How to turn on your Safeguard COMPASS®
When it comes to turning your Safeguard COMPASS® “on” and verifying that it is “on,” the first thing we need to realize is that it’s a passive device. When the device is turned on, it’s designed to be hunting for those electric fields perpetually and will not produce signals or alerts until it senses an electric field.
To turn the device on, press the center button until you hear an audible noise and see flashing lights. By turning it on, you wake up those sensors.
To determine whether the COMPASS® device is on or not, you can test in two different ways:
- Take the device into a known electrical field (i.e.. Hold it up to an electrical outlet).
- Rub the device against your clothing to create an electric field via static.
If you do not see any lights or hear any audible alarms, it is confirmed that the sensing circuit is not on.
You might think of this as a Live-Dead-Live Test, where before any kind of voltage detection is used, it’s proper operations must first be verified on a known, live source. LDL testing is mandated by OSHA when voltages are above 600 volts. It is also required by the NFPA 70E in Section 110.4(A)(5), Operation Verification, as well as Section 120.1(5), Verification of an Electrically Safe Work Condition.
Please note: Any voltage detector on the market could fail. IF your COMPASS® unit detects any sort of internal failure, the self-test mode will alert you by indicating a green flashing light on the far left and a red flashing light on the far right. Though this is extremely rare, please contact Safeguard Equipment immediately for a replacement.