Load Pro Electrical Tool Review
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- Here I review one of the most commonly mentioned tools in the comments section of my videos.
This is a tool for finding Voltage Drop very easily!
Here is my video on understanding and diagnosing voltage drop: • Diagnosis and Understa...
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As an electrical mechanic, I use this tool all the time and it works perfectly. It loads the circuit and allows me to find high resistance. This is a great invention, simple and effective.
I want to see, Scanner Danners review of this tool. He knows it's a great little tool, but can't stop kissing snap on's ass
+joeandgod1 I doubt Paul will buy this thing- he doesn't really see eye to eye with Sullivan because of their differing "poking holes in wires" philosophies.
***** NO ONE needs this tool when you understand how circuits work. This just makes it easier.
In fact- if you really understood this tool- it is ONLY useful to those who understand how circuits work!!
I've had this tool for over a year and its great. U chk system voltage, push the button and the reading will tell u if the wiring is good or bad. I read some comment that he rather use his test light. Test light is cool but this tool shows you actual voltage drop readings! Love this tool!
ive got a set myself. been using it at work for almost 2 years now. the one time i grabbed my old snapon test light and tested for power on a backup wire to the alarm on a transport truck.. light lit. got a new alarm and hooked up... no alarm still.... remembered dammmmit.. those snap on test lights use practically no load to test a circuit. got my leads out. tested the wiring .. sure enough. had super high resistance. ended up being corroded terminals at the reverse switch on the transmission.
-- that was the last time i used the snap on test light for that. load pro leads all the way. guys at work still are unsure of them only cause they arent off the tool truck. so much easier to use then the Power probe i must say. also the leads can be purchased with a handy book that makes troubleshooting electrical look like childs play. cheers thanks for the video.
I bought one a few months ago - I didn't "like" it. I loved it!
It took me about 90 seconds to find a broken wire in a wiring harness on a Vectra.
Saved me a heap of time.
Good review of a great device, I know a test light would dim in the presence of resistance if you look carefully but to pull a pump relay and load both circuits at the base shows its versatility, you test the all the wiring integrity to pump with the press of a button!
Good review I do own one and I find your videos and Dan Sullivan's videos probably the best out there explaining how the components work and interact with each other. Now onto another video thanks Matt
Thank you. But, I'm out of the business - I reached an agreement that was "acceptable to both parties", even though I'm broke and "other" tool manufacturers are not. I never knew this stupid tool would cause such a fuss. I wish had gone better - but - shit happens. FYI - the motorcycle guy tried hard and was honest - but he missed the major point of the tool - which I accept responsibility for. IF - you see source voltage at the connector you KNOW you DON'T have an open or short-to-ground. THEN, load the circuit. If the voltage DOESN'T drop - replace the part. If you lose voltage, see ghost V or zero V, you DO have corrosion, an open or a short-to-ground, respectively. I really think people just want the process to be harder... Gotta go - just got a notice that my electricity is about to be turned off for non-payment. How ironic....
Well sorry to hear that but I actually think that people didn't want the process to be harder- they just don't understand the concepts of electrical to begin with. I can't even count how many people thought the load pro has a battery in it, or how to "turn it on"- hell most people don't even know what voltage is much less voltage drop.
I think the problem with this tool is that the vast majority of people have no idea what it is.
Best of luck to you though- I learned a tremendous amount from you and I liked the "attitude" lol.
Good luck, wish things would have worked out better for you...
Well, you fought a good fight, just too many ignorant people out there. I enjoyed your videos and I purchased one of your LoadPro's. Your test leads make checking electrical circuits so much easier and quicker. Sorry to see you go, good luck on future ventures.
Daniel, I'm so sorry to hear that today. Your videos are interesting and thoughtful, and I own and use your tool occasionally. Compliments to you, and best of luck in the future. Even the very best have had setbacks and failures, so don't beat yourself up too much.
Sorry to hear that, but it's hard to know what success is without a few fails, if I knew how to develop a product to compete with your previous product without infringing on the agreement you made, I'd rebuild Chinese multi meters by adding a load button, you could skip the mold making and just redo the circuit and a new graphic, you already have the name brand awareness...Dedicated tools are more popular than adaptation tools.
I have a set of the original yellow LoadPro leads and they're a great time saver. It's nice to be able to see the numbers on a meter and then do a comparison after a repair is made. Test lights have their place just as the LoadPro leads have their place. An incandescent type of test light can be used in a similar manner but it's not as precise. There's obviously more than one way to do a voltage drop test. The way I see it if you have a problem in a circuit your gonna be pulling out the meter anyway whether you used a test light or LoadPro leads. I have both, I use both.
+Chester Wardan Agreed 100% I have multimeter, load pro, test light and power probe... I use all of them depending on the application but I actually use the test light the least because its the only one that is not quantitative.
I like your point about the comparison before and after the repair- that's a great point I didn't bring up!
Please tell how u can use a test light in a similar manner.
Hi Matt:: I have 4 high end Fluke Dmm's & each them has a load pro probe. I also have a Power Probe 4, & I wouldn't be without either. Sullivan has a Power Probe problems video that I watched, & the only people that will have trouble with the power probe are those who are uninformed regarding electrical/electronic theory. I am 80 & have been working my life time in the business. I am kept busy here in rural Alberta keeping the electrics & electronics & hydraulics of farm equipment working. Many customers buy a DMM when they see me fault find with one , or ask me what scope to buy when they see me check sensors using one. I have to explain that you need to understand what what you expect to see from a working device, & have the knowledge & understanding to interpret what the readings are telling you. As usual, your " Load Pro Review" was a pleasure to watch, the same as ALL your videos. You do a great service for your followers Matt. Cheers!
