A curve ball is thrown on what would otherwise seem too basic a repair for this channel. Related Videos: • Diagnosis and Understa... • Load Pro Electrical To...
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. You have diagnosed a major issue with these SUV's. I have heard from many owners about having to replace/boost dead batteries. I believe this is the cause of these issues. Brake light outages is a TC and NTSB issue that should be noted here. This looks like a manufactures defect.
Good job Matt. I have been using the leads since 2009 and I have a few videos myself proving that the tool works. Nice to see that other people are realizing this including you.
As the inventor of the LOADpro, I've heard more arguments than I can count about why a "test light" is a good tool. Go ahead and pierce wiring or back-probe, because being able to do an instant voltage drop with the manufacturer prescribed tool (DVOM) with the component out is "too much trouble". In my experience, one who argues in favor of a test light is likely one who is too scared or lazy to use a meter. I'm used to people pissing in my Post Toasties, and being snide and defensive about poking wires. Consider that a great many "smart" people still believe that you can't place batteries on concrete (you can) and you can appreciate the magnitude of the problem I've had trying to teach my methods. To be frank, I don't give a rat's ass who does or doesn't believe me, because I'm the one with the patents and the CAT, VOLVO, UPS, SouthWest Airlines and other part numbers. The Marines and Navy use my tool - and so does Boeing. It's not about me being right, it's about uninformed loudmouths hurting caring people who need help. I teach - I don't sell. But, bear in mind I'm in a lawsuit with Power Probe right now because Jeff Whisenand (PP CEO) decided that teaching people to vandalize wiring wasn't good enough, so he took my patented concept for his Hook and PP4. You guys can argue to you hearts' content, but voltage drop is the ONLY valid diagnostic test - and Matt, what's the difference in using my leads in your videos or not? They work - why are people so worried about "supporting" me or not? The truth is the truth - and the truth is that defending a bad practice is bad practice.
All good arguments Dan, including the one about my not using the leads normally in my videos. I do in fact use AutoTap or AutoEnginuity as my scan tool without worrying about implications. Basically I just don't want to give the impression of commercializing the channel or giving biased points of view wherever possible. But if I have indirectly supported Load Pro then I am all the happier. It's a great tool that has saved me much time.
Schrodingers Box I get - I really do. But, whose meter do you use? Whose screwdrivers and whose needle nose pliers? Why is there a difference? If it works - it works. Your call, but everything is commercial.
Since the test light is the only load would I expect to see around battery voltage drop across the test light if the circuit is operating correctly and less than battery voltage if there is a voltage drop somewhere else?
Perfect! I have this problem and ohmed the sockets to each other and the circuit was closed. That indicates no shorts to the bulbs. Great how you verified this using your testing abilities. I was looking for a fuse and then thought ALL the lights would be out. Thank you so much for this great explanation!!!!!!!!!! Check both sides of conduit, other side has more wires hanging by a thread!!!!!!
I am OLD School. My exposure to the "basic test light" was a brake light bulb & socket with a set of alligator clips attached to it. It definitely will draw enough current to expose these kinds of problems. My vote is with the basic test light crew. If you know what you are seeing and understand OHM's law, you can do a proper diagnosis in a timely manner.
Whoever came up with the LoadPro is a bloody genius. Anyone that does electrical diagnostics on a regular basis knows, if you can't test the circuit under its normal functional load, then you're not testing the circuit properly!
Yes it wasn't until recently that I even learned this. I would say in the 7 years I have been doing this, I did electrical testing incorrectly for 5 of them.
Thanks for leading me to the issue on my 2001 MDX. Over a relatively short time I experienced several electrical demons...I had lost my trailer lights, 3rd brake light, rear wiper, and rear interior lights. At one point, the rear wiper would turn on when I turned on the RH turn signal.After much reluctance, I finally dug into the issue once I saw this video, and I didn't have to look far to find the problem. Had multiple wires broken and bare copper in the harness going to the rear hatch, all right around where that rubber accordion boot goes from the body to the rear hatch. About an hour of cleaning up the wiring mess and soldering things back together, everything works the way it should once again; Electrical demons have been exorcised. Thumbs up!!
Thank you a thousand times buddy ! Waoo At last I found the correct answer ! After I scratched my head a lot into why ONLY the 3rd brake light doesn't work !? WHY the 2 regular ones do and not the high level one ? Now I know they are NOT connected together and obviously the high level one must have its own wire so as not to disturb the 2 double filament brake/signal bulbs !Thank you buddy ! Great patient search will do the trick
I saw an old truck once through the mcdonalds drive through that must of had his horn attached to the brake light. Every time he pressed his brakes it would honk and then cut off. People were getting angry, I thought it was comical
Wow thank you so much your video saved me a massive headache never would that would be something that small never even bothered to look in there until I seen your video thank you so much again
I've had a LoadPro for years. As much money as I've wasted on tools over the years the $60 the LoadPro costs I could easily find in my LazyBoy's cushions. It's a simple tool but very well build and will last a lifetime. I consider the price quite reasonable. Dan Sullivan is a very bright guy who I think has had his guts eaten out by bitterness. That's too bad.
Good point on the quality Dennis. It is extremely well made and yes I imagine unless I do something stupid it should last a lifetime. I can't even count how many DVOM leads I have replaced!
Picked up a New Load Pro a couple months ago for less than $30. As yet I have not had the chance to use it. I'll have it though when/if needed. Liked the video, one of the thumbs up was mine.
Oh man for $30 you got a STEAL!! I imagine these are probably all over the place on eBay from people selling them because they don't know how to use them lol. When you look at the Amazon reviews, many people gave bad reviews because they had no idea how to use it.
Thought this might interest you - make your own load tester you will have to scroll to the top of the page when you get there. This link takes you to the bottom of the page for some reason. www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/10-Repair-Central-The-How-To-Forum/23461-want-to-make-a-12v-signal-load-tester-not-battery-load-but-not-pay-a-pro-price#52898
As stated in the discussion thread, any tech needs to understand his tools. That includes the lowly test light, which should have a similar performance and resistance to the load being replaced. One day I pulled my three test lights out and applied variable voltage/current from a bench power source, to see how each light performed. There was quite a difference, with the winner being the old style higher amperage incandescent test light, which showed a nice dimming when applied current sagged. Other lights were not nearly as helpful, some of which were actually newer and more expensive. In this case, the current was enough to power the test light, but more quantitative drop testing showed a significant voltage drop. So, this is a case where any form of quantitative drop testing would be superior to the on/off result with a test light. The LoadPro made the test quicker but the same drop test could have been done manually. Since I don't use my LoadPro every day, I can't say I use it often enough to be completely comfortable with it, although the notion of ghost voltage was fun to play with. For rare use, I have to say I prefer knowing exactly how the circuit is working by doing a drop test manually....
Agreed Dave. It's not that you can't do a load test without a load pro- it's that the load pro makes it much easier. The fact it is quantitative makes it superior to a test light which is by definition subjective. The fact you can also do the drop test from anywhere on the circuit at one location is a huge boon as well. How much easier to use load pro when testing a fuel pump circuit!!
thanks for the reply my best wishes are that your channel go viral cus definitely you have the knowledge to do so thanks and GOD bless you is a honor to see your videos and learn
thank u for the reply matt I still don't understand how could there be a variable never mind the pp3 a cheapo £3 dvm probing the back of the connecter with the load switched on will easily detect and display the vd,probe on live side first and earth after will detect the source of excess resistance I. e. live side or earth.i hope u don't mind me disagreeing with u on this one I think u conduct ur diagnosis and tests in exemplary fashion and find them highly interesting and educational,I'm from the u.k. and most techs around here don't know they're arse from their elbow.keep up the good work.WELL DONE!!
Well there is no disagreement- this simple scientific definition. Backprobing the load does not isolate an independent variable. I approach with scientific method only.
