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Does anybody here own and use the Power Probe III?

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scott37300

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I have an older power probe, bought it about 8 years ago for putting in car starters and alarms. Mine is just a black pencil that has a green and red led for positive and negative with needle on one end and a cord on the other. Think I paid 70 bucks for it back then. It is a great tool, I have many electrical testers and the probe is usually the first one I grab for any electrical work.

That kit looks really nice with lots of bells and whistles and if you do any wiring work I would say it is well worth it.
 
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nightrain00

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Jul 30, 2008
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I have one just make sure you get the model that has the replaceable switch. thats the only problem i've had with mine. Once you get used to it it is a real time saver and very usefull piece of equipment. Just be care full not to rock the switch the wrong way and put 12v to something you shouldn't it lets the smoke out of stuff real quick if your not paying attention!
 
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ricleh

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K5blazer83

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It seems like this is an extremely useful tool from all the comments. I've always resorted to a test light, DVOM, and test leads to do electrical work and I think I'm ready to upgrade.
 
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jay50

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I use the PP3 almost daily.
Great tool.
Be careful with the switch and don't let the smoke out of those PCMs...
 
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sf6669

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Must own, one of the best automotive electrical tools. I got mine for 98 bucks.
 
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Fedwrench

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The powerprobe III can be a handy tool but, you must use extreme caution and a wiring diagram when applying power to certain circuits. I've seen several techs in a hurry turn a simple problem into a major and expensive one. :beer:
 
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strnjss

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Boston Area
I've been eying a power probe 3 for a long time now. For what I do on cars though, I just can't justify the price. But if I were going to do a lot of electrical work, I would get one so fast!

If I were to get one now, the price would have to come way down from $110.

They are very cool though.
 
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Racr350

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Rochester, NY
If someone could elaborate on whats going on with the switches. I've owned one for a couple years now and haven't had a problem. First time ive heard about it actually.. :headscrat
 
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I can fix anything

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Racr350 said:
If someone could elaborate on whats going on with the switches. I've owned one for a couple years now and haven't had a problem. First time ive heard about it actually.. :headscrat
Click to expand...

yep i traded pp2's in on my 3's when they first came out. never had a problem other than one of my speakers is fuzzy.
 
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mtkst19

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blitzburgh pa
if you are going to buy it outright and not off a tool truck, then look at e-bay. they have them for under 100 shipped.

as for is it worth it--every penny. anyone who does any type of electrical repairs or wiring can/will benefit form using this.
 
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gnx547

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Aug 13, 2010
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I bought my Powerprobe 3 for $85...Best electrical tool to have
 
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mrholeshot

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Jun 22, 2010
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I want one and am planing on buying one. I had something very similar to it made by Snap-On back in the early 80's. It also had switchable power which caused some greif. When I fist saw these hitting the market I figured Id give them a few years.
 
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gluckmysock

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I let a buddy use mine and he somehow "cranked up" the sensitivity on mine. So now when i get it close to an active circuit it sqeaks. I part of the design for tracing speaker wires.

The switches burns up because guys apply the tip to a circuit then flip the switch to apply voltage. The manual states to flip the switch "Before" applying tip to circuit to prevent arcing in the switch, which will shorten the life of the switch.
 
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Frankstools

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I have a older version (II) picked up at APEX in 2004. Works great for toubleshooting, neat having 12v power in a probe. Quality is great.
 
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cdseven95

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gluckmysock said:
I let a buddy use mine and he somehow "cranked up" the sensitivity on mine. So now when i get it close to an active circuit it sqeaks. I part of the design for tracing speaker wires.

The switches burns up because guys apply the tip to a circuit then flip the switch to apply voltage. The manual states to flip the switch "Before" applying tip to circuit to prevent arcing in the switch, which will shorten the life of the switch.
Click to expand...
If you would like to adjust the threshold level setting higher, hold down the mode button for an extended push until you hear a beep. Repeat this step 3 more times until you see 1.0 on the display. Each subsequent quick press of the mode button will increase the preset voltage level setting. The settings loop from 0.2, to 0.5, to 1.0, to 2.0 to 5.0, to 10.0 and to 50.0. Once you reach your desired threshold level setting, hold down the mode button again for an extended push until you hear a beep and you will be back in Power Probe Mode and ready to use your Power Probe. Each time you re-connect your PP III to the vehicle’s battery the setting will default back to the last known setting.
Click to expand...
////\\\
 
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wafrederick

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Truth About the power probe III,will smoke one or two computers on any vehicle with the CAN computer system.Dave Scaler of this place: www.MEAtraining.com knows about it.He replaced one because someone used a powerprobe on a CAN vehicle.Never use it on the CAN line.Went to a class on CAN vehicles at an Auto Value tech show last month and this guy was the instructor.The power probe III is like a gun,shoots down voltage down a wire
 
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Toolhorder

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wafrederick said:
Truth About the power probe III,will smoke one or two computers on any vehicle with the CAN computer system.Dave Scaler of this place: www.MEAtraining.com knows about it.He replaced one because someone used a powerprobe on a CAN vehicle.Never use it on the CAN line.Went to a class on CAN vehicles at an Auto Value tech show last month and this guy was the instructor.The power probe III is like a gun,shoots down voltage down a wire
Click to expand...

People kill computers not tools. The tool is only as good as the tech behind it.

