You forget to mention or don't realize that a huge advantage of the included meter is that the direction the direction of the short is indicated by the direction the needle bounces towards. If the short happens to be in a bundle of wrapped wires, the needle will point strait up when it is directly over the short. Further, it will work through a headliner or pillar trim (for example) without having to remove them.
I almost bought one of those, was wondering how they work. Glad I watched this, I'm not going to get one. Someone else pointed out you can just check of the + goes to the ground after removing the bulb or whatever it's powering.
Just for correct for viewers information this is not an inline relay , It is a automatic circuit breaker . This circuit breaker were used a lot in semi trucks . Great Explanation ! 6/6/23
Interesting. Questions about these things came up on Reddit/Tools the other day. As an electronics technician (ham) I was curious about it. Someone sent me the manual, which helped a bit, although it refers to a buzzer bridging the blown fuse. I wondered what kind of sensor was in that meter. Since you explain that the box is a multivibrator, that is revealing. That would generate pulsed DC which would be pretty detectable. If they were cheap I’d get one to play with on an oscilloscope. I still don't understand the plus/minus (?) needle excursions. Thanks.
Great video, thanks so much! I am curious if a short only blows the fuse when the engine is running, would this tool find the short? Fuse does not blow immediately with ignition off or just on. Truck starts and runs for a few seconds and fuse blows. If the short only gets grounded by engine vibration, I wonder if this tool would find it. Thanks again!
Good review! Actually any car after '95 should have a few automotive circuit breakers in them, check the fuse boxes under or at sides of dash, especially a window defogger ckt. I agree on the danger of using these. Any "solid state" digital type can easily have diodes & transistors, fets blown out by this. But & its a BIG BUTT, if you can remove any "sensitive" loads from a segment of cable and isolate that segment through a major/minor connector, then these can be well worth it. In my 2003 Impala I have a cable channel of 30-40 signals running from dash down passenger side feeding lights, coils, fuel pump, door locks, seat motor & defogger. One power supply line is
A good way to find a short in a car is to replace the blown fuse with a light bulb that takes a couple amps to limit the current then poke around with a compass. The compass doesn’t need a changing magnetic field to work.
Oh great just bought a K & D short finder near $50. I worked in a dealership, became friends with the S.O dealer, he gives me price break, sure be more.
You forget to mention or don't realize that a huge advantage of the included meter is that the direction the direction of the short is indicated by the direction the needle bounces towards. If the short happens to be in a bundle of wrapped wires, the needle will point strait up when it is directly over the short. Further, it will work through a headliner or pillar trim (for example) without having to remove them.
You saved me the price of this tool and whatever damage I might cause trying to use it. Thanks!
nice honest review. some u-tubers out there are selling products and not really reviewing.
It's actually a standard automotive circuit breaker. I use them quite often at work when adding a new circuit.
I almost bought one of those, was wondering how they work. Glad I watched this, I'm not going to get one. Someone else pointed out you can just check of the + goes to the ground after removing the bulb or whatever it's powering.
That explains that ! Thanks Saved me some money, I like the to the point explanation
Just for correct for viewers information this is not an inline relay , It is a automatic circuit breaker . This circuit breaker were used a lot in semi trucks . Great Explanation ! 6/6/23
I purchased one of these a few years ago, never have had the opportunity to use it yet. LOL
Interesting. Questions about these things came up on Reddit/Tools the other day. As an electronics technician (ham) I was curious about it. Someone sent me the manual, which helped a bit, although it refers to a buzzer bridging the blown fuse. I wondered what kind of sensor was in that meter. Since you explain that the box is a multivibrator, that is revealing. That would generate pulsed DC which would be pretty detectable. If they were cheap I’d get one to play with on an oscilloscope. I still don't understand the plus/minus (?) needle excursions. Thanks.
Great video, thanks so much! I am curious if a short only blows the fuse when the engine is running, would this tool find the short? Fuse does not blow immediately with ignition off or just on. Truck starts and runs for a few seconds and fuse blows. If the short only gets grounded by engine vibration, I wonder if this tool would find it. Thanks again!
Good review! Actually any car after '95 should have a few automotive circuit breakers in them, check the fuse boxes under or at sides of dash, especially a window defogger ckt. I agree on the danger of using these. Any "solid state" digital type can easily have diodes & transistors, fets blown out by this. But & its a BIG BUTT, if you can remove any "sensitive" loads from a segment of cable and isolate that segment through a major/minor connector, then these can be well worth it. In my 2003 Impala I have a cable channel of 30-40 signals running from dash down passenger side feeding lights, coils, fuel pump, door locks, seat motor & defogger. One power supply line is
Used to do the same thing with a breaker & a pocket compass. Prefer my cable tracer now.
Very good information 👍
Is it supposed to connect the in-line relay to The fuses mount?
thanks, so much. regards
A good way to find a short in a car is to replace the blown fuse with a light bulb that takes a couple amps to limit the current then poke around with a compass. The compass doesn’t need a changing magnetic field to work.
Oh great just bought a K & D short finder near $50. I worked in a dealership, became friends with the S.O dealer, he gives me price break, sure be more.
We're calling them "ampmeters" now.
Where to buy?
👍👍