Matt, Thanks for the clear explanation. The impression I had from several videos was that if you press the button in a known good circuit then you wont have any voltage drop but this is not the case, the voltage should drop because of the load the tool puts on and I wonder how much this should be as I actually have this tool.
Thanks, I've been thinking about getting a LoadPro, now I think I will take the plunge.
Great review of the tool. You made it such clear that inventor even didn't explained! Thanks for your great video upload. I never ever used one such tool but have understanding of voltage drop due to bad connections, joints, contacts and bad cables. I know that such a testing can be performed using a test light on low profile and low cost way. Also it is easy to create such a tool using low cost or free materials laying around. In such a manner I am not going to reverse engineer one but am thinking to put my own idea.
+LearningZone Looking forward to seeing your new idea in action.
A typical injector or ignition coil for example draws 1 or more amps in which case the tool would be safe. You would have to know what the circuit normally draws to say if it's safe or not. Which information isn't readily available.
To make things more simple, like in your fuel pump example, test from the relay. Dan does a good video on that.
The load pro is a great tool. The only stumbling block I experienced was have the correct extension tips that would work. Not a deal breaker
Awesome video mate, explaining the great use of this amazing Tool simply doing what it was made to do. Hats off to Dan also I’ve watched every video he has and there so easy to understand. To many haters on a tool that’s so simple to use!! Push the button! Fix the problem!
Yeah I agree- the hate is because they didn''t think of it. Its funny how I see people say "this tool is BS because anyone can just make their own easily... so I just use a testlight" and yet they didn't even make their own testlight which is even simpler to do lol.
Cool, man. Next time my headlight doesn't work, I'll check to make sure there isn't a resistor in place of the fuse. Nice tool, looks very useful.
+dogbyte555 LOL. You caught the humor? Nice. :)
I have found several electrical problems with that tool that so called auto repair shops could not find. Folks think you are some kind of genius then their car is fixed. Makes you feel good!
From what I understand, Dan put 25 ohms of resistance in the lead. That allows a lot more electrons to flow which displays resistance on the meter. Displays is probably the wrong word but you understand what I meant.
Ty. You just confirmed my doubts. I absolutely agree with you that using it with DVOM on everytime to diagnose a electric circuit problem is a smart way to go. Techs that work in a shop who gets paid flat rate always want to find ways to get things and find problems quick and accurate. This 1 by far is the quickest and on the money when checking a voltage drop which we commonly run into. Thank you very much with this video and to the inventor of this product. It is huge though but i use power probe most of the time so i think i will get use to this easy.
Yes love my power probe too!! Use it almost every weekend.
Great review Matt. I have this tool and it does come in handy and as with any electrical tool a person has to be careful what it is used on, just like the Power Probe 3 that I have caution and a common sense approach has to be taken.
I am using LOADpro in real life and I believe LOADpro is one of the must have tools for every automotive mechanic, plain simple facts - helps keep my hair and clients. I thank Daniel for his innovation and LOADpro availability in Korean market too.
I agree completely!!!
@@SchrodingersBox In fact, among many in particular trusty you and realfixesrealfast convinced me of purchasing the LOADpro. I noticed LOADpro in daily use as well from ua-cam.com/video/Ibuvo4Zz4rw/v-deo.html. Cheers.
Use a similar thing called a Mega to check telco cabling for voltage drop here in Oz, where we Still live in the land of copper pairs.
Nice addition to the multimeter. Ta
Hi matt..After watching your review on this load pro ive ordered myself one....Seems a good way of testing...Some of the reviews on different channels have a slightly lower opinion of it...Pine hollow auto diagnostics for one ( in which you have a mention )...The two main down sides apparently are the size of the probe itself and the fact that the load is not variable...But we'll see...Thanks again
Yeah in my opinion I think the objection is the device is very simple and they didn't think of it. I mean for god's sake the objectors say "it's just a resistor with a button" and yet they use a testlight with is nothing more than a 12V lightbulb!!!
Maybe I missed you say it Matt but to help the 98%er's understand better the resistor was simulating corrosion or a poor connection. This tool is a good weapon to have for quick diagnosis, lot's of controversy about it.
+Ozzstar It was simulating something sucking down most of the voltage in the circuit but it you metered at the harness it would read source V because it was the only load in the circuit. "the sum of all v drops in a series circuit = source V which in this case is 12V " but if you add another load to the circuit, it now has 2 drops. The meter will show you what you are getting at the plug based on a fixed resistor in the probe taking a portion of the voltage, or being part of the load. for simplicity we will say we have 10volts in the circuit. you measure at the plug like My man Matt did, and you get 10volts one would think your circuit is good. HOWEVER.....if you have say a 5 ohm load in the circuit, by measuring it, you are essentially measuring the V drop across the 5ohm load. If you add onother 5ohm load to the circuit. it will split the Voltage evenly between the 2 resistors or "loads" In this case you see the true voltage at the plug where it meets the light. so one load "the corrosion or bad wire or whatever" would be dropping 5v, while the Probe load will have the other portion of voltage that is left. i hope i didn't confuse the shit out of you. i have been doing it for 15 years, "it being fixing electronics" and sometimes i even confuse myself, but even on my worst day i can Tech the shit out of anything with electrons hahaha. have a good one hope it helped.
