Scientific Tool Review #1: LoadPro test leads!
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- Опубліковано 13 чер 2016
- By popular demand, here is the official scientific tool review of the LoadPro Dynamic Test Leads!
Grab your notebook, pencil, calculator, and a cup of tea or coffee. Follow along as we cut through the hype and myths to discover what the LoadPro is all about.
After determining the inner workings of the LoadPro, we do our best to see if this tool can be valuable in saving time in the real world of automotive diagnostics, and how it stacks up against more "low-tech" tools like the LoadPro's arch nemesis: the trusty test light.
Let's have some fun! - Авто та транспорт
I use mine to check for bad grounds and high circuit resistance. That's all I use it for. Saves time and it works. You're trying to make things too complicated
LOADpro has been adopted now by Cummins. P/N 5394709. FYI.
thank you very much for inventing this!
@@davidche554 No worries. Just should've done a better job of explaining it for guys who needed some more help understanding it.
@@bivideo7 the same type of tool has been around for a real long time . not sure who actually invented it or the concept but this one is much more convenient to use
@@earleclemans4836his name is Daniel Sullivan. First message up in this trail
Old video I know, but I love my LoadPro leads and just leave then attached to one of my DVMs. Simplifies tracking which direction to turn on rust belt junkers.
I don't have a Load Pro and had never seen one used before so I watched your video to see what it is. It was pretty obvious you had formed an opinion about it well before making this video. You showed a voltmeter across a test light which is basically what the load pro does in an easier way with one tool. When the button is pressed, the load is in the circuit. Button released it's a voltmeter without the load or test light in your scenario. You can put the Load Pro in the circuit at any point, just like you do with a test light or a voltmeter using a probe. A voltmeter doesn't come with instructions on how to test the circuit. It is assumed that the buyer knows that. Just like a wrench doesn't tell you which way to turn a bolt. You fumbled with holding the leads only to finally get them held solidly. Then you finally used the alligator clip that came with it to connect the ground and have two hands to use which you had earlier complained about. You didn't get your test light setup to make contact at first either. Like all people, you like what you are familiar with and don't accept change easily even after seeing that it works. You scientifically proved that it does the same thing that your circuit did.
blah blah blah blah babbling on like a Christian sucking of Jesus.
@@e.v.a.l.s Ignorant pig.
@@hav2win hey spank, your moms not looking. you can go fart in the bath tub and play with the bubbles all you like.
Ah no, it was not until reading description and instructions that it was found to be not worth much.
Fantastic well written comment. All your points are well made....unlike the jackass that replied to you first with his brain dead, low IQ input. I agree with everything you say.....and I'll go even further. All these UA-cam diagnostic gurus are one big club. They don't like the concept of their trade being easily and readily available to ordinary folk. They are like a cabal and they chat back and over to each the whole time. In contrast, most of the European diag guys welcome change , and are ready to give concepts , inventions and new methods an honest chance. Diagnose Dan would never do a closed minded obtuse review like this. Neither would any of the German , UK or Irish diag guys, and I know because I watch literally dozens of them. And I suppose therein lies another topic altogether involving change in automotive practices, or lack of it maybe ( let's keep building 5 , 6 ,7 and 8 litres guzzlers for minimal power and basic engineering ) ....
Well it’s just got to NZ. 😂😂good review, however it may not be perfect in every situation, it has a place in my kit. Researching further my heart goes out to Dan, so many haters he sold his patent. What happen to the world.
I saw your video, and then spent some time (weeks actually) researching this product and method further. Good job, especially being your first scientific review. After doing my homework, I watched this video again, and it convinced me to order the LOADpro. It's hard to unbox something and immediately review it accurately without using it for a while first.
Cool! Did you just buy it to play around with it?
motoYam82 I plan to use it in my garage on cars/motorcycles/boats/solar systems, and in my lab/classroom.
USPS decided to ship them via Hawaii, vs a mear 4hrs south of the origin to my house. Duh.
haha must be "SmartPost: xD
The Hawaiian vacation is over. The package left Lakeland FL, to Honolulu HI, and back to WPB FL. It was wearing a lei, and looked well rested. USPS Priority Mail
Had my concerns that confirmation bias and peer opinion might skew your review, but credit where credit is due. Fair commentary. Tools are never a substitute for comprehensive understanding.
🤣🤣🤣 No tool is the answer for everything! My loadpro has helped me save a bunch of time and money however. Using it is common sense and just another awesome little tool in my toolbox.
I work on all sorts of vehicles I see where the load pro would come in handy. I can see so many ways it would come in handy when I have to string out a cord from the battery. It would help when I cant use the battery or it's so long away from a power source. I'll have to get me one. For what Ivan's talking about it's not useful but in the field I work in it would help me out a lot.
I was skeptical at first. After awhile I said the hell with it and bought one. It cuts my diagnostic times and saves me alot of aggravation. It is a must have.
Thanks for the clear explanations and a thorough, respectful review. I like that you didn't just express an opinion, but explained why you think your existing techniques work better for you.
It occurred to me that I shouldn't be so concerned about the negative comments I get from so many people. I don't teach people how to work on cars - I teach people about electrical systems. My tool is simple, and I asked myself why so many "car experts" would be so singularly opposed to my efforts to promote my LOADpro. Then I got email from someone who works at Power Probe (a former student no less) - it seems that Scanner Danner, the Garage Journal, IATN, South Main and Eric the Carguy (and a few others) were all on the take. Jeff Whisenand at Power Probe paid them off. Suddenly it made sense - why else would they be so aggressively against me (other than pure ego...)? If a person chooses to deny the simplicity of my development then so be it. In the end - the truth will prevail.
Yes Dan, the truth always prevails :)
What a wasted time on ypur video
My thoughts are the same about the efficiency of the tool and the clunky lead. I used it for about two weeks to give it a fair test then the button broke. I do however find Mr. Sullivan book and videos vary insightful.
Dan here my email toddsmog@gmail.com send me tool and book review for I'm master techican 35 years I'm going to start my own you tube channel I seen your videos Let give Review I'll post it , I tried my tool truck they stock your tool thx Todd Rodriguez Owner Best Auto Service , Bakersfield,ca
Id like to tell you a story I heard after i patented an invention. I met a man w. several patents who ran in to big business that stole his patent. You are about to run into a buzz saw. The attorney for the thieves kept draging out the case to the point of financial depletion. Long story short. you can never win and will end up broke and emotionally destroyed. Im 69 and also have patented an inv. Please think.
Love my loadpro leads.