I had this Civic (01 maybe) that the A/C wouldn't work on. Several guys tried to fix it and couldn't. Traced the compressor coil circuit back to the dash panel. A/C button lights up but no ground signal to the A/C clutch coil relay. Check for a ground signal out of ECU and nothing. Applied ground via PP and A/C compressor comes on and cycles normally. I sent back the RO with an ECU recommendation.
15 mins. go by and the Service manager is up my *** saying I'm full of it ordering an ECU for the problem show him.
You would have thought I killed a kitten when he saw me apply ground with the PP to the back of the ECU connector. New ECU I ordered (at $800 customer pay plus labor/diag) fixed the problem for good.
If you know how the circuit works and how to manipulate it the PP is your best friend. If you're a beginner with electrical and reading circuits stick to the DVOM and jumper wires or whatever.
 
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wafrederick

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Go check that website and that is where you can contact Dave Scaler by email.He says it is a good tool and will smoke CAN computers.This guy does not use one because it will smoke one or two CAN computers.Story is that this guy contacted him for a computer problem,Dave asked if he used a power probe and this guy said yes.Smoked the computer and there is one big rule with any CAN vehicle.No test equipment is not to be used including test lights.
 
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MrMark

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Jan 25, 2010
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wafrederick said:
Go check that website and that is where you can contact Dave Scaler by email.He says it is a good tool and will smoke CAN computers.This guy does not use one because it will smoke one or two CAN computers.Story is that this guy contacted him for a computer problem,Dave asked if he used a power probe and this guy said yes.Smoked the computer and there is one big rule with any CAN vehicle.No test equipment is not to be used including test lights.
Click to expand...

THis is ridiculously underfacted. Is that a word? You can smoke anything if you don't know what you are doing and don't know how to read and understand wiring diagrams and understand basic electrical concepts.

Please provide some facts as to how a powered jumper or test light (because that is what a power probe really is with some bells and whistles) can smoke every circuit on a CAN bussed car.
 
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Stick

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Dec 12, 2007
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Alaska
wafrederick said:
Go check that website and that is where you can contact Dave Scaler by email.He says it is a good tool and will smoke CAN computers.This guy does not use one because it will smoke one or two CAN computers.Story is that this guy contacted him for a computer problem,Dave asked if he used a power probe and this guy said yes.Smoked the computer and there is one big rule with any CAN vehicle.No test equipment is not to be used including test lights.
Click to expand...

Chicken little anyone? Between this thread and the other thread (powerprobe short finder), you would think that the sky is falling every time someone picks one of these tools up.

As Toolhorder said, it's not the powerprobe that killed the computers on the CAN bus, it's the user. I don't care what the hell "Dave Scaler" says, it was the user's choice to put power or ground to a high speed data bus and that is what killed the computers, not the use of a powerprobe.

Until you put power or ground to the circuit, the powerprobe has such a high impedance that it has no net effect on the circuit, same as a voltmeter (which the powerprobe 3 is until you toggle the rocker switch). On a modern vehicle, it's not worth getting into electrical problems unless you have a good idea what the hell is going on, and depending on the vehicle, that includes the use of wiring diagrams and connector pinouts. Not to say that you can't use a powerprobe on a vehicle, as I use mine almost daily, but you need to know what circuit you are on and what the effect of altering that circuit will have. The safest way to use it is not on the wiring, but on the component itself while it is unhooked from the rest of the vehicle.
 
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Lotek

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Los Angeles, Ca.
I can fix anything said:
yep i traded pp2's in on my 3's when they first came out. never had a problem other than one of my speakers is fuzzy.
Click to expand...

There is a reset function that should fix that, I thought mine was bad but the Snappy dealer showed me what to do, but that was a couple of years ago and I am suffering from CRS disease. :lol_hitti

I use a PP3 on CAN cars every day, no different from older cars, you have to know what you are probing. You can check for activity on serial data circuits, just keep your finger off the button. :thumbup:

Some people just shouldn't be allowed near electrical circuits...I never loan my Fluke out, one of my co-workers was chasing a draw today and was getting funny readings on the parasitic draw test, I went over and set up my Fluke for him and started the test, all he had to do was check the display and see if there were any current spikes over the course of an hour. He managed to blow the fuse while moving the meter, he said the clamp popped off the test switch and hit the positive terminal...:headscrat
 
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Toolhorder

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Lotek said:
There is a reset function that should fix that, I thought mine was bad but the Snappy dealer showed me what to do, but that was a couple of years ago and I am suffering from CRS disease. :lol_hitti

I use a PP3 on CAN cars every day, no different from older cars, you have to know what you are probing. You can check for activity on serial data circuits, just keep your finger off the button. :thumbup:

Some people just shouldn't be allowed near electrical circuits...I never loan my Fluke out, one of my co-workers was chasing a draw today and was getting funny readings on the parasitic draw test, I went over and set up my Fluke for him and started the test, all he had to do was check the display and see if there were any current spikes over the course of an hour. He managed to blow the fuse while moving the meter, he said the clamp popped off the test switch and hit the positive terminal...:headscrat
Click to expand...

Not uncommon, I was in Honda training school a couple years ago and the first 3 Fluke 88's out of the cabinet had blown fuses. I spent the next 45 minutes replacing them all for the instructor before I could get back to my modules or whatever. I dunno what's more annoying. Tech's that can't use a meter without blowing the $10-15 fuses inside or the tech's that blow the fuse and give the DVOM back without saying anything.
 
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Toolhorder

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wafrederick said:
Go check that website and that is where you can contact Dave Scaler by email.He says it is a good tool and will smoke CAN computers.This guy does not use one because it will smoke one or two CAN computers.Story is that this guy contacted him for a computer problem,Dave asked if he used a power probe and this guy said yes.Smoked the computer and there is one big rule with any CAN vehicle.No test equipment is not to be used including test lights.
Click to expand...

I don't give a Sh!t who Dave Scaler is.

I'll work circles around him with my Power Probe.
 
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