+Rhage makes sense to me, i'm a 2%'er
oh, my fault bro, i thought you were asking a question but you were making a statement, good....sorry about that....=)
+Rhage no problem man lol. Good info is worth sharing
+Ozzstar Hahahaha!! Great response LOL!!!
Nice review, you do such a good job with all your videos. It's an honor to watch your Channel.
Thanks for the demo. This would be perfect for checking accessory circuits. I was on the fence until you endorsed it. Seriously.
+kuruji let Dan Sullivan know!! I also was on the fence for a year but glad I tried it.
I have a ?for u sir.first of all thank u for ur videos i have learn alot from u .ok my question.i have a gmc terrain.soo my rear right tail light works just fine,But when i put the vehicle on reverse it shuts off.im lost.what u think would cause that problem.i was thinking about buying this tool on ur video and test it.
Great review. Simple tool that does one job only but does it well. If used the way the instructions state you wont fry anything. Same as any other tool, in the wrong hands things will go wrong.
Great presentation Matt. I have a loadpro. Mike is a subscriber of yours has a channel called Busjockey1 and Mike is a professional heavy equipment tech servicing a transit bus fleet . In Mike's vids he demonstrates the loadpro use in his daily diagnostics. A link in your description to Mikes channel showing its use would be cool. Take Care
Lets say you are working on a PCM wire like say a TPS, if you unplug the PCM and the TPS check the wiring, if the wire is a straight shot from the PCM to the TPS send 12v through that wire off the battery and use the load pro at the TS connector to check wire integrity. I do this all the time just to verify my wiring is pure. The load Pro is a perfect tool for fast wire integrity testing using that method.
I meant check a wiring diagram if the wire is a clean shot from point A to point B send 12v through it and on the other end use the load pro for voltage drop integrity
3 faults short to ground open is the wire harness good or is is corroded? the load pro eliminates opens and short to ground so do the voltage drop test push the button done .
Good video! Getting it soon. I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on an issue I have. This problem is the horn button wire polarity on my 2001 van. It doesn't make sense that it is +. The diagrams I've looked at all say this is suppost to be a + wire lead & it is, I checked it. How does this make any sense if the horn button is a working switch that connects ground? This does not make any sense! Where's the magic trick at? The module it runs through ??
every horn i have seen is ground side switched.
...Why have I never heard of this thing until now? Haha, I'll be ordering one first thing next year when I go back to work!
Great review and demonstration; thanks! :D
How do you test it on headlight with control modules and 12 pin connectors? Like an Audi headlight for example?
You have to map out the power, ground and signals and test accordingly. On a 12-pin I would use the wiring diagram. on a 5-pin or less its quicker if I simply map it out myself.
One question to ponder is, of the 3 circuit failures we see daily , short , open , and high resistance . Will the tool point you in a direction with one 2 wire connection at the load connector without the load connected?
This tool seem very utility.
Regards from Spain =)
+Pablo A It is indeed
Hi. Do you think if this tool safe to check reference volt for any module like PCM OR BCM......ect
+Wael Ahmed This is absolutely my concern. The tools amp draw, verse the normal amp draw of a 5 volt reference circuit. It's a lot of guessing unless you test prior, which defeats the purpose. could have back probed.
+Turbotomass Yes I don't even use an incandescent test light on 5V PCM controlled circuits much less a load pro.
Using the right tool for the job is essential to not doing damage.
thankyou
+Schrodingers Box +Turbotomass +Wael Ahmed
Of course its the combination of the circuit total resistance & voltage that determine amp draw. The LP doesn't always draw .5 amps. In the case of a 5v reference, the worst case max amp draw would be if LP was only resistance in circuit. 5v / 25 Ohm = 200mA draw. Sullivan has always stated LP safe on 5v and 8v circuits. But I can totally see the "better safe than sorry" principal applying too.
+Matthew Brice Great point. Real world I'm not using a volt meter on a sensor w/ a 5v ref. Unless the sensors dead. For an itermittent, or signal issue. I'm using the scope. but yea I assume all 5v ref curcuits are proctected with an IPS or fuse.
DERRRR scope with the load pro.
does this work for starting circuit?if this can do this for starting system then does this mean ive been wrong that can can actually hook a test light up to a starter circuit that doesnt have current flow this way i can create current flow so i can voltage drop test starting circuit?this questions driving me nuts
Yes it does!
Hey buddy. As always, thanks for your video. Is there anyway, using the load pro can damage a pcm due to wrong operator use?
I am chasing a crank no start issue with 2000 Ford f150 after it has been sitting for 7 months after the power steering pulley failed. Did not have time to fix the pulley because that happened right before a scheduled trip out of the US. Few days ago, i replace the PS pump and pulley & voilá the problems.
The fuel pump does not prime although all fuses and relays are good. Dtc p0232 is haunting me and I was eondering my using my loadpro would help me more than my DVOM and powerprobe that i am currently using.
Sorry for the novel i just wrote 😂
No you won’t damage anything with load pro UNLESS the circuit runs on higher resistance than the internal resistance on the meter which is highly highly unlikely.