The LP was designed to load the circuit minus the load to detect high resistance. One test could eliminate the three faults of circuit is good. After that it’s just a matter of elimination and then testing in the right direction.. ground or power side
500mA is not enough load to really stress high-current circuits. The "resistance" may only show up after a good stress test, which the LP cannot provide 👍
I had watched all of Sullivans videos and I both learned a lot and became convinced that I was going to get a LP. Then I came across SMA, PHAD, and SD and saw not only how to use a test light properly but what it was capable of. Simple but powerful. No need to even think about a LP anymore. Well done Ivan and thanks!
My philosophy is the simpler you can make the diagnosis, the faster you can reach a definitive conclusion, and the less chance there is of making a mistake. Simple and reliable is the name of the game.
I'm definitely on the LoadPro side of this argument. Dan can be a pendantic pain in the ass and is super bitter about his problems with Snap-On and Powerprobe but I do feel this is a very useful tool. I've had one for a long time and I'm glad I do.Higher current test lights are a great idea. Something that draws an amp seems about right to me. Which bulb draws how many amps would be a great little chart.
The idea of the tool is great! It could definitely use some streamlining to make it more "user-friendly"...apparently hasn't been updated or improved since V1.0 came out 15 years ago.
That's all good Dick but we need flashlight sized bulbs to fit into the test light (replacing that which is standard) having this kind of current draw. Then we could make high current draw test lights.
No, I want to take the bulb that comes with a harbor freight test light and replace it with one with a significant >1 Amp current draw.
What's wrong with a bulb just hanging on a wire? Better cooling that way too. Probably wouldn't sell though because it doesn't look as slick as a "probe"...
I have the Snap-on digital 10 mA and then my Snap-on high amp with different wattage bulbs up to .83 Amp
I also have the Snap On test light that reads voltage. I have used the Snap On test light on 5v reference and I use it on road calls as well with my old school test light and my powerprobe3. with the extra leads.
Ivan thank you. Without compensation, you spent a long time carefully reviewing the pros and cons of the tool. Your point was " is there literally a place for this in my diagnostic box of tools ? " to take on the road ? You proved in this video and your others that the best tool is your brain. Alongside Scanner Danner, Schrodingers Box, SMA and others its the biggest lesson to learn, to ask yourself questions, to take nothing for granted. Thanks
That wasn't a review, it was a hit piece!
facts dont care about feelings
You're a funny guy there Ivan. "Just check the damn bulb" HaHa! You gave a great, unbiased review of the tool and I commend you for that. As I've mentioned in the past, both the LoadPro and test light are good where applicable, but the user has to keep in mind how much current is flowing in a circuit to get the true voltage drop in that circuit. So, the inexperienced user could get themselves in trouble seeing a small voltage drop where higher current flow is the normal for the circuit. As an example with your headlight circuit, you had 11.7V unloaded and 11.61V loaded. That's a voltage drop of 0.09. The user would say "that's pretty damn good". But when 5A is flowing through the circuit, the LoadPro's current ratio of 0.5A to 5A is 10. And when you multiply 0.09V by 10, now the actual voltage drop would be 0.9V. But who wants to do all this figuring in their head or work it out on paper. And of course as you've shown in the video, the same would hold true for the test light. By the way Ivan, I crunched some numbers awhile back in Excel for the LoadPro with various resistances and currents to see how the voltage drops varied if you're interested. Probably a good way to simulate a load on a circuit is to use a variable electronic load. Once again, great unbiased review and keep up the good work
My pleasure, Terry! I had to spice it up a little to keep viewers entertained for 50 minutes haha
That's probably the main take-away point from this video: if you're going to load a circuit, use a load that is similar in current draw to the intended load. Thanks for the comment!
Oh no, you didn't go there! lol I've never seen so many comments on one subject as that video. But it sure has been a great learning process for us beginners. You did a nice job explaining your thoughts and concerns. Eric O...your up next!
I watched Sullivans videos and this video. I love the way you do your Diagnostics. In evaluating the load pro, I think you made things overly complicated. Sullivan only used it for checking the wiring, not the load. It does tell you if you can rule out a short to ground, an open circuit, and if you have high resistance in the circuit, and if that resistance is on the positive side or the negative side. That is a lot of information for one test at one connection point in a circuit. Maybe not perfect, but for a DYI person without a suitcase full of scan tools and test equipment I think it can be useful.
I have the LoadPro & PowerProbe 4. Dan's idea was to use the LP in place of your test leads HOWEVER I have only used my LP a few times when I want to load a circuit I have disconnected BUT I prefer my test leads or test lights b/c they are more user friendly in tight places. I have both high & low amp test lights and can change the amperage just by changing the test light bulb wattage for energizing relays and it's my prime testing tool however I love the PowerProbe 4 & is a great tool especially for you guys in the rust belt trying to find a good ground for your test light & if you need power or ground input it's a button push away but that button can get you in trouble fast. If I want more precise testing I break out the DVOM and/or lab scope but when you are going for a quick diagnosis the scope on a rope or PP4 are the tools. You built some nice loaded circuit testers which are fantastic tools for not only load testing but can be used for short circuit testing so with your arsenal the LP would probably just get in your way. My LP has a place in my diagnostic box b/c on occasion I use it similar to special tools in my box I may have used only a few times in 40 yrs. Maybe heavy equipment & large truck mechanics use it every day b/c of more space and seeing as everything weighs a ton a LP isn't bulky to them but it is to me. Every mechanic may have a ton of tools and only certain ones are their favorites & when it comes to diagnostic tools the LP is one of my seldom used tools. Nice tool review Ivan and we'll see what Eric O thinks of it.
A simple and convenient solution to the bulkiness complaint mentioned. I have put together some 4 foot leads having one end that connects to the load pro tip (and other test probe tips) and the other end with a male banana end that fits all my fluke and many other end adapters. Basically just an extension lead. using that, I can then operate the load pro right next to my meter for those conditions where trying to hold a test lead point down some hole is not ideal.
Another device that is easy to build is a (fused) momentary switched 200 ohm variable resistor in series with a mini 20 amp amp-meter that fits on the end of a test lead......dial in your own load...push the button and visually see how much you are applying.....but be carefull cuz you may let the smoke out of some component..lol. Whatever happened to those little buttons that had two leads with alligator clips that you would put across a suspected intermittent open circuit and if it lost power intermittently, a little light would come on and stay on until it was reset. Was a handy little devices those were.
scientific? ahh another Case Study, that LoadPro work perfect.
I was wondering what the LoadPro was all about. Thanks for the thorough review!
Good honest review ivan .You make some good valid points.
Thank you for the options presented. Keeping it simple.
I think the power probe 3 is better because you can get voltage drops find grounded/shorted or open circuits.
and when you add a volt/ohm meter with an amp clamp there's not much more you need to find any problem.
But that's my view.
motoYam82 very good review
Thank you for your honest review. And I agree with you Dan Sullivan is an impressive person. He is a good teacher too. And I think you're right I think he designed that tool to be big because he worked on diesel mechanical equipment more so then small nimble automotive cars.
