Please help a non-electrician

[Ricko1966]

@Camar068 long runs aren't even that hard ground 1 end of your wire check resistance at the other end to ground. As for blowing meter fuses, if you make a lead for your meter with a common fuse less than your meter fuse it will pop first and your not trying to find a fuse for a fluke at 6pm on a Sunday.

 

[Camar068]

That is a great example and explanation

Been wanting to do a video on youtube to explain it simpler than whats on youtube. I've searched and searched and still can't find that video that makes it simple. I realize it's hard to follow step by step in text.....easier with a visual. Be great to have one with a schematic (to freak the "new to them" out) then lay it out just like in the schematic and show the readings and troubleshooting methods.

Sounds difficult, but is really easy......if you have to compare it to plumbing....look for the leak lol.

 

[Camar068]

@Camar068 long runs aren't even that hard ground 1 end of your wire check resistance at the other end to ground. As for blowing meter fuses, if you make a lead for your meter with a common fuse less than your meter fuse it will pop first and your not trying to find a fuse for a fluke at 6pm on a Sunday.

right but use the ohm function and understand why it blew, you'll only blow a fuse once.

 

[Ricko1966]

Yep,I haven't blown one in decades but others do. I didn't know where you were in the learning curve.

 

[79SierraClassic]

First question should have been, does the unit have air conditioning as there are different wiring diagrams for A/C and non A/C

 

[Ken B]

watching a few video's on youtube with a meter would help. You can troubleshoot with the ohm function just as easy as the voltage function on most things. Just gotta know how to understand ur readings.

If you can put your meter leads together and read zero ohms and understand that the connection is made with a zero reading, your halfway there.

1. wire up a 12v light bulb to a battery. Read battery, 12v. Read from positive or negative (your choice....just dont change that reference on the battery) to the other end of the wire going to the bulb. You will read zero. Go to the other side of the bulb, you will read 12v. Now take the bulb out and read the end of each wire at the bulb. You will read zero on your reference, and 12v on the other wire. Guess what, you just verified that you have a (simulated) blown fuse, broken wire, or bad bulb, because u read zero.....then across the open plug you read 12v.

2. Similar thing, wire up a 12v light bulb WITH NO BATTERY POWER CONNECTED. Read from the positive or negative (your choice....just don't change your reference) wire and read the wire going to the bulb. You will read zero. Go to the other side and you'll get a small increase in OHMS (2-20). Now take the bulb out and read the end of each wire connecting to the bulb. You will read zero ohms on one leg, and OL (infinity or very high) on the other leg. Again, you just verified that you have a (simulated) blown fuse or broken wire or bad bulb, because u read zero....then across the open plug you read OL (or infinity/high) OHMS.

NEVER EVER PUT THE METER IN THE OHM FUNCTION WITH BATTERY POWER CONNECTED!!! You'll blow the fuse inside the meter and you won't be able to use the ohm function until you open the meter and change the fuse.

Another tip, if you're troubleshooting something that is of great distance.......such as the fuel sender wire to the gauge. Get a long length of speaker wire to extend your meter leads.

Like I said before the #'s, to test your meter, put it on ohms and put the leads together and you should read zero OHMS. If you don't your meter has a blown fuse or bad meter leads. Then go to town with the above #'d steps.

Hope this helps

That is a good explanation.
I will see if I can use that process.
I am finally getting to the point where things are coming together. Dropped a battery in and thought how motivated I would be to hear it crank. But I turned the key and NOTHING. Since I have had literally everything apart at one time. WHat would be my list of things to check....where should I start to trace/check for voltage ?