@@SchrodingersBox thanks a lot for your prompt reply. Im gonna go hunt for the issue now. You know we are your faithful followers because being parts changers is none of our ambition. We want to understand how system works & hunt the issues or die trying
Thx Matt..really glad I joined the website and like the scientific approach..had enough of cannons already..lol
The tool is only $40 from Tooltopia, but I'm still going to buy a bulb. They're only $4 at Walmart, and the few times I've had a headlight go out it was always the bulb.
Maybe when I have a more difficult diagnosis I'll get the tool.
Pine Hollow Auto diagnostics reviewed the tool and didn’t care for it. I own it and like it. Dan Sullivan is also a brilliant teacher. My review of Pine Hollow Auto diagnostics is...... drum roll.......... don’t bother to subscribe. Just my honest opinion
Yeah i find it ironic that he didn’t like it because “you can just make one yourself out of a resistor and a button” yet he uses a commercial testlight which you can make yourself using a light bulb and a wire lol.
I did a fair amount of research on this tool and really like the simplicity of it, plus there is a lot of favorable comments on the product. Too bad personalities got in the way. I went ahead and ordered one along with the book.
@@davidpeters7447 REally great tool. There are a lot of hypocrites out there. too bad for Dan, but he is smart man with a great heart and a awesome teacher so he'll bounce back some kinda way.
Ivan made me laugh with his scientific review.
I lost faith in his work after watching the video of him changing the automatic transmission on his wife's SUV... He didn't know to check the trans fluid you have to start the vehicle and check it while at idle... So he burned his transmission up. I always thought that was common knowledge. I knew that since I was like 10
$70 for the leads? Did Daniel Sullivan's book come with it and did you read it? Just curious, I recently bought them both separately for @ $30 for the book $40 for the leads from Aeswave
Yes the book came with it and I did read it. Honestly, it wasn’t as good as I was hoping.
Sometimes the comments section is better than the video.
It would be a good value add for the meter manufactures to just incorporate the same function into meters aimed at automotive diagnostics. Along with said meter would come a LED/Incandescent scope on a rope in the same blister pack. ;)
Great. Thanks for an other informative video. Sir can you tell me if car alarm start ringing without any reason, what could possibly fault it is? It happen when some people complains that their alarms went of after 10 mint with out some one doing any thing. Pls if you can share some thing on this. Thanks
+Asif Ali Do you ever find a dead mouse under the car?
+kuruji . No i never seen any dead mouse under the car. Why? Whats the reason behind it?
Hi buddy! I have an '85 Nissan Urvan, good compression but looses coolant and too hot runs hot. No external leaks, I have pressure tested the cooling system. 3 out of 4 Spark plugs are showing white residue. Bubbles appearing at the top of the radiator. Does this sound like a leaking head gasket? A previous owner ran tap water for quite a while and the cooling system was quite sludged up when I got a hold of her. :)
+DodoCnR What was the compression and leakdown test result?
+Schrodinger's Box Quantum Mekanix 150PSI even on all cylinders (should be 128-171PSI according to the manual). I haven't done a leakdown test and there are no signs of any coolant in the oil. :)
DodoCnR Need to look at basic cooling diagnostics. Dirty radiator fins, bad radiator cap, nonfunctioning water pump...
+Schrodinger's Box Quantum Mekanix Radiator is clean it was replaced about a year ago, cap was replaced by me, and water pump + fan clutch also replaced during diagnostics.
DodoCnR Oh what was wrong with the water pump? Was it seized?
You could literally teach a tech how to use one of these in ten mins if they understand basic circuits I have one and love it
Matt, I was looking on amazon at the reviews on the load pro, looking to get one. I see where one person said he bought one and the battery went dead in it and it is sealed so you can't replace the battery ( ya I know that would not stop you from opening it ) but I try avoiding tools that even if there rechargable batteries you can replace them when they go bad. Can you replace the battery in that if it does have a battery in it ( not knowing that for sure but guessing it does ). Kinda hate the idea of having to replace it every two years or opening it up to find a bunch of corroded terminals from leaking batteries. For a full time mechanic or one that does a lot of work buying one every 2 years may be no big thing. For a DYI it may be more of a problem. Whats your thoughts ........THANKS
You didn't see my comment on that moron's review statiing only an idiot would give a poor review for a device having an irreplaceable battery when the device does not use a battery at all?
read through all the comments again and see where it was confirmed ...... no battery. Sorry I missed that but guess I don't always keep following the comments when the video gets older . My bad ...... just call me ass hat lol thanks matt
dcbigsky Lol no no... I believe the responsibility for accurate information lies with the person delivering information, not the person reading it. If someone gives a negative review because the battery is nonrepleacable, then its not your fault for accepting that as a negative aspect- how are you supposed to know? You didn't buy the tool. But the reviewer is an idiot for giving a negative review on something that he doesn't even understand what it is.
The asshattery is on his end, not yours.
Unfortunately with 98% of people talking out of their ass on the internet, maybe there is some responsibility on a viewer to default to assuming information is always false, but then what's the point of doing research?
As a novice to intermediate diy-er. I don't know what you hooked up the connection(s) to, to know what your results came from.