If you hear a car come skidding up to your house tonight, look out its Dan! : )
Or Scotty Kilmer...lol
Nice one xD
Awesome. Thanks for clarifying several things. Nice presentation. Easy to follow & understand. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Stay safe.
OMG Ivan "you pull the damn bulb and look at it" had my ribs hurting! Call me old fashioned but I like my scope on a rope. Great scientific testing and conclusion. Better keep an eye open just in case lol.
Usually [old fashioned = simple and reliable]. There are few things more simple and reliable than a good old-fashioned light bulb :)
I’m not following what the point of EXP1 was around 16:30. Your just measuring the resistance of the, known good, leads coming out of your power supply. In most voltage drop testing scenarios you really don’t care about the actual resistance measurement, let alone the amperage, in a circuit. You just care about the voltage drop. I think how to calculate the resistance in the circuit based on the loaded/unloaded measurements is just there for completeness, not as an example of something that you need to do in order to use the tool or find a fault in a circuit.
Re: 24:15: When talking about disconnecting the load component, it doesn't necessarily mean go straight to the component and disconnect its closest connector. You can also disconnect the component at the fuse or relay or any number of places that are easier to get to. The key is to disconnect the load from the battery. It doesn't matter if its the power or ground side or both. Just that the circuit is open. I think Dan demonstrates this in a couple of his videos.
Re using a volt meter & test light to get quantitative results (around 27:00), did you notice that you effectively created your own LoadPro with the circuit you drew of the volt meter measuring voltage drop across the test light? The test light is acts as the resistor/load in the LoadPro. Yeah, your set up works but thats pretty cumbersome to set up since I don’t know many test lights that have a point I can test on both sides of the light easily. With a LoadPro I only have two wires to deal with, not three.
Re your issue with the LoadPro resister not being variable (around 32:28), in a case like you describe where there is a thermistor style resistance on the power side of the circuit. You wouldn’t use the magic button on the LoadPro to find that scenario. You would catch that problem by testing the voltage drop across the motor before disconnecting anything. If there was resistance on the power or ground side of the motor you would not get a reading of system voltage across the motor. At which point you would follow normal voltage drop testing procedures and do a binary search to find the resistance without disconnecting anything. I think the LoadPro instructions are kind of vague on that though. IMO, the first step should be to test voltage across the load instead of disconnecting it first.
Re activating the load missing from the instructions (34:52), I think you might be splitting hairs and reaching for something negative to say a little there. If the circuit wasn’t activated then you would get a ghost voltage reading and then chase down why the circuit was open. Once you discover its not activated, you would redo your tests with it activated. The same would be true with a test light, btw. The light wouldn’t light and you’d go chasing the open to discover the circuit wasn’t activated. They could have included it in the instructions and a bunch of other variables that could be seen in the field, but that would make the instructions a lot more complex and scare most novice users. K.I.S.S. is the way to go for instruction manuals. People don’t want to read a novel masquerading as an instruction sheet.
The LoadPro isn’t perfect by any means. But IMO it makes things easier because I just need to bring my volt meter and these leads to get the job done, instead of a volt meter, leads & multiple test lights for different amperages. The LoadPro shines in cases where you have excessive resistance in a circuit. That is really where it is beneficial over a simple test light. In practice, you don't need to do all that math or really care what the actual resistance in the circuit is and certainly not the amount of amps through the circuit. Thats the beauty of voltage drop testing and the LoadPro, IMO. All you care about is the amount of voltage drop. If its over some amount (say 0.5V for a 12V circuit) then you know you have excessive resistance. A test light will still light up, slightly dimmer, with a 0.8V drop, but the circuit still behave funky. I don't know about you, but my eyes aren't calibrated to measure lumens. Just sayin’…
Whew thank you for the detailed feedback! Here's a partial response:
1) EXP1 was basically a base-line control, meaning how much voltage drop would the user see in a known-good circuit with an ideal voltage source. And the calculated resistance was a "rationality check": 0.3 Ohms in just the leads seems reasonable. This step is key to any scientific experiment (I hope Matt the scientist would agree with me here).
2) As far as literally disconnecting the load, if you just pull a fuse/relay, then how and where do you hook up your LoadPro to perform the testing?? At the fuse location? If so, then you are putting two loads IN SERIES (existing load + LoadPro) which would really throw the technician for a loop! :)
3) As far as stock test lights not being friendly to connect directly to DVOMs yes that is true. I have modified all my lights to have banana jack plugs for ease of use...only takes a few minutes to do so. So yeah I did make a collection of variable-amperage Load Pros that are actually hands-free and easy to use :)
4) With the "thermistor-style resistance" you are absolutely right you should monitor the voltage across the existing load with it running, in which case you don't need a LoadPro to begin with. Too bad the instructions tell you to do the exact opposite lol
Yes, the relay box is one of the most convenient spots to start a diagnosis. Dan does show some good tests. My favorite is the "relay bypass" test where he jumps the load pins through his DVOM on the current setting. That test alone verifies load side feed, wiring to the load itself, ground integrity of the load, and finally the real amperage draw of the load. But no LoadPro required!
To check the control side, nothing is faster than a 250mA test light connected to B+ or ground respectively. You still need to know the circuit of the control side and how to energize it on the vehicle. Again, LoadPro is still collecting dust in the toolbox :)
I think Dan's, and my point is that you only need one tool to do the entire job instead of multiple tools. You set up the LoadPro in the DVOM and get to work, rather then set up the DVOM & test light independently and then get to work. As the old saying goes, time is money. A single tool that can do the job of many is a win.
Nah that's just the LoadPro sales pitch lol! Let's count: LoadPro and DVOM...that's TWO tools right there! And the LP might as well be a wheel chock without the DVOM.
Test light on the other hand can be used independently, with optional backup from the DVOM if the results aren't initially obvious.
If time is money, why even get out the DVOM and hook up special leads when you can already be done in seconds by using old faithful?
I count the DVOM & LoadPro as one tool since the LoadPro is effectively replacement leads for the DVOM. Without leads the DVOM is a paper weight, right? Its a symbiotic relationship. Without one the other is useless. Combined they make a powerful single tool.
The problem with the test light, IMO, is you can get false positives if you don’t detect the light dimming. The change in lumens can often be very subtle. Especially if you are in a shop with a lot of ambient light. Its a lot harder to get false positives with a DVOM (with or without the LoadPro) because you are dealing with quantitative data. The engineer in me prefers data over guesstimating light output I guess. Less chance of human error.
But in the end it is all a matter of preference. Just like the Carburetor vs Fuel Injection debate. They both get the job done. Its mostly a matter of which one you are more comfortable working with.
