Lets see your electrical testing tools drawer.

[signcrafter]

My electrical testing tools drawer is a mess. Looking for some ideas on how to organize everything. I have a craftsman 5 drawer rolling cabinet that I want to set up pretty much just for my electric wiring tools and testers. All the cords and other stuff make a mess of the drawers real quick.

Some of the stuff I have is a couple fluke meters, amp clamps, a bunch of different leads, a midtronics battery tester, a couple digital temp probes, test lights, a bunch of homemade adapters and testers, a couple desk organizers full of relays and fuses and other small odds and ends, a power probe 3 and it's cables and accessories, heat shrink and torches, crimps, soldering stuff, and then battery cable crimpers and terminal release tools and diamond files for cleaning terminals, zip tie gun, parasitic drain testers, jumper wires, relay jumpers, memory savers, trailer wiring testers, and a **** load of other stuff it seems.

I also have a test lead kit that has it's own case and probably will just leave it in the case. Have a bunch of odds and ends also like terminals, banana jacks, ends of different shapes and sizes and **** like that but I can figure out some other place for them.

Thinking about making up some sort of rack or something to hang a bunch of the corded stuff on because it's the cords that really mess up the drawers. But not sure yet.

Just looking for ideas and pictures of what others are doing?

 

[pi_guy]

I have a whole room dedicated to electronics and the like, and a tool cart just loaded with diagnostic tools.
When I travel to race circuits I fill bins with related tools.

 

[mikeselky85]

Here’s mine, I’ve since added a few kits and a plier tray for electrical pliers

 

[BolognaBlake]

Here’s mine, I’ve since added a few kits and a plier tray for electrical pliers

I love seeing those old Vantages.

That's all I got.

 

[setfocus]

Mine's pretty pathetic but I don't do much electrical/diag/driveability. Just have the basics, and some other random **** in there

Sent from my SM-G920V using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[ZRX61]

....

 

[redragoon]

....

I like ZRX's drawer.

My preferred electronics tool is a Estwing Engineer's Hammer, but I do usually keep a 36" pipe wrench for specifically fixing computers.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

My drawer, has slowly begun engulfing nearby storage spaces. I keep most everything in the locker now. Wire repair is a different drawer, and I keep my 15/30 foot extendable test leads on the side of my nick-knack box.



Pic 1: Pico and the laptop. Autel 906 and Gen 1 modis. All the special adapters for both are behind the gauges and AESwave connector breakout kit. Meter and Uscope sit below the hanging leads and clamp.

Pic 2: A/C leak detection, 2000/200 clamp, 600 clamp, and my extra 40/60 clamp. Secondary ignition stuff and the attenuators and 10/1 leads. Some more transducers, and my 5volt supply. Backprobes in bulk, extra gators, filters for the uscope.

Pic 3: Extra leads for the modis, DIY first-look sensor, COP extension leads for secondary ignition. All the EVAP and Vacuum stuff, various cork and plastic plugs, inflatable bladder for intakes. Mityvac pressure/vacuum and adapters. Terminal tools and some jump leads and back probes I never use.

Pic 4: Extras like the power probe and load pro. Extra spark plug wires, OBDII extensions and some CAN access work-around tools for chrysler.

Pic 5: Relay drawer, and the super 5-amp test light. Haven't used the lisle set much yet, but I LOVE the IPA tools relay bypasses with amp loops.

Pic 6: This is what lives in my cart, along with a code reader with decent live data. Fused jump wire, 2 amp and 1/4 amp test lights, some extra probes and sheath cutters.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I have various testers in different bags, depending on the work I am doing.
Toner/tracer, buttset, cable testers, CATV meter, a couple multimeters etc.

 

[ChrisLS8]

I have various forks to test outlets

 

[signcrafter]

My drawer, has slowly begun engulfing nearby storage spaces. I keep most everything in the locker now. Wire repair is a different drawer, and I keep my 15/30 foot extendable test leads on the side of my nick-knack box.



Pic 1: Pico and the laptop. Autel 906 and Gen 1 modis. All the special adapters for both are behind the gauges and AESwave connector breakout kit. Meter and Uscope sit below the hanging leads and clamp.

Pic 2: A/C leak detection, 2000/200 clamp, 600 clamp, and my extra 40/60 clamp. Secondary ignition stuff and the attenuators and 10/1 leads. Some more transducers, and my 5volt supply. Backprobes in bulk, extra gators, filters for the uscope.