+TySignsUp Porter He was touching a power carrying wire and a ground wire ..so unlike a test light it checked the entire circuit from the connector to the battery ..both the ground and the power .... if when he touched ground on the engine the power had NOT dropped that means the ground side of the circuit had the problem :)
+TySignsUp Porter I hooked it up to the headlight connector- simple power and ground
One person says the connector, the other says the wire. I guess I should be checking the connector where the wire comes in at?
Thanks
yes ..you check the wire ..at the connector ...in this case the connector at the light bulb ..lets say you had the same result as Matt had ..you would find the wire from the connector as it left6 the head light ...and maybe there is another connector ..you could unplug and test that wire ..nothing wrong?? then it was the wiring from the head light to the second connection point TySignsUp Porter
At 4:15 "check it out, it slices, it dices, it is fabulous".
WOW, what a debate, never realised a loadpro could stimulate all this discussion.
The bottom line is efficiency for any mechanic (and possibly a Diy'er), if any of us find a tool, or a bit of TE that we find useful, that's efficient and works for us so be it. (and if your prepared to share it on youtube brilliant).
A working Mech has to turn the mincer quickly in order to generate the income, if he's a test light man fine, if he's a DVM man fine, if he's a powerprobe man fine if he's a string and bulb man fine, (or any combination) it's what works best for you in respect of your way of efficient working and understanding. It also really depends on what you've grown up with. I was brought up with a DVM in my working environment, therefore that's what I'm comfortable with, it's only in the last couple of years I've started to use a test light, but that's me. Many mechanics would maybe be born with a test light and it's only latterly they have moved on to using a dvm and possibly a scope along with a diagnostic scanner, everyone is different. Trouble is technology is marching on and we've got to keep pace and keep learning.
We are all learning from each other, some stuff we like, some stuff we don't. The stuff we don't like we sometimes start to like and some of the stuff we initially thought we liked, we don't after trying it.
So, to Schrodingers box, thank you for taking the time, sharing and explaining the function an capabilities of the loadpro to all, keep up the excellent videos.
+DiyMech Totally agree- I see it as a matter of preference. Test light.. DVOM... Load pro... amp clamp... No one electrical tool does everything. I would like having one tool that can do everything (A DVOM comes closest because in Amps mode it can be used to deliver 12V power to a circuit).
The main objection seems to be that LoadPro is a simple device that could easily be replicated with basic components. ALL electrical gizmos can be described this way! The powerprobe is just a DVOM with jumper cables that have switches. A testlight is just a bulb on a stick with a cord.
What makes these valuable is not the technology. It's the design that makes these things uniquely functional and efficient in practical application.
The tools should be critiqued on the design, not the technology. Otherwise we would critique air ratches, electric screwdrivers, or even calculators as being rip-offs because simpler basic tools can do the same things.
+DiyMech Well said. What works best for you is all that matters. LoadPro has its perks.
Hey guys I understand everyone's concerns but with any diagnostic tool it has limitations. I have been using these leads since 2009 and once you get some experience using them they work quite well. I understand everyone has their own way of doing things just like me. If you understand ohms law this tool is very easy to use. I just like the handiness of it being one complete package that plugs into your meter plus I like the steady pin tips on it. Anyway everyone has some great questions and comments on here! Got some sharp people on here. Anyway if you want too, go to my channel and I have quite a few Loadpro diagnostic vids showing how to use the tool and I show that it really works in the field.
+busjockey1 I'll check it out!!
busjockey1 Yes but your videos are so poor. . you are unable to video record the subject Subject exposure is very poor
How do you recommend I improve them? I am working on this but I am open to suggestions sir.
Busjockey 1 - I watch your videos and they are good enough to follow and understand, I have tried to do a youtube video and I suck at it, it's easy to judge but damn hard to do!
An excellent review of a great tool
Matt could you tell me where you get you back probs and stuff like that i cant find ant good places around my house to get some ???
+Chad Cohoon I usually just get them at hardware or electronics store.
Honestly I just used sewing needles up until just this year- I mostly got the colored backprobes because they show on camera lol
You da man bro never thought about needles
So what dos the the load pro do? Is it a powered test light?
+gc Basically it is a push button controlled resistor that draws a .5A load on the circuit.
Some of the objections to the device are in its simplicity- a weak argument from anyone who uses other simple devices that could be home made like a flashlight or a set of jumper cables. I think its just jealousy that they didn't think of it first though. Convenient design is what we buy with simple products, not the technology.
Other objections are that additional knowledge of the circuit is necessary though to interpret the data. I don't see this as objectionable though. ANY electrical test requires you to know what you are working with.
For example- a lot of people would discern that any less than a .5V voltage drop on a circuit is acceptable with the load pro. But this is not true. If you are on, say a 5A circuit such as a fuel pump, if you say .25V voltage drop you might rule out that corrosion is not an issue. But you have to realize that load pro draws .5A, not 5 A so in actuality there was a 2.5V drop, not .25V. Therefore, some people criticize its usefulness.
In my opinion, lack of capability of the operator is poor reason to make criticism of a tool.
What do you think?
The use (and understanding of the load-pro) is the same as that of the power probe, e.g if you use a power probe incorrectly you can easily cause damage to ECU or any delicate components, especially if you decide to apply 12v in the wrong manner to the wrong circuit. The load-pro has it's advantages (and disadvantages) over other fault finding methods, especially in it's simplicity (assuming you know what you are doing). But as with all pieces of "test equipment" one device is not the bee all and end all of TE. The load-pro for me has located faults that would otherwise take longer using other methods (my opinion).
