12-19-2022, 09:01 AM
First, it’s Bill’s fault for starting this thread. I thought it was a great suggestion. I have seen other hacks gurus have done, so I expect this to be a thread with great content.
Here are a few of mine.
I wanted to diagram the big 12V positive cables that run all over the coach. But I didn’t have a fancy fox and hound cable signal tracer. I unhooked all the big cables where I could find them. I made a long wire with alligator clips at each end. I would clip the wire to one of the cables I wanted to trace and start with the Ohm meter at other cable terminations. When the ohms read zero, I had found the other end of the cable. I labeled them on both ends of course, because I have a hard time remembering breakfast.
I have used the capacitor reading on the VOM to check the AC capacitors in place. Do turn off the power, and short the terminals of the cap before doing this. Unhook the connections to get a true reading.
I have used the ohm reading to check the windings in electrical motors or compressors before tearing out a unit on the suspicion the compressor was bad.
A common one is to use the voltmeter to see if a charger or alternator is charging a battery bank. Measure with charger off or disabled, then turn on charger, voltage should increase a bit.
And finally, and this is what Brad Aden posted, but my version. I also had a bizarre HWH control board problem. It went back to them three times, would work for a month or two, then back to wacky behavior. I was checking continuity of fuses on the board, and of course the fuses tested just fine. Only when I tested voltage at both side of the fuse did I discover that the fuse blades had oxidized, and the fuse was only passing about 6 volts instead of 12.
Here are a few of mine.
I wanted to diagram the big 12V positive cables that run all over the coach. But I didn’t have a fancy fox and hound cable signal tracer. I unhooked all the big cables where I could find them. I made a long wire with alligator clips at each end. I would clip the wire to one of the cables I wanted to trace and start with the Ohm meter at other cable terminations. When the ohms read zero, I had found the other end of the cable. I labeled them on both ends of course, because I have a hard time remembering breakfast.
I have used the capacitor reading on the VOM to check the AC capacitors in place. Do turn off the power, and short the terminals of the cap before doing this. Unhook the connections to get a true reading.
I have used the ohm reading to check the windings in electrical motors or compressors before tearing out a unit on the suspicion the compressor was bad.
A common one is to use the voltmeter to see if a charger or alternator is charging a battery bank. Measure with charger off or disabled, then turn on charger, voltage should increase a bit.
And finally, and this is what Brad Aden posted, but my version. I also had a bizarre HWH control board problem. It went back to them three times, would work for a month or two, then back to wacky behavior. I was checking continuity of fuses on the board, and of course the fuses tested just fine. Only when I tested voltage at both side of the fuse did I discover that the fuse blades had oxidized, and the fuse was only passing about 6 volts instead of 12.
Richard and Rhonda Entrekin
99 Newell, 512
Maverick Hybrid Toad
Inverness, FL (when we're home
)
