durable-looking belt clip.
Price: $45
Discussion
The new voltage detector and IR thermometer seems particularly useful for HVAC work and troubleshooting.
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Looking for something different? Milwaukee put together an updated chart for comparing their various non-contact voltage detectors.
Jared
I didn’t know voltage detectors with built-in IR thermometers was a thing. That’s neat!
I don’t need something like this professionally, but I could see swapping out the voltage detector in my tool bag with one of these just to have an IR thermometer handy. I have standalone thermometers, but they’re in a pistol grip format and much too large for me to bother hauling around given how irregularly I use them.
Mark
I like (and trust) the dual range Kleins but this looks pretty nice. It does seem a little strange that they wouldn’t give you the ability to switch between two ranges given that it has the broad detection capability. Maybe that adds a few more pennies of components.
James
I also « trust » the Klein and have sworn to stick with it after getting zapped twice (well zapped once with 220 and then blowing up my side cutters on a second hot water heater 5 minutes later) because my Fluke gave me a false negative.
I do think the IR in a small device like this as Jared mentions is a super idea. Reminds me that I’ve been considering a mini multimeter for quite some time but could never decide on a brand / model.
JR Ramos
I emailed them about this a couple weeks ago asking for the tech specs on temp accuracy and if it was the usual 1:12 ratio – they told me they didn’t have that information. Looks like this is a throwaway tool for spot checking air handlers and registers…smaller than a gun but still rather bulky for a pouch or pocket. I’d rather have my gun with 9v battery and not worry about the voltage drop with 2AAA. This would have been a good candidate for a built-in lithium cell…charge it on the drive and never wonder if readings or function is off due to low battery voltage.
Also, I have zero trust in any of Milwaukee’s plastic clips anymore, even if this one looks beefed up. Pass.
Personal opinion, but married with the recent “why are they successful” editorial, I think this is one category that Milwaukee just needs to stay the hell out of, or do it better.
James
I was also surprised about the 2x AAA…..I guess it’s the standard for non contact voltage detectors. I’ve never tried a Milwaukee one and most likely never will as much as a fanboy as I am.
Travis
I would definitely give one a try. Always looking to reduce the number of tools in my bag. That would probably do the job for me.
Geoff
Ignorant question here: what is an IR thermometer used for in the trades? And why does it make sense to pair with a non contact V meter?
James
I use it for verifying incoming water temperature to verify equipment readings are accurate. Occasionally also to check heat buildup in pumps of mechanical components..
This is a much smaller footprint than most IR thermometers which I think is the big advantage, in particular for HVAC techs to be able to throw a couple tools in a small pouch or pocket and be able to do service / diagnosis.
Because I don’t trust anyone but Klein for non contact voltage detection, I’ll stay away. I also find it a little bit pricey.
Stuart
Lots of things.
Generally speaking, temperature measurements can indicate fault conditions.
For example, HVAC techs will often look at temperature differentials to help with troubleshooting.
IR/non contact temperature readings can be less accurate if one doesn’t pay close attention to the area being tested, but it’s quick and can measure things like uninsulated ductwork that’s out of reach.
JR Ramos
Maybe not this particular model, but temp readings are also helpful for identifying hot bearings /motor housings, the operation of fluid valves (temp differential in piping), etc. One of our electricians used it to help confirm a wonky breaker and our paint guy was actually using one for a special outdoor coating that needed to be applied above 50F (not sure how effective it is on opaque liquids but he used it on the open buckets of paint as well as nearby surfaces). IT guy was using one on an iMac he was trying to diagnose and refurbish and it helped him find a defective chip (he ended up buying a nice thermal cam instead).
Two problems with all these cheap IR thermometer units are the accuracy and the distance at which they can be reasonably accurate.
Most have a pretty generous +/- specification for the temp reading and it can be as much as 12-15 degrees F in cheap models (I think most are closer to around 8-10 in the specs but in practice are more accurate in “ideal” scenarios and with good battery voltage). If better accuracy is needed then you buy a more precise model, maybe use a K coupler on a DMM, or a good old bi-metal or mercury thermometer probe (in order of least to most accuracy there). This puts them in a rough “good enough” range of indication for most things.
Compounding the accuracy is the emissivity of the surface, and many full sized guns will have an adjustment for this. Transparent, reflective, or high gloss surfaces can throw off the readings (sometimes wildly) so sometimes choosing the spot you measure or perhaps adding some flat black tape or a swipe of flat paint will help (useful for repeat measurements, like pumps and motors and such)…not uncommon to see little patches of tape or berlin black on machinery that sees this maintenance step. If the tool can’t adjust for emissivity then you need to be aware of it.
Further compounding things is that the IR beam is conical like a flashlight, not straight/parallel like a good laser beam. So the further from the emitter, the larger the spot gets. Generally it’s hard to be accurate with a large spot and most of these specify a somewhat small area of accuracy. You see this listed as a ratio on the tool labels. 12:1 is the most common for these cheap models….12″ away and the spot will be around 1″ diameter. For these rough checks or large surfaces that’s usually fine, but in Stuart’s example of out of reach duct you may still want to be up on a ladder to put it closer anyway (even more important on a curved surface compared to flat). Trying to read something on a 16 or 20 foot ceiling from the floor is folly. More expensive models may keep this 12:1 ratio but some do much better. But generally the closer you can be, the smaller the IR spot, the better confidence you can have in the reading within the specs of the tool. These should never be considered precise and repeatably precise, though.
Combining it with NCV…..seems most handy for low voltage work like swapping thermostats and small control valves where accidental powered work can sometimes ruin expensive things. I can see it being handy for gate motors, too.
Personally I want a meter for AC work because I’ve seen the Kleins and Flukes fail (and they had a giant recall for one model not many years ago), but if you use a NCV pen then get in the habit of keeping the battery fresh and testing it occasionally in conjunction with a meter you trust. I have a Fluke that one of our electricians gave me because he chose to stop using them (he had a pop and stopped trusting them, went back to a meter but also had some other Fluke tools with NCV in some big testing kit that he did trust).
Ezzy
Nice to see the screw down endcap. After having issues with the clip on caps on multiple Klein voltage detectors I was thrilled when Klein started switching all theirs to screw down caps within the past few years. Never had one fail since. I’ll only buy screw down cap voltage detectors now.
Alex
It looks like a direct copy of the Klein that has the same features, only difference is the LED colors and branding, of course. I’ve had mine for over a year (Klein) and it’s been great. I think I paid about half of what this one is asking.
S
This is a nice addition, though I definitely like the klein version a lot better with the sensitivity indication read-out to allow me to make the judgement call, instead of trusting the dual range to make it for me.
I can see how it’d be a valuable tool for HVAC, less so on the electrical side.
I used to exclusively use the 2220-20 version, because it was more compact. It actually read better and more consistently than many of the klein or fluke products, as long it wasn’t dropped a hundred times.
After getting beaten up on the job, they generally started having issues turning on, but rarely had a readout issue.
Of course, the whole non-contact sensing circuitry is based mostly in a combination of voodoo and high level electrical engineering, so there were times it didn’t work when the planets weren’t aligned, but it was far fewer than other testers I’ve used.
eddiesky
Dear Milwaukee, please use e-Ink or OLED display and not LCD that needs certain angle to read. Do that and this is ideal to have in my electrical pouch.
CMF
Another cool tool from Milwaukee.
Is it just me or do others also feel they are getting pricey with many items.