Possibly why only a small percentage (
+DiyMech I agree with this 100%. I like the DVOM because it's much faster and more versatile than the test light- though I do use a testlight sometimes. I like the loadpro for the same reasons. How much easier to just test the connector once and not have to fumble probing the connector and hooking the testlight to the probe in the confines of the top of a fuel tank?
Just that alone- worth it for me- in the same exact philosophy that when I put 12V directly to a fuel pump how much easier (and safer) to use the power probe rather than jumper wires?
best loadpro video yet... props to you
hahaha- Sullivan is often his own biggest obstacle. I really like the guy but he's what happens when genius and Asperger's intersect....
I have a power probe III won't that do the same?
+gc you would have to do the voltage drop test same as you would with a DVOM.
Why not just do a voltage drop test on the live circuit like we always do. This tool is a 25 ohm shunt resistor and button?
because you can do it without having to access a single polarity so You can actually do this across a connector. That’s a massive advantage on most circuits.
curious do you own a power probe or a volt pro
+John Hafernik I do have a power probe 3 that I use all the time.
just out of curiosity, put it on ohms, touch the leads together and jab the button. =) Thank you for the info on the tool. Well worth 70 bones if you work on cares often at all. THumbs up
+Rhage73 If you were to do that nothing would happen at all. If you had a DVOM set to V and touch either side of a resistor what would happen? Nothing.
if you have a DMM, "digital multi meter" which is V / O / C / diode check / capacitance on some of them, and you set it to ohms it will read the resistance in the leads. I was curious what type of load it was putting in the circuit to measure against. so if you touch the leads together and it is .4 ohms and then trigger, if it is simply jumping in a resistor to set a base value to compare to it would give you the resistance of that value. because the sum of all voltage drops in a series circuit = source voltage it would be a simple matter from there if they are using some sort of resistor jump in. c wut im sayin? sorry i wasn't clear about the ohms setting before. .......made me nerd out... =( TURBO CHARGED LS, WITH A STROKER KIT, FORGED INTERNALS , METH INJECTION AND A THUMPING BUMP STICK. ok better. hehe have a good one.
+Schrodingers Box or if you don't wanna do an ohm test on your loaded probe, at least tell meh what size resistor you used for the demo? Then i can throw some Chuck Simon Ohm math at it and figure it out based on the 8/4 split. The value in the probe should be roughly 1/3rd of the value of the total resistance in the series circuit.
Rhage73 Gosh I don;t even remember- I am pretty sure it was a 50 ohm.
a'ghite, thanks for the reply bud. That is why i wanted you to do an ohm check lead to lead then hit the button, and if it is in fact just a resistor on the posi probe that is on a momentary switch....when u bang the button, on ohms with the leads touched, it will give you the value it is using ;P
Had this tool for a long time and for sure it save time, It is computer safe on output signals inputs is more dangerous.
Think about it you take out your voltmeter as you always do take a measurement you done you checked everything in one second. Problem with humans is they want everything for free.
south main auto repair. I agree. this tool is just too dangerous on computer driven circuits. Use an incandescent test light or in certain cases use an led test light where you are not sure of what load the circuit is capable of.
If you don't have an idea of what a circuit can handle prior to loading it, I reckon steer clear of working on electrics.
This kind of lack of understanding of electrical circuits is what leads to a paperclip used in place of a fuse IMO
I just want to point out that every auto diagnostician MUST know and UNDERSTAND ohm's law. Voltage drop is merely a manifestation of ohm's law. Study ohm's law on UA-cam, or read the chapter in any Basic Electronics book. Or have somebody teach it to you, it is not difficult (rather elegant, actually). But you MUST understand ohm's law to do ANYTHING electrical.
Alright! New instant diagnosis loaded into the database.
Voltage drops are caused by someone wiring a resistor into the fuse box. I will be sure to post this on the forums with great vigour.
+Godfrey Poon Hahahahaha. It will still be better than the information already there lol!
the end on the load pro can be a problem because you cant get into fuse housing or on top of a fuse
yeah I use a needle/ probe adapter for it in those cases
Wouldn't you get the same results as a load pro with an led bulb on a switch between the test subject and the test lead to form a load?
NO. An LED only draws (allows to flow) about 20milliAmps-and it requires about 500 to 700 ohms of resistance in series. If you put an LED across 12volts without a series resistance, it will vaporize immediately. 20 milliamps is not a "load". You would be better off with an incandescent test light, which flows 150-200milliamps, which is still a long way from a half amp.
I have one Matt ..have not needed to use it yet ..thank god ..thought I was going to needed when mu GF called to say her car was dead ..unfortunately..I figured out the problem over the phone :)
i seem to read a lot of 98% swaptron answers on here. The tool is to do a voltage drop test the example of the resistor in this video is "simulating green corrosion" hidden in a wire. A 2%er would know this. Also yes you can do a voltage drop test by other means rigging up wires for 15 minutes when all you need to do is press the button this takes not 15 minutes not 5 minutes heck not even 1 minute its 5 secounds you can test both positive and negative side of a circuit . sullivan has good examples of what a circuit is and tutorial on ohms law , i would recommend some of you go learn this stuff as your clearly floating in the 98% swaptronics thinking.
That's nice you did it. For a few reasons.