Great video as always. Basic videos are as important as complex one are. So nobody can object on such video on your channel. If one does't know basic repair, he can't jump in complex one as well. As a low resource guy, I don't have load pro but if I would be in such situation; I would prefer to use a loaded voltage test which would sure lead me to the problem. Regards to you and to the load pro inventor Mr. Daniel.
The problem with basic material though is that while you will greatly increase the subscriber number, you will also bring in a much, much lower quality of viewers. Look at the comments on my channel vs others. You will learn 10X more from the comments section on most of my videos than you will the videos on channels with 200K subs. The comments sections on those channels is beyond useless- just a bunch of idiots talking out of their ass.
This was me actually dear sir as I commented above from my other channel by mistake. You are right as you are always bringing very scientific material. For me both scientific and basic material is important because from both one is learning. Idiots are there everywhere on the TH-cam and on internet. If you will provide very precious information, even you will receive negative comment and thumb down. The reason behind that is those people are negative and feeling jealousy for no reason. Hope you get my point. Regards,
+Schrodingers Box I have to say that at first I didn't really get why you thought a load pro was so awesome. A DMM and an educated user get the same information. Just measure the resistance. However, I can see that the load pro can allow you to test a circuit without knowing where both ends of the wire are and this gives you a much faster diagnosis. I agree that the test light is not the right tool for the job. There is no way to change the load current without changing the bulb and that is slow. Changing lights is slow and having ten test lights in different current ratings is just ridiculous. Also, the characteristics of incandescent bulbs change as they age and the current they consume isn't constant over the life of the bulb. I could go on, but i think we are in agreement. As always, a great video with consistent and logical scientific arguments!
Hi Matt, nice one, perfect example of a 200 ma test light that shines nice and bright but will not carry the startup currant for the bulb. Could be done without the Loadpro but hey if you have it why not use it just like any other tool . Cheers buddy..
Exactly! Being a DVOM guy, why would I not just load test the circuit at the same time I do voltage reading, right? I can only get an extra step towards the diagnosis.
Had a jeep that rear wiper didn't work. Did a 98% move and bought a new motor. Still didn't work. Found out it was the wiring as you did. Guess I gotta buy a load pro. Thanks Matt!
You should watch my voltage drop video- the testing on that motor would have been identical to what I show in video. In fact probably will show you the mistake you did in your testing. I got my loadpro off amazon. I am not sponsored by them so I am not putting a link lol.
Sorry loadpro link was meant as a smart ass remark. I know I can do an internet search to find it! take care Matt and thanks. It still isn't fixed but upon visual inspection ( I know cringe!) I found broken wires under the molding. Hope new job is going well!
Funny part with DIY load is that you make them like you want them and make them little extra so you cant find them in a shop. Made 2 (blow up 1 due to ghost voltage in other application). More will be done. 1. with a simple switch High and Low. 2. with original teslight load 250mA + switch to High load resistor. 2.1 With larger bulb 666mA + switch to 2 other resistors, 3 in 1. With respect for the black smoke !
I had the same problem with the wiring at the trunk lid on this 2004 Saab 9-5 that didn't have no brake lights when I first got it. Checked the wiring and almost every wire, around 10 or 15 was frayed or broke, so I ended up splicing them all and taping up with black tape and then using wire wrap around the wires. It's right there at the spot were the wires are coming out of the body going to the trunk lid, that get's all that bending when opening the trunk that eventuall y breaks them.
What side of the circuit was at fault Matt? Dan Sullivan has stated, that the manufactures as well as many tech schools and shops really don't troubleshoot correctly. For example, stumbling around doing resistance checks from hard to reach areas, that most people skip anyway, to only get frustrated and give up. That's why most shops can't find the really strange electrical problems because it requires TIME. The LoadPro eliminates the ground and power circuits, with VD checks in minutes, so the problem is elsewhere. Checking the integrity of the wiring is paramount!
It was positive side. I guess I could have demonstrated how to determine that. But I assumed the ground ran through the loom anyway so I didn't bother to check.
You'd think car manufacturers would have sorted this problem out by now, but I guess things mainly last the warranty period so they don't really care. You'd think the copper would break first with fatigue, but it's always the insulation which cracks first. As I understand it, the plasticiser from the PVC insulation migrates into the rubber boot, leaving the insulation brittle. Some cold temperatures and those cracks appear!
ABSOLUTELY!!! Man, I have done repairs like this probably a half a dozen times, and I do this stuff as a hobby. It is probably rampant. But this is the first I saw with voltage drop as opposed to open or crossed wires. Still, I agree, better design would seem available in modern times!
+Schrodingers Box I did once do a repair with some silicone insulated test lead wire, but it's probably cost prohibitive for manufacturers to use, when they try their best to shave every possible $0.01 off
Hmmm.......Could it be there is more than one approach with respect to tooling and troubleshooting? Matt you did manage to correct the defect in a timely manner, that has always been good enough for me. Each Tech to their own technique!
Exactly. That is the whole point, in fact!! There are multiple ways to do this, some are better than others. That's why I almost always show at least 2 ways to do things on virtually every video. I almost always show how to do diagnosis with and without a scan tool for example. I think I am pretty equal opportunity lol!
Thanks Matt. I hoped, but I didn't expect you back so soon. That's called setting expectations to be happy. :) Good repair and remainder of the load pro. I still haven't got one, but I'm not a "I'll make one hater" either. Lol Good lesson.
hey I have load pro too but next time what I like to do is check with a test light than check with a test light while the lights are plug in and you would have seen the test light not coming on test lights are good too you just got to think a little more but do agree the load pro is good too I try too use both
In this example if you did that the test light would have lit. Why would you say it wouldn't have lit and if you have a load pro why on earth would you not just do the test with the load pro and quantitate voltage drop faster?
That would be a great experiment, Pedro! I think if Matt actually tried it, he would have been quite surprised by the results ;) ...or blamed the test light for being broken and unreliable because it is "inferior" lol
I'm not biased towards any of the tools, be it a test light, DVOM or the load tester. But I thought this through and I am asking myself one question: Assume you are doing this with just a DVOM or just the test light, or both of the two, but no load pro, wouldn't you be able to deduct the cause anyway pretty quickly? This is not to critizize the load pro, but more a: What would you do if you don't have one, without building your own 'resistor with a button' (which nobody does)? a) Just Test light: You see it light up when testing for power, you verified the bulb and socket connection is ok. Is there any other explanation than voltage drop, so is there a need for any more tests? b) Just DVOM: Pretty much like a), instead you just see the 12 volts and continuity at the bulb/connector. c) DVOM+Test Light: Wouldn't you be able to measure voltage drop across the Test light when connected? I would assume you could see some, maybe only 0.5-1 Volt in this particular case, but assuming the Test ligth draws about 200mA, you could easily deduct the drop would be way worse for the brake light bulb. Would really like to see this tested in a future video when the opportunity comes up. In my mind the Test Light is nothing but a load pro (with higher resistance that is of course), and the DVOM would deliver the actual numbers. Not 100% as convenient, but the same principle anyway. So if you just work on your own car (where you will see such a particular problem maybe once or twice), this might do the trick. Looking forward to see what you think about it.
a. Your conclusion could also be bad bulb or bad socket such that the bulb does not connect but test light works. In each case separate test must be done b. yes pretty much like A c. Yes but like you said, not as convenient. No argument- it is not like having an electric drill with a carbide bit vs a hand drill. And in this application arguably doing multiple tests is not so inconvenient. But if this were under the car or something then the value of doing this in one step from above the car really becomes exponential. But even in this application- what actually happened is owner brought car to me and told me situation. I offered to give quick look since he still had rear light disassembled. I have him hold brake and in literally 3 seconds I was able to tell him he has a wiring problem and that's why new bulbs didn't work, as opposed to a couple minutes doing by process of elimination or baseline voltage source comparison.
good demo and test as always matt however wouldn't it be simpler easier and faster to backprobe bulb connector with a pp3 whilst the load was switched on,no messing about with probing wires and loadpros which I must admit is a good tool but a pp3 seems to be a much easier substitute.anyway keep up the good work ur doing a fantastic job..
