Join us as we answer three key questions about our new insulated screwdriver, the Defender, and learn how its VDE certification works to keep you safe during use.
It has been a (very) long road for our brand-new product, the Defender 6-in-1 Insulated Multi-Bit Screwdriver, but it is finally here. Upon arrival, it makes a splash as only the 2nd certified insulated multi-bit driver available on the market (for frame of reference think Coke vs. Pepsi, if Pepsi had a superior retractable bit cartridge). As it is with all Megapro drivers, the Defender boasts unique features that improve function and productivity on the job, but the most important feature of this driver is that it’s VDE certified to be safe for use up to 1000V.
Now because you’re all so curious about what that means, how it works etc. etc., we’ve gone ahead and answered your three most asked questions below with some information that sums up why we made this driver and why it deserves a spot in your tool bag.
What is VDE Certification?
VDE certification is a mark given by the VDE institute (a science and technology organization based out of Germany but recognized worldwide) that assures products have been rigorously tested and approved to be safe for use in the advertised conditions. The institute has been in operation for over 100 years so you can rest assured they absolutely know their stuff when it comes to determining if a product meets the high safety standards needed for certification.
In the case of our Defender driver, both the handle and driver bits were tested over the course of two months to gain that all-important certification mark. This is a symbol of assurance that our Defender driver is rated for use in live electrical environments (up to 1000V) When choosing an insulated screwdriver, it’s IMPORTANT to choose one that can back up that claim with proof. That’s why we’ve made your choice easy by getting some of the best proof we can muster: a mark of VDE Certification.
How does certification work?
The certification process has several steps that must be taken before a VDE mark can be granted to a product. The first few are basically what you’d expect, application for certification and review of documents, technical specifications etc. Not that exciting, but necessary. The next step is the fun stuff! The actual testing of the products. This is done in a variety of ways that expose the product to different extreme conditions to confirm that the product insulates the user and will continue to insulate the user down the road. These tests include:
- A voltage test that has the product submerged in water for 24 hours, after which it is exposed to 10,000V for about three minutes. If there are no sparks during those three minutes, the test is passed.
- A cold shock test that makes sure the insulated material on the product won’t break after impact in -13° F (-25° C) conditions.
- A combustion test where (you guessed it) the product is exposed to flame. If the flame extinguishes within 10 seconds, the test is passed.
- An adhesion test where the product’s insulated material is tested to make sure it stays together in high heat (158° F, 70° C) and force (500 N) after 168 hours of exposure.
- A pressure test where the product is put under 20 N of pressure with a test voltage of 5000V at 158° F. If no electrical discharge occurs, the test is passed.
Even after a product has passed these tests, the certification process still takes extra steps to ensure consistency in manufacturing, such as factory visits and regular audits. This is to make sure the company is still making the product the same way that granted the VDE certification in the first place.
This process is a rigorous one, that makes sure VDE certification is only granted to insulated tools that meet the highest of safety standards. For us, there was no other certification to get for the Defender driver. The certification had to match the quality and care we put into the manufacturing of our screwdrivers, because that’s what we aim to provide every day for our customers, especially when it involves their safety.
Why insulated?
We’ve been working to bring this screwdriver to market for years, because we knew we wanted to add to the benefits of using Megapro screwdrivers:
1: Unique functionality that improves your efficiency.
2: Quality that makes our drivers a joy to use.
3: And now…Safety in electrical environments
That’s the simple and most obvious answer to why we made an insulated driver and why you want an insulated driver. Safety. Safety first and foremost and at all times.
Now, when it comes to your safety, we still recommend not working in live electrical environments, if possible, but we understand sometimes that isn’t an option. So, when that time comes to work on live components (assuming you are properly trained to work in these environments), you can confidently reach for your Defender driver and load that slim profile #2 Robertson bit into the patented locking collar, knowing you’re working with a tool designed to protect you.
Even if you’ve turned the power off to what you’re working on, an insulated driver is a great insurance policy, because you just never know. It’s the same idea as wearing a seatbelt. You aren’t planning on getting into an accident, but if you do, it’s a good thing you have one on, right?
It only makes sense to cover yourself with a driver that can keep you safe and let you avoid serious injury, or worse, and the Megapro Defender driver with VDE certification is made exactly for that purpose.
Check out our Defender series here and add this game changing (and potentially lifesaving) tool to your everyday carry. And for a limited time, our Defender drivers also come with a bonus voltage tester, included at no charge.
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