Well theerre's your PROOBLEEM :) scotty reference gotcha ! LOL
You should use whatever th e f**k you want hooked up to your multimeter, i understand and appreciate the good founded criticism around this tool but at the end of the day it all comes to personal preference and you prefer speed.
Have a great day Matt
COOL two thumbs up to u my friend and by the way one gentleman wrote this tool draws more current than a test light and could damage electronics is that true. thanks for sharing cheeeers .
+j georges Yes correct- a testlight (incadescent) draws .25A while the loadpro draws .5A.
Randy Jones Oh wow thats good to know! As a rule of thumb I just use my LED light to test circuits unless I want to pull a signal to ground in which case I use the incandescent.
I am just not aware of what the amperages are in most PCM circuits (some, such as an O2 sensor heater) will obviously be much higher than a testlight but others I'm just not so certain and I play it safe
54.00 at aeswave .com. It is all about habit and personal preference. The Load pro is not the end all be all of test equipment, but it will point you in a direction with minimal connections. If you are looking for actual numbers it will do it,
if you are looking for a light, a test light will do it . As with all test equipment not a single piece does everything and you still have to make sense of what it is telling you.
Why use those bulky leads instead replace your DVOM with one who has a additionally low z (low input impedance) scale. You can get one with in a form factor of the load pro who has all the scales that you need for automotive diagnostic.
For example : ?
Accord lovers never let the engine compartment get that dirty. Shame Shame :) My 97 has 218k and it has the self-cleaning option.
+Steve Allen Self-cleaning option? How does it work?
You can do that?! awesome!
+Ali Haidar yes haha
screw that.... use it in all your vids...... you paid for it.
+kugmyster ROTF!!! Actually that may be the most rational comment yet hahahaha! Love it!
how about testing PCM driver circuit ?
Depends on the amperage. I probably wouldn't use it on a milliamperage circuit.
Ok! so i guess everyone will now be having these leads on the quantum mechanic channel. its the tool to own for two-precenters before one buys a oscilloscope.
+Intrade Motor Oh man I'd totally choose an oscilloscope over this thing by far. As cool as it is there really is not as much advantage over just using a testlight or DVOM while an oscilliscope can do functions that cannot be duplicated.
+Schrodingers Box
yes i am talking cost wise here , a one hung low scope wont find real problems its why i own a 3500$ picoscope
But for diy when you master a digital multimeter adding 70 bux worth of function to the multimeter is the thing to do . For the cost factor , if one dont knows what to do with these loadpro leads then money for a scope that they also cant figure out will just be a waste of funds.
So your paying $70 for a power resistor and switch in a box? Seems pretty steep to me. You could make the same thing for nothing if you have a few parts in your junk box or maybe $15~$20 if you bought the parts new.
+Jeffrey Birt - Even simple solder a couple of wires on the power resistor and plug them into the headlight socket to load the circuit. I can imagine that if your charging by the hour the $70 tool would pay for itself but for the home shop mechanic you can accomplish the same thing for much less cash.
+Jeffrey Birt Thanks Jeffrey- so what ohms and wattage resistor would I use or better yet how to I calibrate the meter reading accordingly if I use my 100ohm 5 watt resistor?
Eagerly awaiting your answer since you forgot to mention this in your comment and I'm sure you agree it's the most important part! thank you.
There is no calibration. The voltage drop you are reading when you load the circuit by pressing the switch depends on the value of resistance of the wire/connection fault you are diagnosing (given that you are measuring the voltage drop of the circuit.) You could also measure the voltage across the load resistor. If the circuit is fine then you would drop all 12V across load resistor, any amount less than 12V would be dropped across the circuit fault. In either case the exact value is not important, if you are measuring the voltage drop across the circuit it 'should' be near zero, if you measure across the load resistor it should be near the battery voltage. The load resistor value is also not critical, it just needs to be of low enough resistance to properly load the circuit and high enough wattage to dissipate the heat.
I added the second post as I realized after hitting post that if you are a professional mechanic then it would not take to long for the tome saving to pay for the tool. There is another simple tool that is a switch in a box with wiring adapters that let you replace a relay with the switch box and manually trigger the load. One of the power load forms an loop outside the box that you can clip your amp probe around. It lets you easily test the load the relay is driving. Easy enough to rig up for the home mechanic but a real time saver for the pro.
Jeffrey Birt Still didn't answer the question- what is the maximum load and minimum wattage needed?
That depends on what your testing! For most automotive applications I would suspect that a 2A load is sufficient. So 2A*12V=24W, a 6ohm 5W or 10W power resistor would be OK for brief tests, you could use a small piece of aluminum bar as a heat sink for the resistor if you wanted. In the past I have used an old headlight for a load (could draw up to 20A) or a Taillight type bulb for a smaller load. Most shade tree mechanics probably have the odd bulb wound that can be used.
When I used to build automated welding equipment we had to use a load bank that could dissipate 10kW or so. The load depends on what your testing. The theory of loading the circuit is the same.
40mA/volt applied by a 25 ohm load, simple.
So it seems that ideally you’d want a LoadPro-type tool that’s switchable with about 3 different resistors in it?
I had ordered some 20 ohm 10W resistors to experiment with, do you happen to know the mA/volt ratio for 20 ohms? Thanks
Ok, found a calculator: I = E/R
12.5V with 20 ohms load gives 625 mA
(25mA gives 500mA) - correct?
