Thought to be public works issue. Used in the Ballarat School of Mines Electrical Engineering depatment for testing circuits. Rectangular timber box with handle and two terminals on top, leather strapcontinuity tester, electrical engineering, ballarat school of mines

This tester was used between 1950 and 1980's. As part of the Occupation, Health and Safety requirements, equipment used to monitor the performance of electricity producing generators, regularly, hand held testers were used to check the insulation and the "earth" pin were up the the required operational levels. As the generators and their ancillary monitoring equipment was spread over a large area and cumbersome to service small hand held devices were required. These had to always be safe for the user to operate. A selected range of high quality meters were recalibrated every two years in the Meter and Calibration Laboratory at Yarraville(near Melbourne) This meter is very significant to The Kiewa Hydro Electricity Scheme because it was an integral part of maintaining the electricity producing water driven generators of the power stations. The reason why this meter was so essential is that provided the safety check on equipment used to monitor each Hydro Generator that they were complying within the grid network parameters. Grid parameters are set so that if there is an electrical fault on the system, that fault can be attended to with a very small change in the output stability of each generator. It is essential that the voltage of the network remain within the set limits. Generators are at Dartmouth, Mackay, Clover, West Kiewa, Yarrawonga, Cain Curran and three Power Stations in the Thornton area.This hand driven current generator produces 500 volts by winding the handle(on funnel curved side) to keep the voltage constant(one minute per test). The whole body is made from caste aluminium. One of the functions of this meter is to test the isolation resistance of any equipment being tested. This is to see if that equipment is safe to handle(no electrical shocks). The second function is to test the earth pin of any portable electrical equipment. The turn key on one side can direct which function is required(marked insulation or continuity). On the top side(enclosed in a glass fronted marked scale) is a continuity scale(top) and an insulation scale(bottom). This is covered , when not in use by "flip up" lid with manufacturer's details and name of the instrument. Opposite the winder are two screw tight knobs. One marked earth(left side) and one marked line(right side). On the top and next to the glass windowed scales in a post manufacture SEC Vic equipment equipment ID number. For carrying purposes there is chromed steel (fold together) handle.The bottom of the unit has two metal "feet" 150mm long by 114mm wideManufacturer's details on top side "MEG" underneath "INSULATION AND CONTINUITY TESTER" below this "constant 500 VOLT pressure" below this "REGISTERED MEG MEGGER TRADE MARK" below this "REG DESIGN NO. 690326" below this "UNITED KINGDOM PATENT Nos. 193746, 197178, 198182, 202062, 202398, 204649, 350715" below this "SUPPLIED BY THE GENERAL ELECTRIC Co. Ltd OF ENGLAND" below this "MAGNET HOUSE, KINGSWAY LONDON W.C.2" 'sec vic kiewa hydro scheme, alternate energy supplies, alpine feasibility studies temperature, rainfall