Not criticizing the LoadPro but I can't practically afford one. The best thing to do without one is to back probe the connector and plug it in to the brake bulb. You should see the voltage plummet as you click the connector together. Such a test is more accurate than you might think because it is based on the component that the wiring was originally designed to feed.
Schrodingers Box Mainly for access and putting the T-pin in straight. Coincidentally this is one of the few connectors that don't get harder to access when they are plugged in.
Question I have a 2008 mdx I got a new break light switch checked all my break fuses and the break light bulb seem to be leds board but non of my break lights work not even my third break light, can u help me ?
Well you could, but not to directly measure voltage drop. You could measure 12V with it and then either feed 12V just ahead of connector or give ground just after connector and in either case if bulb lit up you would realize it must be voltage drop.
Yes it would have shown the same- 4V of drop, then by testing each side you would have found the 4V drop is on the power side only. But using the loadpro just makes this much faster.
Assuming Jake Andrus is referring to doing VD across original bulb, in fairness to the LP haters out there Matt's statement is not 100% accurate. LP = 25 Ohms therefore the 8V shown on meter Matt saw means (because of Kirchhoff's law) rest of circuit has resistance of approximately 12.5 Ohms. Put the bulb back in (which according to others is 1.6 amp @ 12v = 7.5 Ohms.) original total circuit resistance = 7.5 + 12.5 = 20 Ohms. Of which the bulb had 7.5 / 20 = 37.5% of resistance. 37.5% of 12 = 4.5V. So with LP, meter displayed approximately 8V drop across LP (as seen in video. A drop of 4V). With bulb meter would have displayed approximately 4.5V drop across bulb (a drop of about 7.5V). This is a major (and valid) reason folks don't like the LP. VD shown on meter is not the true VD as you would see with original load component installed because of the differing Ohm values(unless of course original load was also 25 ohms). You have to interpret the LP reading if you want to know actual, true original VD values. But do you need to do the math? Most likely in most cases you don't. Which is another argument for pro-testlighters.
The load pro would just sit in my draw for the amount of DIY work I do so I'll stick to using the dvom with long leads and load the circuit testing for V drop if needed but it's a handy accessory to have never the less.
Agreed. This DIYer loves his LoadPro. As a DIYer I have no objection to buying specialized tools. I still save money over hiring out the work, and if it gives me another weekend hour or two saving time on auto repairs, it is a win-win in my book.
Nice thumbs up diagnosis. Could you achieve the same broken wire findings by using the tail light bulb in the light bulb socket as the resistor and back probing the light bulb socket to the multi-meter?
DE Nichols If you tested the bulb and knew it was working would not the bulb serve as the "load device" in the circuit from which you could measure voltage drop?
They are a 921 bulb. They pull 1.6 amps each with battery voltage. Back probing the connector with the bulbs in with a test light would have gotten the same answer I believe is what DE is trying to say.
Yes it had to have been. In the video there was a w/g wire that is actually the power for the 3rd brake system. The broken black wire and the other damaged wire I am not sure what they were for but I repaired them anyway.
@@SchrodingersBox I repaired the wires on my vehicle. Were 5 wires that were repaired. Thanks for your video. Definitely helpful. 3rd brake light now operates but rear wiper still actuates relatively slow still.
So I had an instance where both voltage drop AND loading the circuit failed me. This was on a freighliner for a rear cross member marker/brake light. The marker light was not working but the brake light was. So i did a voltage drop test. Got 12 volts. I don't have a load pro but i got resistors. I loaded the circuit with a resistor and checked to see if the voltage dropped. It didn't. The ground splits to the reverse light and i just fixed the T for a reverse light issue so I jumped it to a knows good ground and the light still didn't illuminate. All 3 tests were good. I was then going to do a amp test and see if the amps were dropping off for some reason but earlier in the day i had a instance where a wire was testing good but had an obvious split and greed death on it and it wasn't until i disrupted it that the voltage dropped off so bu a pure hunch i pulled the harness connector to have a look and sure enough, green death and the pin set was split right off. It could have been that my resistor didn't load the circuit enough, but the light itself was a 5 LED marker running low amps (i think its fused for 5 amps or something) ad my resistor was something like 40 ohms so just by fluke, the resistor load didn't drop voltage but the light did.
Nothing. Still got source voltage. Didn't drop at all. It's a one off case where for some reason the LED light caused the voltage to drop out but the resistor didn't. I am suspecting that MAYBE my resistor didn't load it enough to cause the green death to draw some of the voltage but like I said, it was a 40 something ohm resistor on a 5 led light circuit. I think all the stars aligned on this one just to throw me off ha ha.
As Eric O says dont touch, have a look ..... why did you remove the bulb (ITS A LOAD) from the holder if you had left it there and used volt meter or your low amp test light you would have seen the issue immediately TEST WHAT YOU SEE DONT DISSEMBLE TO TEST
OMG you people for the last time IT'S NOT A LOAD. IT'S A SCIENTIFIC VARIABLE!!!!! COME ON PEOPLE!!! You don't scientifically know it's a load until AFTER it is tested!! Why do people not understand how to create independent variables? SCIENCE PEOPLE!!! SCIENCE!!!
So you still did not answer my question why remove the bulb ? I do get that you are trying to show DIY car fixers a way to get to the bottom of issue with out the expensive equipment the likes of ivan, eric and myself use in our working day .... but keep it simple Best Regards John ..
I would have if I knew the ground routing. But since I do not know the wire routing on this vehicle (my first Acura) I am not certain if the ground is in the bundle or on a panel. So even if I found the ground was where the drop was I would still have looked in loom first since that is the most likely cause for failure and thus most likely where ground would have routed.
Lol, while he knows more about electrical than I ever will, I do think I do a better job demonstrating the tool than he does hahahahaha. I had to watch his load pro video 3 times before I understood what it was- and that was after I made my voltage drop tutorial lol!!!
G'day Matt. My old el cheapo multimeter had a battery test function where( I believe) the 1.5v/9v dry cells could be checked under load. Is this an alternative for those on a budget?
Depends on location. Usually with weather-resistant butt connectors but if the wiring is expected to have a lot of movement I will solder it. In this case, soldering is necessary since its at a hinge.
I have same issue. When I am plugging company fitted stop lamps then it does not work but when I am using a another light then it's glowing. But they require same 12 volt then why company fitted lights is not working? I have even checked the company fitted lights using DC adapter and they worked. Can you give me a solution?
I liked that one Matt.. A while back I bought a loadpro for Ivan ..I expect he will do an honest video on its use ( if you recall before... he an Eric were insisting it was a waste of money ) But as I already own one I knew he was wrong LOL .. come on Ivan weigh in on this :) ( and yes I know you need the proper circumstance to do a review )
I was told by a few viewers that Ivan actually ran into a similar situation last year where his testlight failed to detect a voltage drop and he had to go back and verify it with DVOM when things weren't adding up!!
yes that was on a Jeep liberty ..the dome light circuit board ..was causing a drain . He also did one on a dodge ram 4door where the master switch had some problems,,that I think could have been found in less then 10 minutes with the Load Pro
like I said Matt .. I bought him one and he will be doing a video on it ..and I do trust him to be fair .. he even thought he might give it to Eric to test
deepsquat600 Please let me know when that video posts- I'd love to see it. Unfortunately I no longer have time to watch TH-cam channels. God I'm having SDWS!!!! (ScannerDanner Withdrawal Syndrome)
Hello Matt and everyone in the comment section, I have an interesting problem and i hope you can help me with directions of what i should do. But first, i'm sorry for my language, but i'll try to describe my problem "as-is". I own a 2007 Ford Focus II (Europe) with 1.6Ti-VCT engine. I suppose it says nothing to you, because, as i know, there was another Focus II model in USA. Anyway. After i reach 1/4 of fuel in fuel tank my car sometimes has no response to accelerator pedal for 2-8 seconds, but then everything's ok. I'm sure it's fuel problem and it's probably fuel pump, but i'm not sure and have no money for a new one to replace. I noticed, that problem shows off only when it's 1/4 or less in fuel tank and only in right corners or fast starts. Left corners and soft starts are ok. Problem shows only when i'm driving. When engine's idling everything's ok too. OBD diagnostics shows no mistakes, ignition system's definitely ok. So, i think, that i should check fuel pump pressure. But how can i do it, when i'm driving? Also i'd check fuel pump voltage w/ and w/o load. I don't ask you to give me exact solution (it's my problem, not yours), but i'd like to consult with you and your experience just to be sure, that i didn't miss anything obvious and easy to check. I hope, i'm thinking in right direction. Thank you in advance and greetings from Russia! Have a nice day.