Do you use it all the time. Just purchased one her in nz. Taken a long time to get here 😂😂🤣
almost every electrical diagnosis.
70 bucks should have came with Sullivan's first book also. Snap On sells a Blue Point version that is blue instead of red for 89 bucks. All this discussion over a 50 dollar set of leads, WOW. Do the leads do what they are designed to do or not ???
I have seen seen a set of Fluke leads for way more than that and they didn't do any thing special. If the couple buck test light will do it all why do they sell scopes and scanners plus updates at outrageous prices . Quick and dirty is one thing , total confidence in your diagnosis is the bottom line.
Hi Matt I do own one and like it but would nearer replace my test leads with it. I think it is ok for a quick test But a old fog lite with jumper wires is good alsoOne last thing is Dan has a good book for new ones on auto electricity It is a book all 98% should have Joe
Still using the LoadPro much?
Oh man, all the time!! Almost every voltage measurement! I just dont show it on here because too many people accuse me of peddling products for money which I NEVER do! But off camera I absolutely use it.
You actually do a better job of demonstrating these then Dan Sullivan does
+deepsquat600 Lol I thought so too hahaha.
+Schrodingers Box
I did catch at 5 40 ..you imitating Eric O
" ual there's your problem "
Awesome got my subscription 👍🏻
Awesome thank you!
it draws more current than a test light it can damage electronics and cannot be used to find excessive resistance in the starting system
+John Bartholomew Crap, that's exactly the inconvenience I'm always doing the old way.
+John Bartholomew
Are you sure?
Are you saying it can damage an ECU/ECM/PCM?
Why can it not be used on a starting system?
+patw52pb1 it draws 500 milliamps more than most test lights. And not enough of a load to find corroded battery terminals
+John Bartholomew Yes I would probably not use this on most PCM circuits. The testlight I know (and have shown on another video) draws .25A. The Loadpro draws .5A
+John Bartholomew I need to say that you always need to think about what you are doing and this tool is no exception. A 500mA load can be risky on input circuits, no question about it. But you always need to make a estimate on the original loads normal draw, and this substituted load. Like in this case a 55W lamp will easy draw more than the load pro.
Also, to have the expectations that this can measure things from computer inputs to starter circuits is just silly. A computer input can be 4mA and a starter 800A. One tool can't do it all. there is always compromises. And as far as I know no foolproof tool out there yet ;)
For the first few minutes you were as excited as a juice saleman. Yes, I have a juice man jr. and I juice every day that I go to work, so long as I didn't forget to buy the ingredients, lol. :)
How was the chassis ground a 'known good ground'?
Because it showed continuity with B-
Continuity? I'm fairly sure you know a continuity test is not a good indication of circuit integrity. Isn't that the whole point of this tool, the 12v showed continuity on the power feed, but it still wasn't good. You'd need to ground it directly to the battery negative to confirm.
In fact the more i think about it the less i understand how this tool works. Since a voltmeter does not complete a circuit, then surely the load is only being applied to the power feed, in which case would you not have to switch the leads around and apply the load to the ground side to test the ground?
Please explain how it is possible that if I have conitnuity with B- that I do no not have a ground especially considering affirmation of the consequent when I actually did the test???? That makes no sense bro!
Only a resistor and a momentary switch? Seems a bit pricey just for that. Maybe that's why the probe is so big. It makes you think you're getting your money's worth. The guy is a freaking genius. :-)
+Rob Mut What have you been using all this time for a resistor and momentary switch to test voltage drop???
See... Exactly my point.
+Schrodingers Box As always I was just kidding. Did you miss the smiley? But to answer your question, I just hang an appropriate size resistor across the load end and measure the voltage. If I wasn't so lazy I'd put the button and resistor inside the meter case. The 2% part of me wants to see what is actually in there. Any chance you would take it apart and show us? Once again I keed, I keed. (Good video by the way) 😊
You are good sir. Thanks.
Great tool
Scrot. !!
How's ya been Bernie. ??? 🙂
Man I havent seen you for quite a while. I've been good but you disappeared off the planet for a minute there!
@@SchrodingersBox still running that Firebird ?? I sold mine, got a 468 ,Chevelle now. 🙂
yes I am. in fact my latest video is on it. it’s still running fantastic- all 710 horses!
Sweet thanks brah
can you leave the loadpro cables on and check house voltage without pressing the loadpro button
ABsolutely. The load pro leads are normal leads that only load the circuit with button pushed. In fact I have another video where I drive a fuel pump with load pro leads using my ammeter.
Which video are you referring to.
check your manual that came with the tool.....not recommended for high voltage...good for only up to 30 volts I believe.
david johnson What system are you going to test with a load pro that has 30 V??
I personally do not need to, but the genesis of the tool came from the heavy truck/construction equipment trade, which often use 12 volts in series or 24 volt systems.
My concern was for someone thinking they could use the Loadpro button function on household 120 volt ac and expecting the same results, when in fact they should be using either a high quality DMM with LoZ function or a "solenoid type" or "wiggy" voltage tester.
That's a good one!
I'm watching your other video
bulbs go in the garden, they are called lamps !!
True dat!~
Shooting down a tool that has use is stupid. Theres nothing wrong with what Matt says about it. Anything that saves an effort or time is worth it. So there. Meow.
+Murle Campbell ROTF Thanks lol... Purrrfect response!