Can someone give me a basic explanation of what the difference is between these two tools?
http://www.toolaid.com/products/electrical/short-finders
http://www.toolaid.com/products/electrical/short-finders
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Tool Aid Short Finders
- Thread starter Bull
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Guns R Tools
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- May 23, 2011
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- 257
Looks like the blue one makes noise when it is tripped. So you can trace it when it happens.
peterbilr98
Well-known member
Those are toys I have used them go with power probe
dsmnickk90
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- Sep 24, 2011
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Might be a difference in the rating of the circuit breaker. as in 15amps 10 amps and so on
madison069
Well-known member
My take but the best answer to get is to call them. The intermittent short finder puts off a noise so you can hear when a short happens to determine which wire to focus your time on.
racingtadpole
Well-known member
If you're intending to buy one, buy the blue one. I say this because it can do what the red one does AND be used as a live circuit to indicate when it happens, largely so you can note what was happening when the fuse let go (ie lots of potholes and hence vibration).
Bit of back ground for you on what you are actually buying..
The trace facility in these is inductive. So what is essentially happening is you are pushing a small amount of high frequency AC into a wire to induce a magnetic field in the sniffer (which is used to move the needle). The AC will be present up until the point where it goes to ground (literally). Pretty simple bit of kit. The blue one looks like it can be used as either a replacement fuse that has a bridge circuit in it that operates a squawker when the circuit under test fails, or can be used in parallel across a live circuit to operate the squawker on failure (not sure which, bit hard to tell from the brief description on the link).
Random bit of trivia (because Im bored and its too late to work in the shed), the inductive pick up thing is how traffic lights detect cars here.
Hope thats of some help
Edit: Just had a look at the price, Id reckon it might be a case of you get what you pay for. As a self confessed shade tree dude its probably worth a try, but I think the potential for disappointment is there (based on the similar device I have at work (for a slightly different purpose)that cost $400). If you get one, Id be really interested in knowing what you think and how you got on with it.
Bit of back ground for you on what you are actually buying..
The trace facility in these is inductive. So what is essentially happening is you are pushing a small amount of high frequency AC into a wire to induce a magnetic field in the sniffer (which is used to move the needle). The AC will be present up until the point where it goes to ground (literally). Pretty simple bit of kit. The blue one looks like it can be used as either a replacement fuse that has a bridge circuit in it that operates a squawker when the circuit under test fails, or can be used in parallel across a live circuit to operate the squawker on failure (not sure which, bit hard to tell from the brief description on the link).
Random bit of trivia (because Im bored and its too late to work in the shed), the inductive pick up thing is how traffic lights detect cars here.
Hope thats of some help
Edit: Just had a look at the price, Id reckon it might be a case of you get what you pay for. As a self confessed shade tree dude its probably worth a try, but I think the potential for disappointment is there (based on the similar device I have at work (for a slightly different purpose)that cost $400). If you get one, Id be really interested in knowing what you think and how you got on with it.
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I was attracted to them because they are USA-made and seem like a simple design. They don't have many reviews on Amazon, but most are positive. What might cause them not to work properly?
I **** at electrical diagnosis; I'm weak on the theory and don't really have any tools, except for a Fluke multimeter that I don't really know how to use.
On one of my cars, the interior light circuit, which also controls power locks and mirrors, doesn't function. As soon as you plug in a fuse, it blows. So, I'm looking for a tool to help me track down the short.
I'd love a PowerProbe, but that's a much bigger chunk of dough to cough up.
I **** at electrical diagnosis; I'm weak on the theory and don't really have any tools, except for a Fluke multimeter that I don't really know how to use.
On one of my cars, the interior light circuit, which also controls power locks and mirrors, doesn't function. As soon as you plug in a fuse, it blows. So, I'm looking for a tool to help me track down the short.
I'd love a PowerProbe, but that's a much bigger chunk of dough to cough up.
racingtadpole
Well-known member
I was attracted to them because they are USA-made and seem like a simple design. They don't have many reviews on Amazon, but most are positive. What might cause them not to work properly?
I **** at electrical diagnosis; I'm weak on the theory and don't really have any tools, except for a Fluke multimeter that I don't really know how to use.
On one of my cars, the interior light circuit, which also controls power locks and mirrors, doesn't function. As soon as you plug in a fuse, it blows. So, I'm looking for a tool to help me track down the short.
I'd love a PowerProbe, but that's a much bigger chunk of dough to cough up.
I cant speak for these devices specifically but of the inductive devices we used at work, we found the signal would get lost in a big loom. On another of the cheaper models we tried the sniffer wouldnt discriminate between background noise and the signal it was looking for. Keep in mind that Im speaking in general terms based on the application of an electronic principle not making product specific claim.
signcrafter
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- May 9, 2012
- Messages
- 12,359
I was attracted to them because they are USA-made and seem like a simple design. They don't have many reviews on Amazon, but most are positive. What might cause them not to work properly?
I **** at electrical diagnosis; I'm weak on the theory and don't really have any tools, except for a Fluke multimeter that I don't really know how to use.
On one of my cars, the interior light circuit, which also controls power locks and mirrors, doesn't function. As soon as you plug in a fuse, it blows. So, I'm looking for a tool to help me track down the short.
I'd love a PowerProbe, but that's a much bigger chunk of dough to cough up.
Didn't Stick do a write up on something like this?
Bigshed
Member
I have one I bought in the 1970's. Very useful for finding shorts in light circuits in older cars,trailers and trucks, construction equipment. New cars have bcm's ,delay relays witch really complicate troubleshooting. I have found a lot of shorts with this tool. You are limited by your ability to get close to the wiring to put the meter on. With the one I have the bigger the short the faster the needle would move.
Guns R Tools
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 23, 2011
- Messages
- 257
You can see short finder in action here.
Looks like blue one will be better choice.
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I thought automotive system was DC based not AC.
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I thought automotive system was DC based not AC.
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greasemonkey44
Well-known member
you are on the right path; you have a dead shortOn one of my cars, the interior light circuit, which also controls power locks and mirrors, doesn't function. As soon as you plug in a fuse, it blows. So, I'm looking for a tool to help me track down the short.
i bought one too; but just for the circuit breaker part
pull a wiring diagram for your cars circuit that keeps blowing the fuse
start disconnecting as many components as you can reach
plug in a fuse and see if it blows, if not keep plugging in components til it blows
dead shorts arent very common, the last one was caused by bad body work ....had to lean on the bumper to pop the fuse
cost me alot of time
i would highly recommend this book http://www.aeswave.com/ShopBook-Fundamental-Electrical-Troubleshooting-p8752.html over that tester
makes things much much easier for a beginner, it helped me alot