|
09-09-2015, 04:18 AM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: reynoldsburg, ohio
Posts: 432
|
Voltage Tests
good morning............dumb question time.............can someone give me a basic lesson on circuit testing?..........I have never really messed with anything electric, and I would like to know what to do, or not do, so I don't get a surprise....................I have always paid for this type of stuff in the past, but looks like owning an rv will require some level of electric testing knowledge..........thanks
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
09-09-2015, 05:53 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Ft. Myers, Fl.
Posts: 1,451
|
First rule...Don't touch anything that's shiny metal. Seriously though, get a good meter and ALWAYS check for voltage before you get your hands on any electrical device. 110 volt ac, white is neutral, green is ground and black, red, blue, etc. is hot. Don't ever work on a circuit hot unless you absolutely have to. 110 can kill you in the right situation. With dc voltage (12 volt), black is usually ground and the other colors are hot (again, usually). Some manufacturers use what ever color they happen to have, so again, check with a meter to verify polarity. You can pick up a book that will show you basic circuits and trouble shooting methods if you are half way mechanical. JUST BE SURE TO CHECK FOR VOLTAGE, EVERY TIME!!
__________________
Jim, Bonnie & Irma Newmar Hoots
2016 Newmar DSDP 3736 Freightliner, HWH Active Air, Proteng fire suppression.
2021 Willys toad Proverbs 3: 5-6
|
|
|
09-09-2015, 05:55 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,963
|
Hello jsmmonaco-
You've tossed out a big question, and as there are many "professional" and self-taught electrical folks on this forum, I hope you'll get better answers than mine. But let me ask a few simple questions first:
1) Do you have a specific problem that you'd like to solve right now? If so, give the details as best you can. Working on your immediate problem is a great way to learn.
2) How do you learn? Words, diagrams, pictures, movies, sounds, analogies can all be used, but you will have a preferred learning style. The Web is full of "help" of all kinds, but sifting through it to get to what you need is the hard part.
3) Do you like to work with your hands, and can do it well (enough) in other areas, like carpentry?
4) Do you have a technical background?
5) Do you have a healthy sense of self-preservation? Even 12-volt circuits can seriously hurt you, and 120-volt circuits can kill you.
That said, here's testing in a nutshell:
Power source ---> fuse or circuit breaker ---> wire ---> switch (optional) ---> wire ---> device
A voltmeter or test lamp inserted in the various places marked with "--->" above will often reveal the problem cause.
Now, the details on the problem at hand are...?
Mark
|
|
|
09-09-2015, 09:09 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 2,893
|
This is quite a broad and open ended question. Voltage tests can be referenced as to testing for voltage, testing for ground or voltage drop tests.
Then the next question would be are you testing the load or a control circuit such as when a relay is used. There is some basic terminology to be used and explaine to go along with testing.
As others have already mentioned testing incorrectly can be dangerous due to physical injury but not knowing what components do what and touching something with a test lead can sometimes cause more expense and damage to a component.
It may be more helpful to give an actual example and we can walk you through the basice test or tests for that situation.
Mike.
|
|
|
09-09-2015, 09:40 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Freeport, ME
Posts: 4,707
|
For a 12 volt system a 12 volt test light can be a great help. For 110 v you need a digital volt meter/multimeter which also tests resistance and helps find bad connections. You can't get hurt with 12 volts but you can weld watches and wedding rings to contacts and that can result in a burn because the metal will get hot real fast. With 110 volt AC only use one hand at a time and hold the other hand not being used behind your back. This way if you get across a connection it will not pass from one hand to another across the heart. That safety rule allowed me to survive 26 years in the Navy. If you go to Home Depot and look in their book stand you will find some very good books on explaining AC wiring and testing.
__________________
Mike Canter
"Gunner" USN Retired, Airdale
2004 Monaco Signature 44' Conquest. Detroit 60
|
|
|
09-09-2015, 12:00 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Quitman MS
Posts: 2,967
|
I think if you would go to this link it would also help. And check out the Progresive EMS-HW50C this unit is a must for rv protection.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/50-a...er-176562.html
Walt
__________________
Walt & Will
2000 Dynasty
2017 Ram Big Horn Crew C 4X4 w/ M&G
|
|
|
09-09-2015, 05:28 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
|
It all depends on what you are testing.. If you google NO SHOCK ZONE you will find a lot of information but here is some
As someone up-thread said DO NOT TOUCH METAL EVER, when running these tests
50 amp outlets have 4 holes 3 flat one roundish.
With the roundish hole at the bottom the sides should measure 220-240 volts side to side
110-120 side to center and side to round
ZERO top to bottom (Round).
On a 30 amp you have two flat and one round.
Round to one flat 120 volt Side to side (flat to flat) 120 volt,, Other flat to round ZERO.. I'm not sure without testing which side is zero.
12 volt side of life
about 12.6 is the resting voltage of a fully charged 12 volt battery, Put a load on it and it goes down
13.6 is a common "Float" voltage and what you should see if batteries are charge and you are plugged in.. Alas, I almost never see it but I'm not reading AT THE BATTERY or CONVERTER and there are loads present when I'm reading.
14.6 is a common boost voltage (Lots of variation here)
Less than 10 is trouible. (less than 12 is trouble)
Other systems.. Need system spec.
__________________
Home is where I park it!
|
|
|
09-10-2015, 02:19 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: reynoldsburg, ohio
Posts: 432
|
thanks
thanks to all that have responded..........lots of good information.....nothing needing repaired at this point, but one never knows..............I think I will leave the electrical repairs to professionals....................
|
|
|
09-10-2015, 06:43 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
|
One of the problems I have is that I've been doing electrical/electronics work for a LONG time (personal, not professional) It is easy for me.
But one thing I forgot to say above is test lightes are often better than meters for working on circuits.. Epically 12 volt.
With the light you have 3 conditions BRIGHT = GOOD (volt meter would agree)
DIM = Bad connection (Volt meter would (did in my case) show good)
Dark = Dead (volt meter should agree but again might show good) if DARK= Extreme Dim (Did in my case)
__________________
Home is where I park it!
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|