I think maybe when you get on right corners being low on fuel the fuel pump doesnt makes pressure because doesnt sucks anything, maybe the pump it is not where it should.
armando nika i thought about it and it seems to be true. The only problem is that i have to take off tank and i don't want to do this without any need. How can i make sure, that it is true? Only by getting fuel pressure measurements? And also engine does not stop on right corners. He's just idling (780 - 820 rpm) and nothing happens (i mean, no response). I tried to switch to neutral gear to make sure, that it doesn't stop and it worked fine - idle rpm's without gear.
Простое решение: почаще заезжать на заправку :) А сама проблема: скорее всего появилась маленькая дырка в заборном шланге, который берёт бенз со дна бака. Как только уровень топлива падает ниже уровня дырки, насос начинает сосать воздух вместо жидкости, резко обедняя смесь. Ещё такой вопрос: сам бак плоский снизу, или разделён на две половины горбом? Удачи!
hey bud I'm having an issue with my jeep. put a new torque converter in it and started up fine. after a few days my starter was clicking. replaced the starter and the battery. still clicking. battery has 12v but drops to 3v when cranking. any ideas?
never remove the globes or the load and test for power and grounds . I have seen a few of your videos' that's you have removed the load and test for power and grounds . not sure why any one would test any circuits with no load ?
What are you talking about? If the bulb is blown YOU ARE TESTING WITH NO LOAD. WHy do people not understand that the load is not a load in this example, it is a scientific variable!!!! Scientists only use controlled environment with single independent variables!!!
ONBOARDTECH333KMD I cannot watch the video for you tech. I explain this explicitly in the video but even so you don't understand the scientific approach here on creating a controlled independent variable environment.
I going to the doctor tomorrow to get my eyes and maybe Brian check ?? I sure you told us all that this car had new globes and you made sure you that shown us they where ok ?? I let you know what he come up
No in this application a butt connector is the wrong repair because of the movement of the wires. a butt connector would be temporary. I soldered and used a heat shrink for this one. But I don't mind butt connectors for most repairs where the wiring is immobile.
Totally agree. I know of one case in which butt connectors where used in a flexible boot and it caused a fire. I have seen this problem on Honda and Saab.
Same here, but now with load pro I just do them at same time. But before that, Honestly I usually did voltage drop as the last step though instead of second.
DE Nichols Negative - it had that too, and it surely needed fixing, but voltage drop be damned, if it will light the test light, it WILL do SOMETHING to the proper bulb (context is important - this isn't a winch or something, that bulb draws nearly nothing). The hot side was hot - he never checked for continuity to ground, that I saw (maybe he did, and I didn't notice over his blaring self satisfaction?) He fixed it, but there's no need for his giant smug rant about loadtesting, if he'd spent less time soapboxing and more time following a sound diagnostic technique, he could have made his case much more soundly. Voltage accross the plug, voltage to other ground, and continuity between the plug ground and other ground all should be immediate tests, before dicking around and trying to make silly points about how much you hate test lights.
Dav you are dimmer than that bulb. You missed the whole point of the video. This was a perfect example where someone such as yourself who clearly has minimal understanding of what was demonstrated could have learned to improve your skills and you passed up on it. It wasn;t an accidental repair of a ground- it wasn't even the ground you fool. And it certainly wasn't accidental. Voltage drop was conclusively shown via TWO procedures, one direct and one by process of elimination. You totally whiffed on everything because you wanted to complain.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. You have diagnosed a major issue with these SUV's. I have heard from many owners about having to replace/boost dead batteries. I believe this is the cause of these issues. Brake light outages is a TC and NTSB issue that should be noted here. This looks like a manufactures defect.
Good job Matt. I have been using the leads since 2009 and I have a few videos myself proving that the tool works. Nice to see that other people are realizing this including you.
As the inventor of the LOADpro, I've heard more arguments than I can count about why a "test light" is a good tool. Go ahead and pierce wiring or back-probe, because being able to do an instant voltage drop with the manufacturer prescribed tool (DVOM) with the component out is "too much trouble". In my experience, one who argues in favor of a test light is likely one who is too scared or lazy to use a meter. I'm used to people pissing in my Post Toasties, and being snide and defensive about poking wires. Consider that a great many "smart" people still believe that you can't place batteries on concrete (you can) and you can appreciate the magnitude of the problem I've had trying to teach my methods. To be frank, I don't give a rat's ass who does or doesn't believe me, because I'm the one with the patents and the CAT, VOLVO, UPS, SouthWest Airlines and other part numbers. The Marines and Navy use my tool - and so does Boeing. It's not about me being right, it's about uninformed loudmouths hurting caring people who need help. I teach - I don't sell. But, bear in mind I'm in a lawsuit with Power Probe right now because Jeff Whisenand (PP CEO) decided that teaching people to vandalize wiring wasn't good enough, so he took my patented concept for his Hook and PP4. You guys can argue to you hearts' content, but voltage drop is the ONLY valid diagnostic test - and Matt, what's the difference in using my leads in your videos or not? They work - why are people so worried about "supporting" me or not? The truth is the truth - and the truth is that defending a bad practice is bad practice.
All good arguments Dan, including the one about my not using the leads normally in my videos. I do in fact use AutoTap or AutoEnginuity as my scan tool without worrying about implications.
Basically I just don't want to give the impression of commercializing the channel or giving biased points of view wherever possible. But if I have indirectly supported Load Pro then I am all the happier. It's a great tool that has saved me much time.
Schrodingers Box I get - I really do. But, whose meter do you use? Whose screwdrivers and whose needle nose pliers? Why is there a difference? If it works - it works. Your call, but everything is commercial.
Daniel Sullivan Good point Dan!
Since the test light is the only load would I expect to see around battery voltage drop across the test light if the circuit is operating correctly and less than battery voltage if there is a voltage drop somewhere else?
Yep. You got it. Add a DVOM to the test light you have a calibrated tool...
Perfect! I have this problem and ohmed the sockets to each other and the circuit was closed. That indicates no shorts to the bulbs. Great how you verified this using your testing abilities. I was looking for a fuse and then thought ALL the lights would be out. Thank you so much for this great explanation!!!!!!!!!!
Check both sides of conduit, other side has more wires hanging by a thread!!!!!!
I am OLD School.
My exposure to the "basic test light" was a brake light bulb & socket with a set of alligator clips attached to it. It definitely will draw enough current to expose these kinds of problems. My vote is with the basic test light crew. If you know what you are seeing and understand OHM's law, you can do a proper diagnosis in a timely manner.
But not QUANTITATIVE diagnosis, which I always prefer.
Whoever came up with the LoadPro is a bloody genius. Anyone that does electrical diagnostics on a regular basis knows, if you can't test the circuit under its normal functional load, then you're not testing the circuit properly!
Yes it wasn't until recently that I even learned this. I would say in the 7 years I have been doing this, I did electrical testing incorrectly for 5 of them.
ONBOARDTECH333KMD OMG for the last time. THE VARIABLE WAS REMOVED.
Science people. Come on. SCIENCE.