Pic 3: Extra leads for the modis, DIY first-look sensor, COP extension leads for secondary ignition. All the EVAP and Vacuum stuff, various cork and plastic plugs, inflatable bladder for intakes. Mityvac pressure/vacuum and adapters. Terminal tools and some jump leads and back probes I never use.

Pic 4: Extras like the power probe and load pro. Extra spark plug wires, OBDII extensions and some CAN access work-around tools for chrysler.

Pic 5: Relay drawer, and the super 5-amp test light. Haven't used the lisle set much yet, but I LOVE the IPA tools relay bypasses with amp loops.

Pic 6: This is what lives in my cart, along with a code reader with decent live data. Fused jump wire, 2 amp and 1/4 amp test lights, some extra probes and sheath cutters.

I was hoping you would reply.

Think I'm going to have to find a way to hang up my leads and cords. They just make a mess in a drawer. Things like midtronics battery tester with leads just doesn't fit good.

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I was hoping you would reply.

Think I'm going to have to find a way to hang up my leads and cords. They just make a mess in a drawer. Things like midtronics battery tester with leads just doesn't fit good.

That snap on hanging rack was like 60 bucks. One of those times snap on isnt much more than making something else work. Most of the other hanging lead organizers have half the tabs, and they were 40 or so on amazon IIRC. I secured mine with some binder clips on the top to make it more secure. The magnets aren't quite enough to just grab at quickly.

 

[PelicanPines]

Ashamed my electrical **** is not organized in a way to show it. It's scattered in multiple drawers, bags, go bags, cantilever boxes...

Edit... packing crates... forgot the crates...

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Decided to bump this with a mention of, IMO, the best way to organize leads and test equipment if you dont have the luxury of hanging them.

Kitchen drawer organizers.


They're tough plastic, low profile at about 2 inches, and come in lots of sizes. The long 2x12 inch ones are perfect for laying leads in. The small 2x2 ones hold gators, probes, etc. Add some velcro cable ties, and you can really improve a drawer. Theyve found homes all over my box organizing leads, pliers, quick disconnects, etc.

 

[HenryAZ]

Most stuff is here. The Fluke meter is too big for this short drawer, so it lives topside. Battery related stuff is in another workbench where the chargers and maintainers are located.

 

[MBfreak]

Here is my setup.
The top shelf is for show mostly. However I use the crank megger almost every year.

Ola

 

[theoldwizard1]

Here is my setup.
The top shelf is for show mostly. However I use the crank megger almost every year.

The ubiquitous Simpson 260, front and center !

 

[Milton Shaw]

Just picked up a new tester for my collection. Lowe's had a G/B USB tester. Plugs into any USB port and shows voltage. Plug something into it and it switches between amps and volts so you can test power supplies and devices for load. Only $11 so I added it. I have several different Fluke meters and toolbox full of crimpers for coax, CAT5/6, tel, and wiring terminals. I have several other G/B testers for GCFI's, wire tracers, etc and have had good success with all of them and have been happy with the price.. The reason I bought the USB testes is that I have had several computer power suppies go bad and the first problem was with the USB ports before the whole supply died.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Lowes has the solid USB tester. Home Depot has one for $16 where the USB end has a flexible cable. I got them for testing my solar panels/wind charger/water charger. They also helped track down a USB cable that wasn't charging. Instead of being around 1 amp, it was showing around .18 amps. Swapped cables, and tablet started charging again. Add a USB breakout board to test individual wires in 'standard, non-proprietary' cables...

 

[theoldwizard1]

Toner/tracer, buttset, ...

New term for me. Is that one of those old telephone hand sets with dial/pushbuttons ?

 

[theoldwizard1]

If you are doing 12V (auto) testing, on useful tool is a very long jumper wire. Very long = about 20' ! 18AWG should be plenty and if you want to get fancy, buy silicone insulated high strand count wire (sold on eBay for RC cars). Place banana plugs on each end. You also need a banana jack to medium size battery clip.

Now you can have a "real" ground (direct from the battery terminal) anywhere !

Second buy a cheap pair of small locking pliers. Drill a hole in the handle and attach a short piece of wire with a ring terminal on one end and a banana back on the other or just attach it directly to you 12V test light. You won't be pulling that off easily !

 

[Bogie1632]

If you are doing 12V (auto) testing, on useful tool is a very long jumper wire. Very long = about 20' ! 18AWG should be plenty and if you want to get fancy, buy silicone insulated high strand count wire (sold on eBay for RC cars). Place banana plugs on each end. You also need a banana jack to medium size battery clip.

