Electric dummy

[TerryMSU]

Re: Electric dummy

i think you are right... bilge does not run when i have it correctly placed. I must have done this when screwing around on how to do it

wow this fuse is small... I usually deal with larger ones but i would clearly see the strip of metal going though the glass... Correct? i dont see anything at all but a faint little floss sized metal strip going through. When i say small i had to put it up to a light bulb to see it

These fuses are very small, and the element (the wire inside) is even smaller. The only good way to test it is to check continuity with a meter. Either use the beeper function on your meter or set the meter to ohms and check it. Fortunately, most meters will do that without a fuse present.

TerryMSU

 

[sccatfish]

Re: Electric dummy

Maybe it would be easier to get an ammeter that just clamps around the wire. No disconnecting wires, no fuses will blow.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Electric dummy

Maybe it would be easier to get an ammeter that just clamps around the wire. No disconnecting wires, no fuses will blow.

Not for measuring DC unless you have a thousand dollars in your pocket.

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Electric dummy

yep both of my meters that clamp on dc were kinda expensive about 250 for the one that does high dc amps and 600 for the ma one but i still like the inline ones better as they seem to be more accurate. true fact is that some meters were never designed to be used by people who dont understand the basics and anything but the best can be a bomb if you are not careful with it. at least we are only playing with 12vdc so a blown fuse in nothing to be concerned about just install another and try again

 

[salmonite]

Re: Electric dummy

Tried a new fuse and still nothing..

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Electric dummy

Explain how you are measuring again. You are just putting the meter inline with the circuit right?

Basically, you are breaking the circuit and letting the meter bridge the break in the circuit right?

 

[salmonite]

Re: Electric dummy

Explain how you are measuring again. You are just putting the meter inline with the circuit right?

Basically, you are breaking the circuit and letting the meter bridge the break in the circuit right?

yes exactly. I take the negative wires off of battery terminal and put my multimeter inline from the wire to battery terminals.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Electric dummy

Maybe your meter is just bad. If you could post a full size picture of your meter that would be great.

I also sent you a PM.

 

[salmonite]

Re: Electric dummy

Maybe your meter is just bad. If you could post a full size picture of your meter that would be great.

I also sent you a PM.

thanks bruce.. I will try the instructions from the first page

 

[salmonite]

Re: Electric dummy



here we go!!

 

[leakywire]

Re: Electric dummy

To measure voltage your probes would be on each of the wires with voltage potential, in a battery circuit this would be neg (blk) and pos (red), to measure current drain or demand you need to be in series with the load in question so you could open a fuseholder and test with one wire on each side of the fuseholder with the fuse missing, another way to test would be at the device buy unplugging a connector and again using the meter to bridge the =open= created by unplugging. Using some elementary math you should be able to predict the result, for example a 12 volt 600GPH bilge pump drains 3 amps - so you have a pump that does not work and a very complex dashboard, working at the pump end of business you could remove one wire from the pump with the switch turned on and insert the meter leads - if you read 3.6 amps it shows you the current is flowing and the likely problem is the pump is locked with some swarf inside the impellor - if there is no reading then change the meter to volts and observe in any power is coming from the switch - also look for a failed neg connection such as a terminal that has cracked from years of vibration on the engine block.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Electric dummy

So where you have your probe and meter selected to, you are on the unfused 10A measurement area. If you move your probe to the next input down, then you can measure 200mA and you need to move the selector to the 200m setting right above what you have selected now. If you do try to measure 200MA, you can't have anything on or you will blow the fuse in your meter.

If you have ever shorted out your meter in the 10A mode, your 10A measurement area is toast. Basically, there is a shunt resistor in there and that shunt resistor will get blown with any current over 10A and can't be replaced.

 

[salmonite]

Re: Electric dummy

So where you have your probe and meter selected to, you are on the unfused 10A measurement area. If you move your probe to the next input down, then you can measure 200mA and you need to move the selector to the 200m setting right above what you have selected now. If you do try to measure 200MA, you can't have anything on or you will blow the fuse in your meter.

If you have ever shorted out your meter in the 10A mode, your 10A measurement area is toast. Basically, there is a shunt resistor in there and that shunt resistor will get blown with any current over 10A and can't be replaced.

thanks bruce.. I do think my 10a is blown. I will try a new volt meter or what you were talking about with the 200mA