Earth Leakage Detector

An earth leakage detector is a special type of detector which is meant to detect the leakage of ‘ground’ or ‘earth’ from an electrical circuit. The earth leakage detector can be installed as part of an electrical circuit which allows for it to monitor the unbalanced flow of electricity via load bearing conductors. These conductors can pass right through an aperture within the case but no electrical connection is made. However, a detector works best in circuits other than what are classified as ‘mains’ if the unbalanced current reaches around 30mA it will trip the built in relays and allow for the circuit to de-energize and light up a warning light.

There are various types of earth leakage detector which can be broadly classified as:

Sensor type detectors – These are installed directly on to the circuit.
External detectors – These types of detectors can be connected directly to the circuit to determine if there is a leak.
Heavy duty detectors – These are excellent detectors for high tension circuits, usually the mains line where there are thousands of watts of electricity passing though a circuit.

How to buy an earth leakage detector?

The easiest way to purchase an earth leakage detector is to first find out how the detector will be used i.e. will it be a permanent part of the circuit or will you use it to diagnose numerous different circuits? Detectors which are built into a circuit are often low voltage sensors which cannot be made a part of the mains circuit, the good thing about sensors is they continue to monitor a circuit for leaks. External detectors are usually used for diagnostic purposes by electricians assigned the task to detect leaks.

Where can you purchase an earth leakage detector from?

There are numerous places from where you can purchase an earth leakage detector from which also includes a nearby electronics store such as RadioShack. In addition there are also many mail order companies that sell detectors, both at wholesale and retail rates. However, if you are looking for a discount you are better off purchasing your detectors online. There are numerous stores that sell detectors and will offer you a significant discount on bulk purchases, plus the detectors will be delivered to your doorstep. But you always need to make sure that the detectors you purchase are backed by a good warranty.

How much will an earth leakage detector cost?

The price of an earth leakage detector will vary depending on the type of detector you want to purchase. Probably the cheapest detectors are ones which are commonly referred to as sensors and are connected in series to an electrical circuit. In addition more sophisticated detectors will also set off an alarm as well as tell you exactly how much electricity is leaking through. The price of a detector can range anywhere from $30 to $300. In addition detectors which are made in China are cheaper but have a much shorter usage life owing to their build quality.