ONBOARDTECH333KMD ROTFLMAO "That would be a controlled experiment but one with different readings" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Thanks for leading me to the issue on my 2001 MDX. Over a relatively short time I experienced several electrical demons...I had lost my trailer lights, 3rd brake light, rear wiper, and rear interior lights. At one point, the rear wiper would turn on when I turned on the RH turn signal.After much reluctance, I finally dug into the issue once I saw this video, and I didn't have to look far to find the problem. Had multiple wires broken and bare copper in the harness going to the rear hatch, all right around where that rubber accordion boot goes from the body to the rear hatch. About an hour of cleaning up the wiring mess and soldering things back together, everything works the way it should once again; Electrical demons have been exorcised. Thumbs up!!
Thank you a thousand times buddy ! Waoo At last I found the correct answer ! After I scratched my head a lot into why ONLY the 3rd brake light doesn't work !? WHY the 2 regular ones do and not the high level one ? Now I know they are NOT connected together and obviously the high level one must have its own wire so as not to disturb the 2 double filament brake/signal bulbs !Thank you buddy ! Great patient search will do the trick
he is coki but one of the best in youtube
I saw an old truck once through the mcdonalds drive through that must of had his horn attached to the brake light. Every time he pressed his brakes it would honk and then cut off. People were getting angry, I thought it was comical
Wow thank you so much your video saved me a massive headache never would that would be something that small never even bothered to look in there until I seen your video thank you so much again
I've had a LoadPro for years. As much money as I've wasted on tools over the years the $60 the LoadPro costs I could easily find in my LazyBoy's cushions. It's a simple tool but very well build and will last a lifetime. I consider the price quite reasonable. Dan Sullivan is a very bright guy who I think has had his guts eaten out by bitterness. That's too bad.
Good point on the quality Dennis. It is extremely well made and yes I imagine unless I do something stupid it should last a lifetime. I can't even count how many DVOM leads I have replaced!
Thanks for the video. It helps me to resolve the same problem on my car.
Picked up a New Load Pro a couple months ago for less than $30. As yet I have not had the chance to use it. I'll have it though when/if needed. Liked the video, one of the thumbs up was mine.
Oh man for $30 you got a STEAL!! I imagine these are probably all over the place on eBay from people selling them because they don't know how to use them lol. When you look at the Amazon reviews, many people gave bad reviews because they had no idea how to use it.
Thought this might interest you - make your own load tester you will have to scroll to the top of the page when you get there. This link takes you to the bottom of the page for some reason.
www.ericthecarguy.com/kunena/10-Repair-Central-The-How-To-Forum/23461-want-to-make-a-12v-signal-load-tester-not-battery-load-but-not-pay-a-pro-price#52898
As stated in the discussion thread, any tech needs to understand his tools. That includes the lowly test light, which should have a similar performance and resistance to the load being replaced. One day I pulled my three test lights out and applied variable voltage/current from a bench power source, to see how each light performed. There was quite a difference, with the winner being the old style higher amperage incandescent test light, which showed a nice dimming when applied current sagged. Other lights were not nearly as helpful, some of which were actually newer and more expensive. In this case, the current was enough to power the test light, but more quantitative drop testing showed a significant voltage drop. So, this is a case where any form of quantitative drop testing would be superior to the on/off result with a test light. The LoadPro made the test quicker but the same drop test could have been done manually. Since I don't use my LoadPro every day, I can't say I use it often enough to be completely comfortable with it, although the notion of ghost voltage was fun to play with. For rare use, I have to say I prefer knowing exactly how the circuit is working by doing a drop test manually....
Agreed Dave. It's not that you can't do a load test without a load pro- it's that the load pro makes it much easier. The fact it is quantitative makes it superior to a test light which is by definition subjective.
The fact you can also do the drop test from anywhere on the circuit at one location is a huge boon as well. How much easier to use load pro when testing a fuel pump circuit!!
I like your presentation, and your knowledge is helpful.
"THIS resistor with a button" love it man. Thanks, Matt.
LoadPro yes. Got it , use it , glad to see using it Matt.
Yes Loadpro !! is a must have for any voltage drop test . Maybe i can convince scannerdanners brother to get one also one day, Who knows.......
thanks for the reply my best wishes are that your channel go viral cus definitely you have the knowledge to do so thanks and GOD bless you is a honor to see your videos and learn
Much appreciated!! Merry Christmas my friend!
thank u for the reply matt I still don't understand how could there be a variable never mind the pp3 a cheapo £3 dvm probing the back of the connecter with the load switched on will easily detect and display the vd,probe on live side first and earth after will detect the source of excess resistance I. e. live side or earth.i hope u don't mind me disagreeing with u on this one I think u conduct ur diagnosis and tests in exemplary fashion and find them highly interesting and educational,I'm from the u.k. and most techs around here don't know they're arse from their elbow.keep up the good work.WELL DONE!!
Well there is no disagreement- this simple scientific definition. Backprobing the load does not isolate an independent variable.
I approach with scientific method only.
Its a good tool, every tool has it's calling, you really do not need to defend the tool anymore.
Great video as always. Basic videos are as important as complex one are. So nobody can object on such video on your channel. If one does't know basic repair, he can't jump in complex one as well. As a low resource guy, I don't have load pro but if I would be in such situation; I would prefer to use a loaded voltage test which would sure lead me to the problem. Regards to you and to the load pro inventor Mr. Daniel.
The problem with basic material though is that while you will greatly increase the subscriber number, you will also bring in a much, much lower quality of viewers. Look at the comments on my channel vs others. You will learn 10X more from the comments section on most of my videos than you will the videos on channels with 200K subs. The comments sections on those channels is beyond useless- just a bunch of idiots talking out of their ass.
This was me actually dear sir as I commented above from my other channel by mistake. You are right as you are always bringing very scientific material. For me both scientific and basic material is important because from both one is learning.
Idiots are there everywhere on the TH-cam and on internet. If you will provide very precious information, even you will receive negative comment and thumb down. The reason behind that is those people are negative and feeling jealousy for no reason. Hope you get my point. Regards,
LearningZone I do my friend. You've been with me since the very start so I do value your input!!
I wish he posted more often. I've learned allot
I have well over 100 videos.
True lol
+Schrodingers Box thanks for the reply 👍🙄
+Schrodingers Box I have to say that at first I didn't really get why you thought a load pro was so awesome. A DMM and an educated user get the same information. Just measure the resistance. However, I can see that the load pro can allow you to test a circuit without knowing where both ends of the wire are and this gives you a much faster diagnosis.
I agree that the test light is not the right tool for the job. There is no way to change the load current without changing the bulb and that is slow. Changing lights is slow and having ten test lights in different current ratings is just ridiculous. Also, the characteristics of incandescent bulbs change as they age and the current they consume isn't constant over the life of the bulb. I could go on, but i think we are in agreement.
As always, a great video with consistent and logical scientific arguments!
Correct indeed. It simply allows you to do this test much faster and with 100% accuracy. There is no subjectiveness and it is done in one step.
Hi Matt, nice one, perfect example of a 200 ma test light that shines nice and bright but will not carry the startup currant for the bulb. Could be done without the Loadpro but hey if you have it why not use it just like any other tool . Cheers buddy..
Exactly! Being a DVOM guy, why would I not just load test the circuit at the same time I do voltage reading, right? I can only get an extra step towards the diagnosis.
Had a jeep that rear wiper didn't work. Did a 98% move and bought a new motor. Still didn't work. Found out it was the wiring as you did. Guess I gotta buy a load pro. Thanks Matt!
You should watch my voltage drop video- the testing on that motor would have been identical to what I show in video. In fact probably will show you the mistake you did in your testing.
I got my loadpro off amazon. I am not sponsored by them so I am not putting a link lol.
Sorry loadpro link was meant as a smart ass remark. I know I can do an internet search to find it! take care Matt and thanks. It still isn't fixed but upon visual inspection ( I know cringe!) I found broken wires under the molding. Hope new job is going well!
The Disgruntled Mechanic I was hoping to see you do a load pro review on your channel!!!
HAHA! I can barely test for 12 volts with a DVOM! Being a 98%'er aint as easy you may think.