Great video. This was so much more than a load pro review video. This video should be a part of every automotive electrical class. Day one material. Fantastic job Ivan. BTW, I own a load pro. I also own about one hundred other tools that I never use.
Thanks for the compliment, Michael! Just trying to pass along some basic electrical theory and show there is no magic behind the scenes :)
Agreed that it would be an improvement to be able to dial up the load to stress the circuit.
I was given one over a year ago, it sits in the service truck drawer, I agree the test bulbs are still the best way and I have a similar set up with the banana adaptors only I marked the amps on my test bulb leads with a label maker just so I remember. I keep thinking I was missing something the way people go on about this tool?Great video. Thanks
Been wrenching for 40yrs. Multi meter and a test light. Voltage checks with circuit energized. Ohm meter de energized circuits. Just diagnosed and repaired a can bus problem today!
And by the way, in one of your vids a few years back you promised a Power Probe review - whatever happened to that? Would like to see it. I thought you got a PP3 or 4(?). Thanks for taking the time to produce vids.
Hey Ivan ! Haven't seen your channel before since you teamed up with Eric on south main auto in a couple of episodes . Read some comments here and have to say , tough crowd. Your a diagnostics tech whom is dedicated to proper diagnostics , no doubt. Folks should appreciate your doing this review for their benefit and appreciate that. Everyone will have their favorite tools that work for them but there's nothing wrong with reviewing another tool that may answer questions one may have if contemplating a purchase or just looking for an easier or faster way to diagnose . It's clear your up on tech in as far as measurements and values and that's an accomplishment in itself. You hit it on the head when you focused on the real world testing with this tool . Will it help as opposed to the hundreds / thousands of diagnostics tools that come out every year . At least you took the time to review and do a real world test with this tool to show what it can do. I appreciate you taking the time . 👍
Get a variable resistor so you cam add resistance when needed. Load Pro is a great idea
It's good for low amp wires it seems. I saw a video of this item and they said it was great for finding poor grounds and used it for those issues.
I have seen an instructional video by Sullivan...the inventor. I wanted to see an independent review but from what I saw, you do not know how to use it. You may want to watch his video and try again.
The concept of the tool is not a bad one, but Mr. Sullivan only shows it on demo resistor boards, not to fix actual cars. I know many top automotive diagnosticians in the field, and the only thing they might use the LoadPro for is a wheel chock lol. But don't take my word for it, buy one and try it out!
I apologize for my first comment being a bit insulting. That was not the intent. I will try to do better.
I do have a LoadPro and am trying to learn how to use it. I have a Marine Engine Tech certificate but no experience. My Marine Engine Tech instructor was sold on it. Sullivan says Caterpillar adopted it. Is it possible that the techs that use it as a wheel chock don't understand how to use it?
Admittedly, Sullivan did too many theoretical videos and not enough actual diagnostics with his tool. Unfortunately we did not do enough actual diagnostics in my Marine Engine repair class either. That is why I am watching videos like yours.
In these videos, Sullivan uses his LoadPro in actual demonstrations of diagnostics.
ua-cam.com/video/3DT_DQLErGk/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/mshPhXXOHhA/v-deo.html
Please don't consider this as criticism. I am just trying to learn diagnostics. Narrowing the search area or eliminating wiring problems altogether in 2 steps from the connector seems very efficient compared to checking the whole circuit to me. What am I missing??? I wish you well.
No worries man, it is great that you are eager to learn! For basic power and ground checks all you need is an incandescent TEST LIGHT. For other electrical components like analog sensors, a VOLTMETER is necessary. Finally, if you get into network diagnostics and digital signals, an OSCILLOSCOPE (a really fast graphing voltmeter) is essential. If you want to learn more very quickly, look up these channels on UA-cam: ScannerDanner, SouthMainAuto, NewLevelAuto, and I have plenty of diagnostic videos here on my channel as well! Good luck, it's a very fun field of work! Start with basic circuits and Ohm's law. You will then understand why the LoadPro is just not necessary :)
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics I regards to learning, which can never end, because things keep changing and one should never forget the fundamentals. What do you think of TST seminars, Schrodingers Box?
I have found some interesting information on those sites.
Please let me know your opinion on them.
Interesting video, as always. To expand on your presentation:(1) You suggested that the tables at the end of the manual could be summarized in one line by writing Ohm's Law. Well ... not completely. But, but by combining Ohm's Law with Kirchoff's Voltage Law (which you mentioned in the video), for the circuit shown on your white board, it can be derived: System Resistance = 25(Sensor Voltage - Loadpro Voltage)/(Loadpro Voltage)(2) At 4:22 in the video, it looks like the Loadpro manual has a typo in the first paragraph, "A drop of 0.5V in a 12V system is an effective resistance of 5 ohms. See page 5 for more information." Those sentences are contradicted by the chart on page 5 at 7:44 in the video and also by the formula above, which indicate that a 5 ohm circuit resistance causes a 2 volt drop when the button is pushed (Loadpro voltage = 10 volts), not a 0.5 V drop. (3) The Loadpro may not have wide application for auto diagnostics, but from an engineering perspective, it is a clever way to make accurate resistance measurements in a garage. It is essentially a mechanic’s adaptation of the classic laboratory 4-point probe method to measure current and resistance. By measuring delta V across a precision 25 ohm resistor, you have an accurate current measurement, and from that you can calculate the system resistance without introducing the contact resistance of ohmmeter test probes in series, since the input impedance of a DVM in voltage mode is 10 megaohms - far greater than contact resistance of test probes
Great explanation. Voltage measurements with higher currents are definitely more precise than using an ohmmeter with such a high internal impedance.
LoadPro leads have been available for a long time now, I'm wondering why they're a hot topic all of a sudden? Each to their own guys. Between this video and Matts, it seems they're a trigger for a love 'um or hate 'um. I appreciate your videos though Ivan. I love my two test lights (45mA and 200mA) and I have a set of loadpro leads that I got on sale with Dans book (An excellent read by the way, a little basic on some areas) I work with factory techs quite often due to where my dealership is located and I use the leads when I'm working with them so I don't have to have the inevitable "test lights are the anti-Christ" conversation that gets 'trained' into them, and they report every step and need voltage readings. No tool does it all, that's why we all have boxes. Also, mechanics are some of the most opinionated people about tools so there's always good comments! (All my tools are the best! 😉)
I work on my family's cars when I can. I am getting older and it isn't easy anymore, but I am still interested in tools and technology. When I was working as an electronics equipment installer I was sort of a tool snob. Only had the good tools, no off brands or harbor freight junk. Now that I am retired I have a lot of neat tools that I rarely use and I am less opinionated than I once was. But you are so right about opinions and biases concerning tools (and a lot of other things) There is a youtube somewhere that shows a guy duplicating a $1200 tool with a dvm and some wire leads.
