Load Pro test leads...how to find bad connections and resistance.
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- These are the Load Pro meter test leads, which I showed in my last video...but I didn't have time to show their use in that one. So, here they are. These work with any multimeter and are a really useful diagnostic tool, especially for the vintage buses (and old wiring) that I frequently work on.
This is not a sponsored video - I've just found them to be a good addition to my meter.
I absolutely love this took. It has never failed me once I learned and understood Dan Sullivan's way as looking at electricity. One of the best inventing in the last 30 years.
I had no idea such a thing existed. I work as an RV tech, I can think of soooo many instances where I would have loved to have something like this. Ordering some now, thanks for the video and explanation!
Right on! This made the time to make the video worthwhile. I've had this for about 3 or 3.5 years and it's helped me out quite a few times. The designer, Dan Sullivan, has some videos about it...you should watch some of those.
My next testing video will be about wire signal tracers. Those would come in handy for what you're doing, too.
Great video! You made it very easy to understand how the loadpro works. I've watched other videos but all the ones I watched only show how to use it while troubleshooting a circuit in a vehicle. You're presentation was more of a "classroom/lab" demonstration and using a resistor, wire with corroded terminals, and rusty bolt made it really easy for me to understand how the loadpro works and how, when, and where to use it. Many thanks!
Thank you for the benightment. I purchased one myself recently and thought I should have known LOADpro way back earlier. It just gives me peace of mind in diagnosis.
Thank you
No...THANK YOU. I've done electrical diagnostic work on commercial vehicles and wind turbines, all over the world. This is a valuable tool and I appreciate you for all of your efforts in developing and promoting it.
Great video 👍
Would this still work if say you 5v circuit but had 12/24 batteries would you need a 5v power supply and not the battery power
Can be this used not with 12 volt connector and instead reference voltage ( 5 volts) for sensors in automotive?
Trying to find out where you got the alligator clip for the ground probe.
Thanks...
What does the wiring look like, you’re connected to a 14v battery and then the probe to the multimeter that’s it? Is the other lead connected to anything?
Does this work on ac voltage too?
Hi, is this tool safe to use on 5v sensor circuits that are switched on by key on/directly from the ECU/ECM/PCM? Will the load not damage the circuit board on the module? Thanks
I tested on sensor and it didn’t not work with reference voltage. Unless there is a specific way to do it. Let me know if you found out
Can you test a live pigtail?
Yes that’s the point you are load testing a circuit to find out if the circuit is good or not
When add the load what would a good connection read,thanks
Essentially, the voltage should not drop much. I don't know a spec for acceptable drop, but you'll get to know when you see a bad connection...the voltage drop is noticable.
@@RollingLiving thanks
Being somewhat new to this I’ve got a potentially dumb question: once you find there is significant resistance in the wire or wherever, what do you do to fix it?
That's not a dumb question at all. And I should do a video on that whole process, when our snow melts. :-)
Fixing the issue is usually easy...it involves re-doing a wire splice, cleaning a connection, replacing a switch, etc. The hard part is finding that issue, and that's where these come in handy.
Start at the point farthest from the battery and work back. For example, if you're working on a bulb that won't work (and the bulb is good) check the socket. If you find resistance there, trace the wire back to the switch and check the light side of the switch. Then check the power (battery) side of the switch. IF those are different results, it is probably a bad switch. Then work back to the fuse block. Somewhere in there, you'll pinpoint the source of the issue.
Don't forget the ground path, too! Without a good ground (the negative) your bulb or dohickey won't work.
@@RollingLiving thanks so much! Yes I’d love to see you do a vid on this whole process because I’m having a hard time visualizing what you’re describing. Thanks for your time
I have a dumb question too Lol. I'm fairly certain the principles work the same way, but how would you apply this on the negative side of the load?
@@keenowl1410 Not a dumb question at all...and something I'll remember to cover when I use this on a bus to diagnose an actual issue. First, when you test the circuit (say a headlight) you'd unplug the lightbulb and put the leads in the positive and negative (ground) side of the plug...then do the test. If the voltage drops, do the same test again but this time with the negative lead on a good chassis ground instead of in the plug. If the voltage drop remains, the resistance/fault is in the positive side...if the voltage doesn't drop this time, the problem is in the ground side. From here, though, the Load Pro won't help you much and I'd just trace the ground wires to their terminal.
@RollingLiving thank you so much for responding. I saw your Chanel today and subscribed. Great Chanel. Thanks for all your time, help and tutorials!
Now that wire issue is determined, but if it's a long run of wire, through many components maybe a wire tracer would be the tool for the job?
Can I ask where you got your crocodile clip for your earth lead from? I can’t find one that fit well to the loadpro leads well.
Looks like a Fluke design.
You have your fingers touching the probe and connection. That alone will give a false reading.
Hi Richard. This is a good observation and would be a factor if I were using the resistance function of the meter, especially if I were using the more sensitive ranges...or my megger. Zap! :-) But since we're looking for a change in voltage as we add resistance (which would already include my skin's high resistance), this function still works just fine. I really like these leads.
Oh my crumb signal
The wire it's self will have some resistance.
Yup, I thought I said that. Sorry if I wasn't clear. Even the test leads have some. All wire has resistance, unless it's some of that fancy superconductor technology! But this is a good tool for finding problems involving too much resistance. In fact, with this I can identify opens, shorts to ground, and bad conductivity. It's a cool tool.
@@RollingLiving I can see it's useful. Thanks for letting us know about it. It probably is good for finding intermittent faults that only happen under load.
Thank you, this is great information you have shared with us here. I will be searching out to purchase a set of these leads.
David in the UK.
Bad set. Don't make a video and a work bench. Take the tool a connector and show us a real world test.