The Disgruntled Mechanic It's easy. It's just not effective lol.
Funny part with DIY load is that you make them like you want them and make them little extra so you cant find them in a shop.
Made 2 (blow up 1 due to ghost voltage in other application).
More will be done.
1. with a simple switch High and Low.
2. with original teslight load 250mA + switch to High load resistor.
2.1 With larger bulb 666mA + switch to 2 other resistors, 3 in 1.
With respect for the black smoke !
I had the same problem with the wiring at the trunk lid on this 2004 Saab 9-5 that didn't have no brake lights when I first got it. Checked the wiring and almost every wire, around 10 or 15 was frayed or broke, so I ended up splicing them all and taping up with black tape and then using wire wrap around the wires. It's right there at the spot were the wires are coming out of the body going to the trunk lid, that get's all that bending when opening the trunk that eventuall y breaks them.
Yep, I see this all the time. Pretty poor design
What side of the circuit was at fault Matt? Dan Sullivan has stated, that the manufactures as well as many tech schools and shops really don't troubleshoot correctly. For example, stumbling around doing resistance checks from hard to reach areas, that most people skip anyway, to only get frustrated and give up. That's why most shops can't find the really strange electrical problems because it requires TIME. The LoadPro eliminates the ground and power circuits, with VD checks in minutes, so the problem is elsewhere. Checking the integrity of the wiring is paramount!
It was positive side. I guess I could have demonstrated how to determine that. But I assumed the ground ran through the loom anyway so I didn't bother to check.
You'd think car manufacturers would have sorted this problem out by now, but I guess things mainly last the warranty period so they don't really care.
You'd think the copper would break first with fatigue, but it's always the insulation which cracks first.
As I understand it, the plasticiser from the PVC insulation migrates into the rubber boot, leaving the insulation brittle. Some cold temperatures and those cracks appear!
ABSOLUTELY!!! Man, I have done repairs like this probably a half a dozen times, and I do this stuff as a hobby. It is probably rampant. But this is the first I saw with voltage drop as opposed to open or crossed wires. Still, I agree, better design would seem available in modern times!
+Schrodingers Box I did once do a repair with some silicone insulated test lead wire, but it's probably cost prohibitive for manufacturers to use, when they try their best to shave every possible $0.01 off
Hmmm.......Could it be there is more than one approach with respect to tooling and troubleshooting? Matt you did manage to correct the defect in a timely manner, that has always been good enough for me. Each Tech to their own technique!
Exactly. That is the whole point, in fact!! There are multiple ways to do this, some are better than others.
That's why I almost always show at least 2 ways to do things on virtually every video. I almost always show how to do diagnosis with and without a scan tool for example.
I think I am pretty equal opportunity lol!
Thanks Matt. I hoped, but I didn't expect you back so soon. That's called setting expectations to be happy. :)
Good repair and remainder of the load pro. I still haven't got one, but I'm not a "I'll make one hater" either. Lol
Good lesson.
Thanks David- I believe I should be back a little more consistently but it's not going to be regular schedule nearly as much as before.
Another good one! Relates back to your starter/voltage drop video!
I love that starter voltage drop video but a lot of people hated on it lol!! I think they missed what I was trying to demonstrate.
hey I have load pro too but next time what I like to do is check with a test light than check with a test light while the lights are plug in and you would have seen the test light not coming on test lights are good too you just got to think a little more but do agree the load pro is good too I try too use both
In this example if you did that the test light would have lit. Why would you say it wouldn't have lit and if you have a load pro why on earth would you not just do the test with the load pro and quantitate voltage drop faster?
That would be a great experiment, Pedro! I think if Matt actually tried it, he would have been quite surprised by the results ;) ...or blamed the test light for being broken and unreliable because it is "inferior" lol
Load Pro made easy work of that drop!! Very interesting problem, thanks for sharing brother.
Yes I love that tool. There are a lot of haters on the Load Pro but I believe it's because they weren't clever enough to think of it.
@@SchrodingersBox is it is a great tool have in Your Arsenal. Daniel was indeed ripped off from the profits of his competitors, who copied that tool
Nice vid, my friend. That's definitely going to help me cut diagnostics time in the future.
It would be nice to have a tool that displayed source impedance. Perhaps an extra function on a multimeter. That would really float my boat.
Good find, I just learned something new will be buying a load pro now.
I'm not biased towards any of the tools, be it a test light, DVOM or the load tester. But I thought this through and I am asking myself one question: Assume you are doing this with just a DVOM or just the test light, or both of the two, but no load pro, wouldn't you be able to deduct the cause anyway pretty quickly? This is not to critizize the load pro, but more a: What would you do if you don't have one, without building your own 'resistor with a button' (which nobody does)?
a) Just Test light: You see it light up when testing for power, you verified the bulb and socket connection is ok. Is there any other explanation than voltage drop, so is there a need for any more tests?
b) Just DVOM: Pretty much like a), instead you just see the 12 volts and continuity at the bulb/connector.
c) DVOM+Test Light: Wouldn't you be able to measure voltage drop across the Test light when connected? I would assume you could see some, maybe only 0.5-1 Volt in this particular case, but assuming the Test ligth draws about 200mA, you could easily deduct the drop would be way worse for the brake light bulb. Would really like to see this tested in a future video when the opportunity comes up. In my mind the Test Light is nothing but a load pro (with higher resistance that is of course), and the DVOM would deliver the actual numbers. Not 100% as convenient, but the same principle anyway. So if you just work on your own car (where you will see such a particular problem maybe once or twice), this might do the trick.
Looking forward to see what you think about it.
a. Your conclusion could also be bad bulb or bad socket such that the bulb does not connect but test light works. In each case separate test must be done
b. yes pretty much like A
c. Yes but like you said, not as convenient.
No argument- it is not like having an electric drill with a carbide bit vs a hand drill. And in this application arguably doing multiple tests is not so inconvenient. But if this were under the car or something then the value of doing this in one step from above the car really becomes exponential.
But even in this application- what actually happened is owner brought car to me and told me situation. I offered to give quick look since he still had rear light disassembled. I have him hold brake and in literally 3 seconds I was able to tell him he has a wiring problem and that's why new bulbs didn't work, as opposed to a couple minutes doing by process of elimination or baseline voltage source comparison.
good demo and test as always matt however wouldn't it be simpler easier and faster to backprobe bulb connector with a pp3 whilst the load was switched on,no messing about with probing wires and loadpros which I must admit is a good tool but a pp3 seems to be a much easier substitute.anyway keep up the good work ur doing a fantastic job..
It may be easier but it would be unscientific because it would not isolate an independent variable.
Not criticizing the LoadPro but I can't practically afford one. The best thing to do without one is to back probe the connector and plug it in to the brake bulb. You should see the voltage plummet as you click the connector together. Such a test is more accurate than you might think because it is based on the component that the wiring was originally designed to feed.
Why would you even unplug it in first place???
Schrodingers Box Mainly for access and putting the T-pin in straight. Coincidentally this is one of the few connectors that don't get harder to access when they are plugged in.
another great video. Ill keep watching for your next one!!! thanks again.
Well done sir. I am a fan of the load pro also but do not have it hooked to the DVOM all the time to clunky for me Best of luck to ya.
I've asked Dan Sullivan if he could streamline it,make it smaller and he said he could but doesn't have the money to do it.
Yes agreed- a little clunky and I actually have a separate DVOM with normal leads I use when I anticipate needing more clearance.
Question I have a 2008 mdx I got a new break light switch checked all my break fuses and the break light bulb seem to be leds board but non of my break lights work not even my third break light, can u help me ?
What is you quantified voltage drop on the circuit across the load?
Thank you. A very good demonstration. I also own a load pro.
Couldn't you do the same diagnosis with a Power Probe IV, and isn't that tool ultimately more versatile?
Well you could, but not to directly measure voltage drop. You could measure 12V with it and then either feed 12V just ahead of connector or give ground just after connector and in either case if bulb lit up you would realize it must be voltage drop.
