Contest: Just Try to Figure This One Out...

[Mattman00969 10+ year member]

Ok, I got it solved.

I took apart my whole wiring and used a test light to see if everything was good.

I first checked the ground wire to the positive batterty terminal, and it was good.

I then checked the remote wire when the Hu turned on and it was getting a good voltage as well.

I then checked the power wire, and I wasn't getting any power (Ah ha! a clue!!) I checked the wire at different areas, and found that it would work before the in-line fuse, but not after. I took the fuse out, checked it, and it looked perfect. Put the fuse back in, tried it out again, and got power. Tried out the amp, and it worked...but only for about 5 seconds. tested the fuse again, and it wasn't getting power this time. I went to the store, bought some new fuses, tried it out, and it worked, for good this time.

Now the problem I'm having is now that I have the bump in the trunk, my 12-disc changer skips on every hit //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/furious.gif.fc81ca146dbff91fede3ed290dbc4f4c.gif . Oh well, if it isn't one thing its another.

thanks for everyone's help, you were all eally helpful.

 

[B&R Innovation2 10+ year member]

Is the cd changer mounted verticaly or horizonatly?

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

MECP does not suggest the use of test lights as they have a quick strong draw and can screw up sensitive computer equipment. But if your testing an amp at the amp it isnt goign to cause a problem. If you are diging out a board and slamming the test light into...then you'll run into problems. Generally a dmm is the way to go but for the tests were asking him to perform a test light will be just fine

well ive never had a problem w/ a 12v test light.....also have a dmm....was jus trying to sugges the cheapest option for the test.....

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Ok... I have been doing this for a LONG time... and not many radios are involved in the Computer and AirBag system. Last I checked even they were a whole different system even. The use of test lights is NOT a high current draw and in fact can be VERY useful and much easier than other testers. Especially when trying to be effecient and quick. Now... IF you are installing an alarm system I would say to use a DMM or analog tester because that DOES tie into the computer systems in many cars and tho the chances of somethign serious happeneing over a test light are VERY small yes there is a possibility it could cause some harm. With that said......IF you know what ur doing a test light is VERY useful and handy in car audio.....Mostly due to the fact that all you are doing is finding voltage....NOT sending it out or shorting it out!

 

[SPLThunder 10+ year member]

The use of test lights is NOT a high current draw and in fact can be VERY useful and much easier than other testers.

The naturally low resistance of a test light CAN cause a very high current draw if it is applied to the right (or wrong) wire.It may cause a short!!! A DMM has a very high resistance, higher than anything else in the car therefore it will not cause a short. Besides the potential to do damage you can only tell if there is voltage or not. Not How much. Unless you are really good at guessing how bright a light is.

i just dont see why anyone would have them other than being cheap. if i saw any respectable shop using one i wouldnt want my car worked on there.

and especially for someone who doesnt know completely what they are doing. Using a test light Could get them into trouble

 

[Mattman00969 10+ year member]

B&R Innovation2: My 12 disc changer is mounted horizontaly in the middle of the top of the trunk itself, not the trunk cover.

And the test light didn't do anything to anything, as Alaxan said, radios don't have a connection with the cars computer. There's really no risk in using one on checking radio currents, except hurting a fuse.

 

[RFmustang 10+ year member]

The naturally low resistance of a test light CAN cause a very high current draw if it is applied to the right (or wrong) wire.It may cause a short!!! A DMM has a very high resistance, higher than anything else in the car therefore it will not cause a short. Besides the potential to do damage you can only tell if there is voltage or not. Not How much. Unless you are really good at guessing how bright a light is.

Exactly! And the test light is less useful when dealing with audio components because it wont tell you how much voltage like he said.