I dont know shit about shit Im just here for the drama
haha that's awesome!
44:58 Energize the circuit?? I thought you could load it with the Load pro that was the Schtik about the whole tool in the first place. Or maybe you are not using it right?
The tool is like any other tool. It has its limitations. It does test circuits by loading which is good. It has its place. A power probe allows us to power up a load and test it. Good thing to do when replacing a computer controlled component.
Most certainly loading a circuit and checking voltage drop is the best way to test the ability of the conductor to carry electrons. A taillight bulb in a socket across your volt meter probes will do nearly the same. However bulb resistance changes when the filament gets hot. I prefer a 25 ohm power resistor and two test lead clips. If I used it every day I might go for the Load Pro for convenience but it’s the hundred dollar option. Your main tool is always your knowledge.
Doesn't matter if the bulb resistance changes as it lights up... As long as it lights up brightly, circuit is fine 👍
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics
yeah but how bright is bright and how much reduction in lumens is someone going to notice
the hundred dollar price tag turns me off too. its a nickel in plastic parts and another nickel for the resister made by the chinese. so are lisle relay testers.
@@dangerdavefreestyle just put your $20 voltmeter across the bulb to make sure full battery voltage is maintained under load 😉
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics yeah but like a regular ohmeter that is weak i think the tool is only slightly less weak. and so is 1 bulb. not enough of a draw to find a kink in the line, but 20 bulbs now were talking, maybe an electric heater or something that sucks alot of juice
Very nice review. Perhaps it would be of interest to your viewers to see what you do carry in your diagnostic tool kit and why.
Very true. down and dirty I basically go by how bright the test light is. Btw I bought the solus edge and the new vantage ultra. like them both.
Great video Ivan thanks
First time I saw a 5A test light load test. My observations...
Complete circuit check with 5A calibrated light load test steps:
Find ground wire at component connector:
1. Setup test light:
1.1. Connect 5A_NEG to BAT_POS,
1.2. Connect 5A_POS to LAMP_CON_L
2. Observation:
a. Light dim: ground side terminal of connector
b. Light dim + Headlight dim: power side terminal of connector, power is back feeding at relay/resistor
Ground side circuit test:
1. Load circuit: turn on headlights to prevent backfeed on power side circuit
2. Setup test light:
2.1. Connect 5A_NEG to BA T_POS,
2.2. Connect 5A_POS to LAMP_GRN
3. Observation:
a. Bright: good circuit
Power side circuit test:
1. Load circuit: turn on head lights
2. Setup test light:
2.1. Connect 5A_NEG to BAT_NEG,
2.2. Connect 5A_POS to LAMP_PWR
3. Observation
a. Bright light: good circuit
Well, just to say something here. I found this tool very useful on a time when troubleshooting a diesel engine SCR/ATS DEF pump and ACM that was driving everybody crazy. System would set intermittent fault codes for it and everything seemed
fine -voltage-, as manufacturer specified, was within spec. But it was not the same when we loaded the 12.6 volt circuit carrying the 'current' to it. Load pro made it easy to find the real issue with the system (corrosion on the positive circuit) that was hindering with the ACM commands to the DEF pump causing all this mess and wrongfully condemning the trucks computers. Since then, we use that tool to load the circuits; making it faster for us to advise the customer. It is NOT the truck's electronic control module.
Okram Oteirp were you not just able to use the pump itself as the load in the circuit? Certainly a pump would draw a substantial amount more current than the load pro would have
ONBOARDTECH333 ECM and the ACM disables any function towards the DEF pump. If some FC affecting that area are encountered.
Okram Oteirp I'll reply as soon as I find my acronym deciphering book 😆
In other words, you choose to ignore someone who has something positive to say about my efforts...
Daniel Sullivan nope , just not sure about the system until he explained it and I researched it . But hey glad you're here again. Ready for dinner yet? Offer still stands
One of the tricky things about using a test light as a quick voltage drop test is the fact that a drop may be present without appreciating a subjective decline of light brightness. Every test light is different, and appreciating the brightness of a light when ambient light is variable introduces interpretation error. Although I do like your home-made two bulb test light, false negatives are possible especially if you don't have a lot of experience with the tool. If you're replacing the part you probably do have good access just before you take it out, and a last chance drop test is good verification of the diagnosis. Of course it needs to be fast, easy, and reliable, since the default is to skip it. I find the LoadPro a useful way to do that, and it is clearly more sensitive and more quantitative than a light bulb. The curious issue was how there is no schematic in the product manual explaining internal wiring. I will guess this was to cloud the simplicity, trying to avoid valid arguments about cost compared to a home made set like you have. However electrical understanding relies on knowledge of the circuit, and until I smoked that one out I felt uneasy about how it was working. Ironically, now that I know how simple it is I have more confidence when using it.
thanx for the review Being an impulse buyer , you just saved me a bad case of buyer's remorse
Glad I could help! I bet that 95% of the LoadPros ever purchased are sitting on shop shelves or toolboxes right now, forgotten, gathering dust.
i like the test lamp as you can increase the load and have a quick visual representation of the test result, "to each his own i always say sometimes"
Thanks for sharing this video with us.
I suspect the reason activating the load with the ignition is left out of the instructions is because Loadpro and test sequence...
Is to eliminate causes of a part not working properly. It tells us:
1) Open
2) Short To Ground
3) Unexpected Resistance.
If it is not one of those three things ...and the PART is not working properly?...
You can turn the key if you want... but the problem will still be the PART... whether you turn the key or not.
After all something made us go looking for the problem in the first place :)
I agree the LoadPro would be fine on small loads that do not operate , it's useless on higher loads. If any load does operate all I do is power it up and use is a volt meter to find if the + or - side has the resistance. I don't need to calculate I can see the voltage drop and locate it between connections that exist to narrow it's location down.
Adapter tips for LoadPro would solve certain of its disadvantages. Possibly adding selectable test loading = 0.5A, 3A, 10A could resolve other disadvantages. As another feature this device might incorporate direct leads to battery (+)(-) in addition to the current leads which could yield other valuable findings.
It doesn’t give you the warm fuzzy feeling of a test light. But it did take about 1/10 the amount of time lol.
I appreciate your pointing out an apparent exception to the 3-fault scenario on page three (i.e. short to hot or positive); but, my understanding is the tool was designed to find problems in circuits that do not operate under load. The situation to which you allude, would point to wiring problem with a no control situation: you wouldn't be able to turn it off. I think this tool is to be used on circuits where the load does not respond.
Daniel, chime in anytime.