Now you can have a "real" ground (direct from the battery terminal) anywhere !

Second buy a cheap pair of small locking pliers. Drill a hole in the handle and attach a short piece of wire with a ring terminal on one end and a banana back on the other or just attach it directly to you 12V test light. You won't be pulling that off easily !

A bit pricey, but a PowerProbe is a great jumper. Love mine.

V/R
Bogie

 

[signcrafter]

A bit pricey, but a PowerProbe is a great jumper. Love mine.

V/R
Bogie

Yep, I use my PP extension all the time since it uses the same 4mm banana jacks as all my adapters and other test tools. Use the extension and other bits in the kit more then I use the actual PP probably.

 

[HenryAZ]

New term for me. Is that one of those old telephone hand sets with dial/pushbuttons ?

I've never known it by anything **** that.

 

[AJHD]

Oh, I like this thread... I have a tech background, but my automotive based electrical/diagnostics skills are weak.

I'm trying to pick up more tools and learn what I can do, but it's going slow.
Anyone have ScannerDanner's book? https://www.scannerdanner.com/buy-the-book.html
It's a bit expensive, but thinking of picking up a copy to help my learning progress.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Oh, I like this thread... I have a tech background, but my automotive based electrical/diagnostics skills are weak.

I'm trying to pick up more tools and learn what I can do, but it's going slow.
Anyone have ScannerDanner's book? https://www.scannerdanner.com/buy-the-book.html
It's a bit expensive, but thinking of picking up a copy to help my learning progress.

Concur that it is kind of expensive ! It depends on how much you will use the knowledge.

If you watch is YouTube channel and South Main Auto and Pine Hollow Auto Diagnostics, you will realize that most of their diagnosis come from very BASIC electrical knowledge, most just Ohms Law (in it many different variations).

There area few other bits of "knowledge" that you only get from experience.

• In almost all case, you need a wiring diagram. Without it, you are just shooting in the dark.
• Check powers and grounds first. An incandescent 12V test light is your best tool. (Power Probe is highly overrated.)
• Most light bulbs have one side grounded at the socket
• 99.9% of anything controlled by a computer has power supplied (via a fuse) and the computer "grounds" the other side to turn it on.
• Where possible A-B swapping of items is a quck way to isolate a problem (Misfire on cylinder #1 ? Swap the the coils between #1 and #2 and see if the problem moves with the coil)

Best advice I have heard for watching a YouTube video. Starting with the symptom, come up with a plan (check A, then B, then ...). Work your plan. ASSUME NOTHING ! (Just because a sensor is new, does not mean it is good.)

 

[Will Allen]

I have various forks to test outlets

So you are too cool to lick test them?

 

[richfinn]

Oh, I like this thread... I have a tech background, but my automotive based electrical/diagnostics skills are weak.

I'm trying to pick up more tools and learn what I can do, but it's going slow.
Anyone have ScannerDanner's book? https://www.scannerdanner.com/buy-the-book.html
It's a bit expensive, but thinking of picking up a copy to help my learning progress.

Yep, I have a copy, had to ship it to the UK at great expense

It's almost like a "Bible of Diagnostics", it's a little bit old fashioned when you look at the vehicles he has selected for case studies and some of the tools he used (It's an old book).

No matter, the techniques he has developed for rapidly testing and proving circuit integrity are pure gold and essential knowledge that you won't find in any kind of manufacturer training I have attended.

You can sample it on YouTube, but there is a lot more to his approach than you first realise watching his sometimes humorous easy going videos!!!

A great starting point

 

[2ndGearRubber]

Book is worthwhile, it a about mindset when diagnosing. Bernie Thompson said it best - data driven analysis.

We do a test, then the data from that test drives the next test. We do that test, then that data decides the next test. It's a funnel down to the problem.

 

[signcrafter]

I bought his ebook way back when before he even offered a print copy. I forget about it most of the time and go back every once in a while and read up on it. It's a great book with lots of info to soak up. And he links to his videos that support what hes talking about. And he gets the info to you in a way you can understand. Which is a big selling point for me since it's hard for me to read and focus and soak up the info.

 

[richfinn]

Book is worthwhile, it a about mindset when diagnosing. Bernie Thompson said it best - data driven analysis.

We do a test, then the data from that test drives the next test. We do that test, then that data decides the next test. It's a funnel down to the problem.

I'm new to Bernie, he is an absolute wizard, those tools just blow my mind. I have to watch some of them a couple of times he works so fast!!!