SHIFTER STUCK IN PARK AND NO BRAKE LIGHTS?
My friend, can you teach me how to remove the light from its place? I tried and I could not
just unscrew and take off the plastic cover from the tail gate and remove the bulb.
I wonder what a standard loaded curcuit voltage drop test would have shown? probably the same reading is my guess. Nice vid none the less
Yes it would have shown the same- 4V of drop, then by testing each side you would have found the 4V drop is on the power side only. But using the loadpro just makes this much faster.
True that!
Assuming Jake Andrus is referring to doing VD across original bulb, in fairness to the LP haters out there Matt's statement is not 100% accurate. LP = 25 Ohms therefore the 8V shown on meter Matt saw means (because of Kirchhoff's law) rest of circuit has resistance of approximately 12.5 Ohms. Put the bulb back in (which according to others is 1.6 amp @ 12v = 7.5 Ohms.) original total circuit resistance = 7.5 + 12.5 = 20 Ohms. Of which the bulb had 7.5 / 20 = 37.5% of resistance. 37.5% of 12 = 4.5V. So with LP, meter displayed approximately 8V drop across LP (as seen in video. A drop of 4V). With bulb meter would have displayed approximately 4.5V drop across bulb (a drop of about 7.5V). This is a major (and valid) reason folks don't like the LP. VD shown on meter is not the true VD as you would see with original load component installed because of the differing Ohm values(unless of course original load was also 25 ohms). You have to interpret the LP reading if you want to know actual, true original VD values. But do you need to do the math? Most likely in most cases you don't. Which is another argument for pro-testlighters.
Could of done a voltage drop on bulb no need for the loadpro but i still love the shit outa that thing
The load pro would just sit in my draw for the amount of DIY work I do so I'll stick to using the dvom with long leads and load the circuit testing for V drop if needed but it's a handy accessory to have never the less.
Yes I did that for 6 years and it works fine! But man this sure is easier!
Agreed. This DIYer loves his LoadPro. As a DIYer I have no objection to buying specialized tools. I still save money over hiring out the work, and if it gives me another weekend hour or two saving time on auto repairs, it is a win-win in my book.
Nice thumbs up diagnosis. Could you achieve the same broken wire findings by using the tail light bulb in the light bulb socket as the resistor and back probing the light bulb socket to the multi-meter?
That wouldn't have shown the voltage drop as the bulb wasn't the source of the voltage drop.
+DE “AutoBravado” Nichols However, if the bulb was the cause, that test is helpful. :)
DE Nichols If you tested the bulb and knew it was working would not the bulb serve as the "load device" in the circuit from which you could measure voltage drop?
Sandbag1300 To know how much voltage drop a good bulb should be you could always test another working bulb.
Good one. :)
They are a 921 bulb. They pull 1.6 amps each with battery voltage. Back probing the connector with the bulbs in with a test light would have gotten the same answer I believe is what DE is trying to say.
another good video I also use a load pro. so was the busted strands of wire that caused the problem ?
Yes it had to have been. In the video there was a w/g wire that is actually the power for the 3rd brake system. The broken black wire and the other damaged wire I am not sure what they were for but I repaired them anyway.
Nice work. Thanks for the videos!
You ever had to drop completely or hang half of the headliner in order to repair the wires at the hinge?
Not yet and I hope not to lol
@@SchrodingersBox I repaired the wires on my vehicle. Were 5 wires that were repaired. Thanks for your video. Definitely helpful. 3rd brake light now operates but rear wiper still actuates relatively slow still.
Having third light issue with 2015 TLX
So I had an instance where both voltage drop AND loading the circuit failed me. This was on a freighliner for a rear cross member marker/brake light. The marker light was not working but the brake light was.
So i did a voltage drop test. Got 12 volts. I don't have a load pro but i got resistors. I loaded the circuit with a resistor and checked to see if the voltage dropped. It didn't. The ground splits to the reverse light and i just fixed the T for a reverse light issue so I jumped it to a knows good ground and the light still didn't illuminate. All 3 tests were good. I was then going to do a amp test and see if the amps were dropping off for some reason but earlier in the day i had a instance where a wire was testing good but had an obvious split and greed death on it and it wasn't until i disrupted it that the voltage dropped off so bu a pure hunch i pulled the harness connector to have a look and sure enough, green death and the pin set was split right off.
It could have been that my resistor didn't load the circuit enough, but the light itself was a 5 LED marker running low amps (i think its fused for 5 amps or something) ad my resistor was something like 40 ohms so just by fluke, the resistor load didn't drop voltage but the light did.
Not sure I understand what you're saying? You did voltage drop while loading circuit and what happened exactly?
Nothing. Still got source voltage. Didn't drop at all. It's a one off case where for some reason the LED light caused the voltage to drop out but the resistor didn't.
I am suspecting that MAYBE my resistor didn't load it enough to cause the green death to draw some of the voltage but like I said, it was a 40 something ohm resistor on a 5 led light circuit.
I think all the stars aligned on this one just to throw me off ha ha.
As Eric O says dont touch, have a look ..... why did you remove the bulb (ITS A LOAD) from the holder if you had left it there and used volt meter or your low amp test light you would have seen the issue immediately TEST WHAT YOU SEE DONT DISSEMBLE TO TEST
OMG you people for the last time
IT'S NOT A LOAD. IT'S A SCIENTIFIC VARIABLE!!!!! COME ON PEOPLE!!!
You don't scientifically know it's a load until AFTER it is tested!! Why do people not understand how to create independent variables?
SCIENCE PEOPLE!!! SCIENCE!!!
So you still did not answer my question why remove the bulb ? I do get that you are trying to show DIY car fixers a way to get to the bottom of issue with out the expensive equipment the likes of ivan, eric and myself use in our working day .... but keep it simple Best Regards John ..
I did answer the question. in Scienific approach you ISOLATE variables to ensure controlled environment to retain only an independent variable.
Hi Matt
brilliant video but shouldn't you have checked if the voltage drop was on the positive or negative line before going into the loom?😀
I would have if I knew the ground routing. But since I do not know the wire routing on this vehicle (my first Acura) I am not certain if the ground is in the bundle or on a panel. So even if I found the ground was where the drop was I would still have looked in loom first since that is the most likely cause for failure and thus most likely where ground would have routed.
+Schrodingers Box Fair comment buddy. Keep making the videos. You explain them in a way that makes diagnosis easy to understand😀
dan sullivan thanks you...
Lol, while he knows more about electrical than I ever will, I do think I do a better job demonstrating the tool than he does hahahahaha. I had to watch his load pro video 3 times before I understood what it was- and that was after I made my voltage drop tutorial lol!!!
G'day Matt. My old el cheapo multimeter had a battery test function where( I believe) the 1.5v/9v dry cells could be checked under load. Is this an alternative for those on a budget?
No that is a load test, not a voltage drop test.
+Schrodingers Box ok . Thanks. Great channel.
How did you fix the split wires?
Depends on location. Usually with weather-resistant butt connectors but if the wiring is expected to have a lot of movement I will solder it. In this case, soldering is necessary since its at a hinge.
I have same issue. When I am plugging company fitted stop lamps then it does not work but when I am using a another light then it's glowing. But they require same 12 volt then why company fitted lights is not working?
I have even checked the company fitted lights using DC adapter and they worked. Can you give me a solution?
What was your voltage drop?
Schrodingers Box I didn't find any cut out wire. Maybe I should send you a photo for clear understanding.
Well obviously yo0uj wont find a cutout wire- that is a given, obviously. The question is what is the amount of voltage drop you have on the circuit?
Schrodingers Box I found nothing
But to be frank I changed the brake lamps with led. Could this be the reason for third brake light not working?