"the tool was designed to find problems in circuits that do not operate under load.".....so you're saying the tool is completely useless then? haha
I think it may be a good tool to have. The only comment I have is on the manual. It says that if you see 0 volts the positive is shorted to ground. Well that is true if you have only two wires and in that case they would be shorted together. But what if you have a harness with multiple powers and grounds and the ground wire is shorted to power? That would also give you 0 volts on the meter. The power wire may be fine but you lack ground.
A nice upgrade on the tool would be a variable load and a option to have it as either a testlight or variable load
I would dearly love to have a wiring diagram of your test light setup. I'd be willing to bet that other people might like one too!
Hello! The loadpro can be used for sensors that work with a 5v power supply? Or for the signals sent by the sensors to the PCM? Is there a possibility of PCM damage during the test? Thank you
Yes you can use it for testing/loading a 5V ref.
It’ll add a 220 milliamp load on a 5V ref circuits. No you should not use it on a signal wire. I use it everyday on Cummins diesel
& Thermo King ECM diagnostics.
On 24 volt system, it adds a 1 amp load.
On 12V side, it adds 500 milliamp load.
Cuts my wire diagnosing time drastically to minutes. Yes, I can use bulbs (test lights) to load circuits. But by the time others unload the wires, probes, calculate loads & hook all of that up, I’m done in minutes. I’m not selling the tool, it just works as advertised.
Hello Ivan . I agree 100 percent. The only use i can see them for is the hollow points on the ends of the leads . Use with straight pins. Lol.
I think you nailed it when you said it is more of an agricultural tool. So trucks, tractors, earth movers etc. Also from watching Dan’s videos, I came to the conclusion (maybe wrongly??) that its main purpose is to chase corroded grounds and connectors. Probably a good tool when working out in the field on this type of equipment.
I agree with the "variable load" scene.
I use these test leads, and in the correct situation they work great. You do have to get use to doing voltage drop tests on the component or circuit. This tool doesnt replace other forms of testing. Sometimes you still have to get a test light.
Why would a test light be necessary with these leads and a quality multimeter?
What about me guys? Guess I'm chopped liver,lol. What it comes down too is having experience using this tool just like it is with any diagnostic tool you use. If you go to my channel I have a few videos with me using the tool and proving it works in the field. Is it the be all end all tool for doing volt drop testing? Of course it isn't, but it does work as it is intended to do so. When you are testing higher load circuits you will not see as much of a drop, true, but if you use kirchoffs law to calculate the volt drop and figure out the resistance you would be able to figure out if there is too much resistance in the circuit. So say for example a motor had a resistance of 5 ohms, if you calculated 3 ohms of resistance in the wiring that would cause a problem. Now unfortunately this would take some time to figure out and you would have to get used to the volt readings your seeing. I have been using this tool since 2009 so I have a good feel for it. I will say though that the majority of the time I use this tool only up to 12 gauge wiring, after that Ivan is right it can mislead you if you don't have a good background in electrical due to the fact that circuits with thicker gauge wire have more current flow and therefore more voltage drop. Bottom line the tool works everyone, you can't argue ohms law. Now as for sometimes with testing circuits where you have intermittent connections yes Ivan is right you could miss the problem but you have just as much of a chance missing the problem with a test lamp whether it draws .5 amp or .2 Amps. This tool works just like a test lamp. Do I use this tool to find intermittents all the time? No I will break out a test lamp or use my Vantage on a long screen while shaking the harness to see a drop. Or if I have too I will hook up my Pico Scope. I use test lamps and they have there uses but there have been a few times I have used them and the bulb would look bright and then later I would find out I have a substantial volt drop after hooking up the volt meter. So when your using a test light make sure you baseline it on a good hot with your dvom hooked up to it to see how much voltage it drops. Test lights can fool you if your not careful. Eric O remember that Jeep you and Ivan worked on where you checked the ground at the passenger kick panel with a test lamp and Eric said it was a good ground? Then Ivan hooked up another ground to it and the lamp lit brighter? Perfect example of how the test lamp can fool you if your not careful. Anyway awesome job on the video Ivan and you and Eric take care.
Hey Mike thanks for your honest comment and I appreciate your feedback! The best solution is to have a variety of tools and know how and when to use each one. And knowing how to use a certain tool doesn't come from the instruction manual, it comes from hours of real-world use in the field..."getting a feel for it" like you said.
I'm glad Eric and I left in the part where we got "burned" by our favorite tool on the Jeep from Hell haha! Everyone learned a lesson there! Anyways, the take-home message is no matter what tool you choose, the user still has to THINK about the test. There are always variables, and you can't write a rulebook like the LoadPro manual that makes it seem so black-and-white easy.
Thanks again for your thoughts, and I look forward to seeing some more great diag vids on your channel too!
+motoYam82 I have complained to Es about the manual, guess they didn't listen to me.
+motoYam82 Thanks for the kind words Ivan.
+motoYam82 Thanks for the kind words Ivan.
basically if the conector is easy to get to and you can activate the circuit not bad but not as great as they make it sound I have to agree if easier to handle and activate also if you can adjust the load it would be a ok tool I have the tool and as I learn more and get more advanced I have not had to use it or wanted to thanks for taking the time to make the review
i like your testing of that tool how ever as an electronic engineer i have learnt that testing under load is much more accurate than no load at all especially with a digital meter analog meter such as simpson ,triplett and VTVM when know how to use correctly can give a more accurate reading .Forward and reverse bias is also important when testing a circuit because of components i the circuit like diodes transorbs and so on so ohms law and the law of resistivity should apply .So when what works for you great but in my electronic world of 40 years plus it is always beat to check your circuit with a load and without a load vd can be way different
Can you test and load fuses? Do you have to remove the (load) ie. a module?
Great review, very detailed. Thanks.
Where did you see Dan was against back probing? Poking wire insulation yes, of course, it DOES damage the wire and corrosion
is most certainly going to take place when it's done. The LP is clunky? Anything you can adapt to your Snap-On tools, DVOM or
your home made string of " Christmas lights" test light(s) can just as easily be put on the LP leads. Did you miss the threads on the stock pins? If you don't like the toll that's fine but it's no harder use than any other diagnostic tool.
You need the instructions to tell you to turn on the circuit? LOL Do your Christmas lights need the circuit on? Duh!!!!
you can do better than that..You commented on the LP needing to have an unplugged connector...then you unplugged the
headlights with your string light test. What gives? OK for Ivan but cumbersome for the rest of us? Look if you don't like the LP
I get that but you video is more nit picking that educational. To each his own.
Not educational? You must have missed the part with the whiteboard of knowledge...
And what the heck am I going to screw on to those leads anyways? Special adapters? Oh they must be sold separately in the "LoadPro Elite Kit" available for three easy payments of 39.99 roflmao
What you don't seem to understand is that your whiteboard of knowledge is pretty suspect. SMA on the other hand has Scotty Kilmer watching over his White board of knowledge; so his I trust. Just saying...