For example, you could be tricked into thinking you have a functional turn-on but really you dont because it could be 6 volts that you are picking up instead of 12

 

[fantomas 10+ year member]

Exactly! And the test light is less useful when dealing with audio components because it wont tell you how much voltage like he said. For example, you could be tricked into thinking you have a functional turn-on but really you dont because it could be 6 volts that you are picking up instead of 12

wow....hmn....well.... lights inside of cars are bad? since when? my car has a million lights. well...slightly less than a million...anyways. if the remote turnon can power a testlight...i think it would be able to turn on an amp. and if it was running at 6 volts...you would be having bigger problems than your amp not turning on..... the test light is there to tell if there is power at all. not how much. its a cheap alternative, not a replacement. most problems with things not working in cars (ive found) is no power is getting to them....as opposed to not enough power.

 

[Alaxan 5,000+ posts]

Ok.. never once did I say it is the be all end all to the solution to utilize a test light. It is however NOT somethign that when dealing with an audio system has a potential to do damage IF you are checking the right wiring. Again tho you completely avoided all the rest of the text I put down and took one small quote to try and pick it apart. As I said before... a test light IF used right is perfectly fine. If you want ot check the specific voltage... get a DMM, but it is not always the ONLY single useful tool to find power.

 

[RFmustang 10+ year member]

wow....hmn....well.... lights inside of cars are bad? since when? my car has a million lights. well...slightly less than a million...anyways. if the remote turnon can power a testlight...i think it would be able to turn on an amp. and if it was running at 6 volts...you would be having bigger problems than your amp not turning on..... the test light is there to tell if there is power at all. not how much. its a cheap alternative, not a replacement. most problems with things not working in cars (ive found) is no power is getting to them....as opposed to not enough power.

Its not the fact that a light is being hooked up, its what else is on the wire that your drawing current from.

And I have had quite a few times where things dont turn on because of the turn on being only 6 volts, it's not enough current flow to turn it on

 

[fantomas 10+ year member]

Its not the fact that a light is being hooked up, its what else is on the wire that your drawing current from. And I have had quite a few times where things dont turn on because of the turn on being only 6 volts, it's not enough current flow to turn it on

if you draw too much current, you'll blow a fuse. (aside from the car's computer) you'll have a tough time damaging something by drawing too much power through your wires. unless its not fused. but who goes around without fuses??! the light is no more than 500 mA and isnt in the circuit for more than a few seconds.

 

[B&R Innovation2 10+ year member]

Listen guys test lights are good in many many places and are a very cheep alternative to a DMM. But the bottom line is in certain situations they are simply not a safe tool to use. I use them daily but only in situations where its safe. MECP does have specific warnings about using test lights in certain applications and the tests that we were asking this young man to perform were applications in which a test light would generally be safe. Yes many new radios are tied into alarm, climate, airbag ect systems...and thoes are very senstive systems. A well knowledeged person should know the tool he is using and when it is safe to use that tool. I am also a network technician for resident services at my university, in no situations would it be safe to use any form of a test light (other than a port tester) and the same should go for any in car computer system.

You guys could argue about this for days and get no where on it so just drop it. He figured out his problem...let it go.

 

[grizzjwill 10+ year member]

Listen guys test lights are good in many many places and are a very cheep alternative to a DMM. But the bottom line is in certain situations they are simply not a safe tool to use. I use them daily but only in situations where its safe. MECP does have specific warnings about using test lights in certain applications and the tests that we were asking this young man to perform were applications in which a test light would generally be safe. Yes many new radios are tied into alarm, climate, airbag ect systems...and thoes are very senstive systems. A well knowledeged person should know the tool he is using and when it is safe to use that tool. I am also a network technician for resident services at my university, in no situations would it be safe to use any form of a test light (other than a port tester) and the same should go for any in car computer system.
You guys could argue about this for days and get no where on it so just drop it. He figured out his problem...let it go.

Listen to this man

 

[RMKrider1 10+ year member]

try a jumper from B+ terminal on your amp to the remote terminal! If this turns the amp on then you know you have a problem with the remote wire.

 

[namster44 10+ year member]

kinda late man, the problem has already been fixed.....

DMM = Digital Multimeter?

I'm guessing so....