Schrodingers Box hello
You don't answer my last qs
I liked that one Matt.. A while back I bought a loadpro for Ivan ..I expect he will do an honest video on its use ( if you recall before... he an Eric were insisting it was a waste of money )
But as I already own one I knew he was wrong LOL .. come on Ivan weigh in on this :)
( and yes I know you need the proper circumstance to do a review )
I was told by a few viewers that Ivan actually ran into a similar situation last year where his testlight failed to detect a voltage drop and he had to go back and verify it with DVOM when things weren't adding up!!
yes that was on a Jeep liberty ..the dome light circuit board ..was causing a drain .
He also did one on a dodge ram 4door where the master switch had some problems,,that I think could have been found in less then 10 minutes with the Load Pro
deepsquat600 Wow that's amazing because he was one of the biggest critics of the load pro lol!!!
I wonder what he'll say about this video.
like I said Matt .. I bought him one and he will be doing a video on it ..and I do trust him to be fair .. he even thought he might give it to Eric to test
deepsquat600 Please let me know when that video posts- I'd love to see it.
Unfortunately I no longer have time to watch TH-cam channels. God I'm having SDWS!!!! (ScannerDanner Withdrawal Syndrome)
I'm surprised your wife hasn't left you by now, also good video.
Lol not married. But maybe that also answers your surprise
+Schrodingers Box that's the way to go! I been married 5 years now.. I regret it someday haha
+Shane Hildebrand "some days"
Both are probably true lol
+Schrodingers Box lol marriage has its moments tho. mostly good but there is bad too
What if you leave the test light hooked up then measure voltage drop across the test light?
Why would you do that? not following what you're getting at.
Oh I get what you're saying. yeah I don't see why that wouldn't work. Not a bad thought!
Hello Matt and everyone in the comment section,
I have an interesting problem and i hope you can help me with directions of what i should do. But first, i'm sorry for my language, but i'll try to describe my problem "as-is".
I own a 2007 Ford Focus II (Europe) with 1.6Ti-VCT engine. I suppose it says nothing to you, because, as i know, there was another Focus II model in USA.
Anyway. After i reach 1/4 of fuel in fuel tank my car sometimes has no response to accelerator pedal for 2-8 seconds, but then everything's ok. I'm sure it's fuel problem and it's probably fuel pump, but i'm not sure and have no money for a new one to replace.
I noticed, that problem shows off only when it's 1/4 or less in fuel tank and only in right corners or fast starts. Left corners and soft starts are ok. Problem shows only when i'm driving. When engine's idling everything's ok too.
OBD diagnostics shows no mistakes, ignition system's definitely ok.
So, i think, that i should check fuel pump pressure. But how can i do it, when i'm driving?
Also i'd check fuel pump voltage w/ and w/o load.
I don't ask you to give me exact solution (it's my problem, not yours), but i'd like to consult with you and your experience just to be sure, that i didn't miss anything obvious and easy to check.
I hope, i'm thinking in right direction.
Thank you in advance and greetings from Russia!
Have a nice day.
I think maybe when you get on right corners being low on fuel the fuel pump doesnt makes pressure because doesnt sucks anything, maybe the pump it is not where it should.
armando nika i thought about it and it seems to be true. The only problem is that i have to take off tank and i don't want to do this without any need. How can i make sure, that it is true? Only by getting fuel pressure measurements?
And also engine does not stop on right corners. He's just idling (780 - 820 rpm) and nothing happens (i mean, no response). I tried to switch to neutral gear to make sure, that it doesn't stop and it worked fine - idle rpm's without gear.
+Mike Gusarov yes you probably should check for fuel pressure but obviously its gonna be a bit difficult because you should drive it into the corners.
Простое решение: почаще заезжать на заправку :) А сама проблема: скорее всего появилась маленькая дырка в заборном шланге, который берёт бенз со дна бака. Как только уровень топлива падает ниже уровня дырки, насос начинает сосать воздух вместо жидкости, резко обедняя смесь. Ещё такой вопрос: сам бак плоский снизу, или разделён на две половины горбом?
Удачи!
This is definitely a better answer mike and this is probably whats happening.
hey bud I'm having an issue with my jeep. put a new torque converter in it and started up fine. after a few days my starter was clicking. replaced the starter and the battery. still clicking. battery has 12v but drops to 3v when cranking. any ideas?
Do voltage drop test and Bench test or direct-jump starter if the wiring integrity proves not to be the issue.
No voltage drop. Tested posts to clamps and posts to starter/ground.
Alex Thelen What was the actual amount of voltage drop you measured?
Didn't drop at all but when cranking battery drops to 3v
Alex Thelen There had to be at least some voltage drop at the starter. What was the difference in that vs the source voltage?
never remove the globes or the load and test for power and grounds . I have seen a few of your videos' that's you have removed the load and test for power and grounds . not sure why any one would test any circuits with no load ?
What are you talking about? If the bulb is blown YOU ARE TESTING WITH NO LOAD.
WHy do people not understand that the load is not a load in this example, it is a scientific variable!!!! Scientists only use controlled environment with single independent variables!!!
ONBOARDTECH333KMD I cannot watch the video for you tech. I explain this explicitly in the video but even so you don't understand the scientific approach here on creating a controlled independent variable environment.
Excellet video
I going to the doctor tomorrow to get my eyes and maybe Brian check ??
I sure you told us all that this car had new globes and you made sure you that shown us they where ok ??
I let you know what he come up
Thank you very much
Nice and interesting one...
good video teacher best
Matt, you didn't use butt connectors did you? Load Pro FTW!
No in this application a butt connector is the wrong repair because of the movement of the wires. a butt connector would be temporary. I soldered and used a heat shrink for this one.
But I don't mind butt connectors for most repairs where the wiring is immobile.
Totally agree. I know of one case in which butt connectors where used in a flexible boot and it caused a fire. I have seen this problem on Honda and Saab.
Thanks.
Welcome!
sir, you awesome....
DO you have an actual store?
No- I just live in an actual house where I do this stuff for charity as a hobby
Nice video Matt. =P
Regards.
8:23 - Gold.
Lol zinger!!!
I normally check voltage with circuit intact and then I go by voltage drop.
Same here, but now with load pro I just do them at same time. But before that, Honestly I usually did voltage drop as the last step though instead of second.
+Schrodingers Box Precise diagnostic, great job Matt. I have a digital power probe but will look into a load pro for an accurate reading.
let dan Sullivan see this. get ahold of him on youtube if you don't mind...
I hope he does see it! But I heard he went offline or something and no longer even has a channel.
he just uploaded a vid not to long ago
Nice
Thanks
I'm guessing your other day job has something to do with being a Doctor
That was a great video though...
Interesting.
That was a very roundabout way of accidentally fixing a bad ground.
Can you enlighten us as to what was the issue that caused the customer complaint please?
Dav, it was a power side break in wiring.
DE Nichols
Negative - it had that too, and it surely needed fixing, but voltage drop be damned, if it will light the test light, it WILL do SOMETHING to the proper bulb (context is important - this isn't a winch or something, that bulb draws nearly nothing). The hot side was hot - he never checked for continuity to ground, that I saw (maybe he did, and I didn't notice over his blaring self satisfaction?)
He fixed it, but there's no need for his giant smug rant about loadtesting, if he'd spent less time soapboxing and more time following a sound diagnostic technique, he could have made his case much more soundly.
Voltage accross the plug, voltage to other ground, and continuity between the plug ground and other ground all should be immediate tests, before dicking around and trying to make silly points about how much you hate test lights.
dav3fk You know, him being smug is why some of us watch him because it's another reason that he's being totally different than other TH-camrs, right?
Dav you are dimmer than that bulb. You missed the whole point of the video. This was a perfect example where someone such as yourself who clearly has minimal understanding of what was demonstrated could have learned to improve your skills and you passed up on it.
It wasn;t an accidental repair of a ground- it wasn't even the ground you fool. And it certainly wasn't accidental. Voltage drop was conclusively shown via TWO procedures, one direct and one by process of elimination.
You totally whiffed on everything because you wanted to complain.
can you watch this and help me please
Like
420th like ................ niccccccccce , lol