Ivan Moto, Real good at diagnostics, real bad at humor. Keep trying though. Educational or not I like your videos.
I'll do my best to make the vids both educational and fun...thanks for watching :)
Story goes that the first blokes out in space encountered a big problem using their trusty pens. In zero gravity the ink wouldn't fall down to the ball at the end and the pen would not work. Thousands were spent developing an electrical pen that would keep the ink under pressure against the ball...... All of a sudden somebody said... Hey, why didn't we just use a pencil???
I think the Russians suggested using the pencil LOL
They must've come up with the test light as well. LOL!
True story: 12 years ago we were traveling by car to the remote Altay mountains of southern Russia with my dad, brother, and two cousins. We rented a beat up Toyota Corolla station wagon since back then the whole rent-a-car thing in Russia was not as easy as going to Hertz.
Well when we were ready to head back to civilization, the ignition lock cylinder seized up because this thing had a million miles on it from being a delivery vehicle in Japan before it was shipped to the Russian market haha.
Anyways, we were literally a hundred miles from any type of auto repair shop, and had almost no tools on board. My clever cousin, who is now an IT specialist in his little village with one paved street, quickly rigged up a "spider" of wires with an automotive bulb spliced in. We removed the electrical part of the ignition switch and from scratch figured out which wires were the feed, and which ones were the essential loads, including the starter solenoid. Hot wired the Toyota and drove it 300 miles back to civilization with no issues!
Been a fan of the test light ever since :)
Wow. That proves that the brain is the most important tool.
Actually the real story is that this was the genesis of the FISHER SPACE PEN which pressurized the ball point pen cartridge. The pen isn't electrical in any way, they simple pressurized the refill.
It's a good tool for certain situations. You seem a bit biased. The inventor is a deusch but the tool can be useful.
You must mean Douche. I concur.
I say yes because I have one. And is working great
Cool!
Extremely grateful great video
Thk-u ivan your the best.
I'm keeping my test light!
I have a load pro and personally I like mine. It is the wrong tool to use for pwm circuits and not right for every situation, however, it is useful just the same. You are going to have to get to those hard to reach connectors before you condemn any component anyway, so I don't see that it is such the hassle as you made out. Also, it really isn't that hard to hold the test leads once you get used to it. The tool will find high resistance issues and I have used it for a couple of years. I sure would hate to be without mine. As a side note, Dan Sullivan's FET book changed my life diagnostically speaking. He is also a great teacher. Anyone looking to up their automotive or heavy equipment electrical game owes it to themselves to look him up. By the way, thank you for your honest opinions and for a great all around channel.
Great vid man! Was thinking about putting in my 2cents, but seeing the stuff beneath, I figure every angle is covered. Curious about a response vid by Matt! Seeing most of what SMA and Matt as well as a good chunk of SD and others have put out as a pretty much permanent replacement for regular television, I've seen a whole lot of circuits unplugged. You and Eric O. are probably the most consequent at unplugging parts, so I was a little confused about your remark of having to unplug a part...
That being said, I think these things loadprobes should be way smaller, like a quarter of the current size and that should be pretty easy. Like what you've done with the lights, but it also contradicts your remark of the loadprobe having fixed amperage, as the lamps do. Yes, they are way cheaper and smaller, so you have multiple configurations and that should be a feature of a gigantic loadprobe like this one. I guess after watching 50 minutes of you fiddling with the LP, you got my 2cents anyways. @Eric, looking forward to the video! @Matt, looking forward to response and clarifications!
Thanks for the comment, George! Yeah, not much bang for the bulk there...and I like the name "Gigantic LoadProbe" :)
Conceptually it's not much different than the scope on a rope you guys have been using so many times. Those lights and points are as troublesome, just way cheaper. Seeing some numbers makes sense to me, as I've seen Matt able to diagnose pretty fast what the problems are. Like you've shown own the whiteboard. About 3 or 4 measurements and you know exactly what's going on. Circuit design does matter a little bit. A part should be able to draw amperage and for that it needs integrity in the wires towards and from it. For noobs it's a lot saver than doing amp measurements with the DVOM, as Matt pointed out in the do not blow up your PCM videos!
Yup if you want to measure amps, an amp clamp is the safest and least intrusive method. The only time I use my DVOM in the amps mode is when looking at small parasitic draws under one amp, where the amp clamp signal-to-noise ratio becomes a variable.
So true, and with the LP you'd need to do something else for very low amp/resistance circuits as well, as it has the 0.13 volt bias for it's own circuit.
Where you get the power supply from? I have been looking for one.
Good video! I bought these last year relabeled blue point,had them connected to my meter for a day and then Took them off and have been in my tool box ever since.not impressed,I like you use my voltmeter and 3057 light bulbs to voltage drop.
thanks...I think it has its place but not for all testing,,,,,,wish the tool had afew more attachments with it like a sharp point tip for probing female connectors but like the "stead concave point tip "for probing male connectors.....thanks again....bob
Hey great video! I was wondering if anyone can help me out with a question I have. I have some basic electric (DC) experience and have a good understanding of it. I have a horn button & Airbag module. The horn button grounds out itself to the metal that encases the unit. I look at the schematic for the wire that connects to the horn and it is +!! What is going on here? It does test as + ! Why would this be? I know that a + to - will short and blow a fuse.
Get a good wiring diagram. Generally the horn button just grounds the control side of the horn relay :)
I have been using loadpro for years, I dont always grab a voltmeter when checking fuel pressure, dont always grab a test light when looking for a coolant leak, but when I do use a voltmeter, loadpro test leads are usually inland and is the fastest way to know why the circuit doesn't work. Thank you for the review. Whats in Your Toolbox?
Interesting review. I use the Load Pro too and of course a circuit needs to be switched on BUT if not, You do get ghostvoltage to tell you that you forgot that!!!! Yes it is a a bit clunky but you also overlook that you built a complicated test setup just for testing a bulb circuit ..... be fair, I cannot build such a contraption for every eventuallity. Dan Sullivan tried to build a simple to use tool for a complex world and there are limitations, but for the thinking guy who understands his circuit first (like you showed too) it does a good job. Autoelectric is not for idiots, whatever tool you may invent you must use your head too. I think Dan has learned that too but check Dans video on testing a circuit from a relay socket is fantastic and relay sockets are easy to get to, works great but still needs thinking. I use many tools from my Picoscope to a Powerprobe and if you pick on them you will find something on all of them, so stay with usefulness not nitpicking.
Sincerely, Bernhard
Ivan did Eric o put a video out on his review of this tool. Sorry if it's been asked already but the Colorado video with Keith difvao made me research this tool fir fun.
