At the Risk of Making Myself Appear Less Than Brilliant...

[Dinsdale]

The fuses "looked fine"?

They came up with this nifty new invention called a "multimeter." Even the $2-3 unit at Harbor Frieght works just fine for checking things like battery cables and fuses.

Sin,
Former Auto Electrical Technician

[dins]

The fuses "looked fine"?

They came up with this nifty new invention called a "multimeter." Even the $2-3 unit at Harbor Frieght works just fine for checking things like battery cables and fuses.

Sin,
Former Auto Electrical Technician

[smackaholic]

Dins, being a former auto tech, you should know that you garden variety fuse is the type that does not require a meter to diagnose.

Sam, I got one that tops that from a few weeks ago. I had the RV parked in the upper driveway for a little housekeeping/misc bullshit. I then cranked it up, pulled out of the drive, started down the street to make a U turn and return it to the lower driveway/yard/junkyard. It sputtered and stalled. So, I coasted it to the side of the road. I was able to restart and stumble my way back to the yard.

Hmmmmm, I thought, sure as fukk looks like a clogged fuel filter/fuel pump on it's death bed. Classic symptoms. It starts, then stall when you try to give it throttle. I repeated this numerous times. I did notice that the fuel gauge was at about 1/8th tank, but, I had run it that low before and besides, it wasn't acting like it was out of gas, as it would restart, time after time.

So, off to NAPA and no, not that place fags go to sip wine/semen. The other NAPA, where manly mans go to get stuff for their rig.

Picked up a filter and pump. Butchered the hell out of the old filter getting it off. Ended up having to cut the fozen side off and splice need section of line in. The old filter flowed just fine, so I was not very confident in my repair solving the problem. And it didn't.

I then got my chinese, but fairly decent multimeter out to see if the fuel pump was getting voltage. It was, but, it was an odd varying voltage dependent on key position. Anyhoo, I could not hear any signs of life from the pump, so I got my 12 V charger and decided to try and fire the pump directly. It did, but, I could tell from the pitch of the sound that the pump was sucking air.

Hmmmmmmnnnn.

Walked over and grabbed my 5 gallon can of gas that was sitting there all along that a non-technical type of person would have done from the start and gave it a drink. Hit it with 12V again and it started pumping gas like M2 pumps cahk in the warrior's locker room.

I could here Bill Engval's voice in my head.

Here's your sign.

What a dumbfukk. Atleast I didn't install the fukking pump which would have put me out another 130 bucks. And I did get the filter changed that was likely overdue.

[Dinsdale]

And those are the fuses (blade-type) that are by far most likely to have a small split along the edge of the plastic, which you can't see. Happens more than you think.

Plus it's much more time consuming to pull them all.

There's a reason that the metal tab extends through the plastic on top... ya'think?

Turn the key to "on." Ground the negative probe. Touch both sides with the positive... it should show pretty close to 12V. A 12V testlight makes it even easier.

But hey, what do I know. Not like I spent the better part of a decade doing it.

[smackaholic]

Who's the fukker that decided to come up with the non-glass fuses. The ones you need a meter or X-ray vision for? I hate that fukker.

Back in Electronics school in the Navy, I was doing a PT (practical test), where they fukk up a piece of gear and you have to not just fix it, but, show how you used logical troubleshooting methods to get to the fix. Anyhoo, the fault ended up being one of those white ceramic? fuses. I didn't bother getting the meter when I pulled it out, because the instructor wrote "blow me" on the fuse.

[Mikey]

Who's the fukker that decided to come up with the non-glass fuses. The ones you need a meter or X-ray vision for? I hate that fukker.

Back in Electronics school in the Navy, I was doing a PT (practical test), where they fukk up a piece of gear and you have to not just fix it, but, show how you used logical troubleshooting methods to get to the fix. Anyhoo, the fault ended up being one of those white ceramic? fuses. I didn't bother getting the meter when I pulled it out, because the instructor wrote "blow me" on the fuse.

M2 was your instructor in the Navy?

[Dinsdale]

Glass fuses can fracture the ribbon behind the metal caps, too.

I just can't imagine anyone pulling them all out to look at all of them. Less reliable method, and more time-consuming... I guess I could see a Southerner doing it.

[Dinsdale]

M2 was your instructor in the Navy?

He was the guy with a ceramic fuse halfway down his throat.

[smackaholic]

Glass fuses can fracture the ribbon behind the metal caps, too.

I just can't imagine anyone pulling them all out to look at all of them. Less reliable method, and more time-consuming... I guess I could see a Southerner doing it.

Sam already showed you the type of fuse he is talking about, the modern auto style, not the older glass cylinder type. My experience with that type is that they are very easily and reliably troubleshot visually.

[Dinsdale]

Sam already showed you the type of fuse he is talking about, the modern auto style, not the older glass cylinder type. My experience with that type is that they are very easily and reliably troubleshot visually.

And those are the fuses (blade-type) that are by far most likely to have a small split along the edge of the plastic, which you can't see. Happens more than you think.

Hello?

[Dinsdale]

A DMM is handy for a lot more than that

... testing a battery

Generally not.

[smackaholic]

A mm gives the voltage of a battery, which is some indication of level of charge, but, no indicator of how long it will hold it once it is put under load.

[Dinsdale]

And a multimeter can't measure anywhere near enough current to determine if the voltage drop is caused by excessive load or the battery itself.

[Mace]

A mm gives the voltage of a battery, which is some indication of level of charge, but, no indicator of how long it will hold it once it is put under load.

Naw. Square deck screws are the universal choice here.