 

[2ndGearRubber]

I drool over that 8 channel escope. You can tell Bernie is very intelligent with a knack for pattern recognition. He FULLY understands what he is doing, which makes him extremely fast. I too find myself rewinding occasionally to rewatch a capture or data line.

I'd love to see a secondary ignition class from him. Secondary/primary aren't dead yet.

 

[richfinn]

I drool over that 8 channel escope. You can tell Bernie is very intelligent with a knack for pattern recognition. He FULLY understands what he is doing, which makes him extremely fast. I too find myself rewinding occasionally to rewatch a capture or data line.

I'd love to see a secondary ignition class from him. Secondary/primary aren't dead yet.

His latest case study is a great example of why a mechanic needs a scope!!

 

[brianmc02]

I've never known it by anything **** that.

So I’ve heard two stories about this term. (This refers to a telephone lineman’s tool that is a handset with a dial pad, a couple of diagnostic LEDs, and clip leads on it.)

One is that a tech could “**** in” to a call in progress to check the quality of the connection.

The second is a bit more obvious - it usually has a belt clip on it, and could be found hanging next to the lineman’s... ****.


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[AJHD]

So I've got a long way to go, but this is what I've got for automotive electrical diagnostics thus far. Some of it I've had a few years and used when I worked in a shop (although rarely), the other pieces are either new or have been replaced/upgraded.

I also don't currently have a "drawer" for this stuff in the box. I've got it in a "pack out style" Rigid box. I need pick up an actual 3-4 drawer tool box for it.


#1. Wiring/wiring repair

#2. Meters

#3-#5. Leads, spark tester, injector tester, back probes, relay and fuse testers, Power Probe 3, test lights, fuses and a pocket DVOM, etc.



[Pictures Removed]

 

[richfinn]

So I've got a long way to go, but this is what I've got for automotive electrical diagnostics thus far. Some of it I've had a few years and used when I worked in a shop (although rarely), the other pieces are either new or have been replaced/upgraded.

I also don't currently have a "drawer" for this stuff in the box. I've got it in a "pack out style" Rigid box. I need pick up an actual 3-4 drawer tool box for it.


#1. Wiring/wiring repair

#2. Meters

#3-#5. Leads, spark tester, injector tester, back probes, relay and fuse testers, Power Probe 3, test lights, fuses and a pocket DVOM, etc.

That's a nicely put together kit

 

[mc4life27]

So I've got a long way to go, but this is what I've got for automotive electrical diagnostics thus far. Some of it I've had a few years and used when I worked in a shop (although rarely), the other pieces are either new or have been replaced/upgraded.

I also don't currently have a "drawer" for this stuff in the box. I've got it in a "pack out style" Rigid box. I need pick up an actual 3-4 drawer tool box for it.


#1. Wiring/wiring repair

#2. Meters

#3-#5. Leads, spark tester, injector tester, back probes, relay and fuse testers, Power Probe 3, test lights, fuses and a pocket DVOM, etc.

Nice little collection I wish my stuff would fit in a little tool box. I need to get a tool box like a little craftsman floor one. How do you like you snap on torch and power probe? Power probe is on my list of tools to get at some point.


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[KpFlyz]

I keep my electronic tools/testers and assortment of connectors in Pelican cases on wheels

 

[AJHD]

Nice little collection I wish my stuff would fit in a little tool box. I need to get a tool box like a little craftsman floor one. How do you like you snap on torch and power probe? Power probe is on my list of tools to get at some point.

Well honestly it doesn't. The meters are kept inside the house. The heat shrink/**** connector organizer is on a shelf, etc... It doesn't all fit into the Rigid box.

And I have more to buy... I need some things we had in the shops... Battery tester, jump box, an actual professional level scan tool, etc. I'm also considering some form of scope, but that's on the bottom of my list.

The Snap On torch is awesome. But it's the Torch400 version and will put out some heat, so you have to be careful. I actually also want to buy the Power Probe butane soldering kit as a secondary soldering iron and with the attachments also a heat source for heat shrink.

As for the Power Probe itself, I think everyone mechanic should have one. It's actually the second one I've owned. The first one was red and got a bit beat up. So when I picked up the green version I sold my older red one. You do have to be careful though. It's easy to short things out if you're not paying attention. Thankfully I've never done it, but that's just the nature of the tool.

Having said that though, my single most used electrical diagnostics tool is a test light. I have an LED read out version and an older bulb style version. I want to buy a 3rd one from Snap On, but I've yet to do so.