I hate having to look at a bulb for a load test. . . so I love this tool. BTW I got the version that came with leads so one can use w/o having to have 3 hands.
Your test lights should be ready to go at all times...why would you need to "look for a bulb"?
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics *** at *** - I don’t like looking AT the bright bulb.
You’re not wrong though - tools should be locked and loaded at all times.
@@carguy1312 Just use two dimmer bulbs in parallel instead of one bright one...lots of options to be creative :)
At 26:50, when you placed a voltmeter across the test light you essentially made the loadpro, the loadpro does this in a more convenient way by using the push button switch to introduce the load into the circuit, but it's a method electricians have been using for over a hundred years, which is why I don't think Dan can win his lawsuit.
I can argue the "more convenient" point. The LP has a momentary button which does not latch. You must keep holding it while loading the circuit. The test light you can set up and walk away and keep the circuit loaded while doing further testing (like wiggling the harness etc.). Not a fan of the button :)
+motoYam82 rubber band solves that,
like the one Matt keeps on his D.V.O.M.
Unreliable. There is no direct indication on the LP if the button switch is ON or OFF. Just adds an unnecessary variable to the diagnosis IMO.
Excellent review. Are people aware that cheap multimeters have impedance ranging from one mega ohm to what ever resulting in incorrect reading.
Vehicle testing should require the use of a meter with a 10 mega ohm impedance.
I use a test box with one 55w bulb, one 21w bulb, one 5w bulb and two LEDS for polarity and computer voltage testing. The range is 5v to 50v ac/dc. All use separate 4mm jacks. The bulbs provide sufficient load but can or course be increased.
Am I missing something here? Isn't the idea to load the circuit so you can use a voltage drop to calculate the resistance of the wires or corrosion? How would a larger load change that? Isn't resistance, resistance? If there's a section of wire that has 10 ohms of resistance, would a higher current draw component change that? There'd still be 10 ohms of corrosion in the wire, no? Please correct me if my understanding is incorrect here.
As long as the resistance is stable that works just fine to use a low load to make the measurement. If it's some crud that blows away under high current, then that resistance won't measure the same as it did before. Like corroded battery terminals that allow you to switch on the ignition and see lights, but then blanks out completely once you try cranking it, after the high current vaporizes the tenuous contact.
Not enough load in that tool, you could easily misdiagnose. Test a circuit with the same load it was intended for. That ALWAYS tells the truth.
I really enjoy this subject, so I will make one more comment and that will be it. Take a 12 volt battery, connect a wire to the pos. terminal then to a resistor, of aprox. 300 ohms. Now take your scope on a rope, put the clamp on the neg. terminal of the battery. Touch the probe of the test light to the battery side of the resistor, the light will light brightly. Now touch the probe to the other side of the resistor, it will not light. Now take your loadpro leads, put the black lead to the battery neg. terminal and put the magic cucumber to the terminal of the resistor on the side away from the battery, so the resistor is in the circuit, the voltmeter will read full battery voltage, trust me you'll see. Now push the loadpro button and the voltmeter will read less than one volt. Yes it does, I just did it.
This is Dan Sullivan's whole argument for his loadpro, with corrosion resistance in the circuit, your voltmeter will still show full voltage is available, but full voltage is not there, as my old electric teacher used to say, the digital voltmeters are too sensitive and give a false reading. If you try this little experiment you will see for your self. Thank you so much, I really enjoy your channel and Eric O's and Dan Sullivan's when he was making his videos.
John, I enjoy thought experiments too, more than most people. Yes, everything you just described is 100% accurate, and that is how the LoadPro is designed to work: remove the original load, replace it with the cucumber, and look for voltage drop when you push the button.
I am saying that procedure is too much work! It's more accurate and efficient to use the EXISTING load to your advantage! No need to remove it to create an open circuit just to install the LP dummy load to create a closed circuit again and finally see the voltage drop. If your load is good, you will see the problem right away with two simple voltage measurements.
Whew!
And the digital voltmeter does not lie; the voltage is still there on an OPEN circuit, even if you have a million ohms in the wire! What is really missing is the "current-carrying capacity" of that wire, which is what matters for operation of the circuit.
They are not too sensitive that is not the problem. They typically have a 10M Ohm input impedance which loads the circuit basically not at all. They were originally developed to measure MOSFET devices where very tiny loading would be unacceptable for determining device characteristics. They were in fact considered to be specialty tools in the 1970's and not used for general purpose measurements. For those you used a Triplett meter with a 20,000ohm/volt meter movement which did load the circuit a little bit. At Westinghouse R&D center I bought a Keithley DVM for $10,000. Now you could by a better one for $25.00. Just the nature of progress.
Having watched Dan Sullivan's videos, I suspect he meant it primarily for heavy equipment where component access is usually more readily available. Having seen some of my farmer friends' tractors and large trucks, their components are indeed usually more easily reached.
Heavy equipment components usually draw even more current... So the Load Pro is even more useless 😂
@@PineHollowAutoDiagnostics Thanks Ivan. I didn't know that.
I don't get it? Your video seem to me to prove the need for it. I thought you where really stretching to find a fault with it. The way I see it your meter needs a good set of leads it might as well be the load pro. You said it's to big? I don't see that as a problem? Worst case just put a extension on it. I notice the power probe is actually bigger than the load pro especially the new ones. When you were showing how to test than motor circuit that really seem to prove to me that the load pro would be a great choice and way faster and easier than the other methods you showed. I know Dan S. and some other you tubers don't get along and I'm not sure what happened? But it seems a lot people seem to be knocking his tool because they don't like Dan not because the tool isn't good. I own a blue point version of this load pro and I'm not sure what happen between snap on and Dan S but I thought I heard there was a law suit? I think voltage drop testing is one of the most important things a tech should master and it's sad that most techs are clueless on it. Most techs can't even operate a DVOM to its fullest.
Being a retired heavy equipment tech I’d like to point to something that should be obvious. The Load Pro is more useful for Heavy equipment and Orr trucking equipment. While it can be easily used for cars by experienced technicians it will be most valuable to those of us dealing with the corrosive off-road environmentally tortured equipment, dozers, earth movers, excavators and the like. Units where not wanting to stretch 20 or 30 feet of leads to run tests. Automotive techs can surely use such a thing but its best features go unnoticed while working on a domestic passenger car or pickup truck. Keep your test lights and light duty short lead stuff for you’re automotive work and leave this kind of gear for the folks who work on stuff out in the dirt and fields where you’ll never be needed to repair your Subaru’s and Camaros.
how are the bulbs an accurate test? the bulbs being lit will they tell you how much resistance you have? no they will hoever be dim but thats it. not a great example IMO
good video.