Do all fuses cause red light in fuse tester?

CarlosT95 · #1 03-29-2014, 12:56 AM

I am testing the fuses to replace the ones that don't work, I bought a fuse tester that makes a red light if the fuse does work. Do all of the fuses have to cause the red light to turn on or do some of the fuses not cause the red light to turn on just cause they don't and still work. any advice would help thanks!

Sponsored Links

TerminatorX5 · #2 03-29-2014, 01:01 AM

i am not familiar with a "fuse tester"... A fuse is metal connector of certain gauge and material that overheats if amperage over specific level passes through. nothin more, nothing less - a fuse is not a breaker or anything fancy, just a piece of wire.

if you have an OhmMeter (or a multimeter), all you have to do is test for continuity - if the fuse passes electricity, it is good, if the fuse does not pass electricity - it is not good.

So, i would suspect that you have a glorified OhmMeter... short the probes of the tester and see if the light comes on... it should... disengage the probes from each other - the light should extinguish...

same principle applies to the fuses - if the light is on, the fuse is good, if the light is not on, the fuse is not good...

CarlosT95 · #3 03-29-2014, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

i am not familiar with a "fuse tester"... A fuse is metal connector of certain gauge and material that overheats if amperage over specific level passes through. nothin more, nothing less - a fuse is not a breaker or anything fancy, just a piece of wire.

if you have an OhmMeter (or a multimeter), all you have to do is test for continuity - if the fuse passes electricity, it is good, if the fuse does not pass electricity - it is not good.

So, i would suspect that you have a glorified OhmMeter... short the probes of the tester and see if the light comes on... it should... disengage the probes from each other - the light should extinguish...

same principle applies to the fuses - if the light is on, the fuse is good, if the light is not on, the fuse is not good...

Man your the best! You know everything about X5's, I don't have an ohmmeter exactly I bought the one that looks like a screwdriver with a wire that you connect to ground and you poke on off the metal pieces a fuses has. Should I get an actual fuse tester that pokes both probes on a fuse at the same time?

Clockwork · #4 03-29-2014, 01:20 AM

Carlos, NAPA sells alittle yellow fuse tester/puller for ATC Blade style fuses and its just $10 a green led illuminates on the tester if it is a useful fuse. red led illuminates is the fuse is busted

TerminatorX5 · #5 03-29-2014, 01:21 AM

a fuse can not and should not be tested while connected to a circuit - you might get a back path for the voltage that will mislead you into thinking that a fuse is good...

remove fuse physically from the circuit and test with a meter - not just one leg of the fuse but both legs... be careful, some fuses will set off the alarm, and it is loud and obnoxious...

never trust a visual inspection of a fuse, as there might be a hair crack in the fuse, preventing flow of juice but visually looking good...

i suspect that the thing that you have is testing for "presence" of electricity in the circuitry but again, i do not use those fancy things, they are too smart for old crusty me... lol...

probe ----} -|||fuse|||- {---- probe

CarlosT95 · #6 03-29-2014, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

a fuse can not and should not be tested while connected to a circuit - you might get a back path for the voltage that will mislead you into thinking that a fuse is good...

remove fuse physically from the circuit and test with a meter - not just one leg of the fuse but both legs... be careful, some fuses will set off the alarm, and it is loud and obnoxious...

never trust a visual inspection of a fuse, as there might be a hair crack in the fuse, preventing flow of juice but visually looking good...

i suspect that the thing that you have is testing for "presence" of electricity in the circuitry but again, i do not use those fancy things, they are too smart for old crusty me... lol...

probe ----} -|||fuse|||- {---- probe

Thanks so much! Now I know what not to do lol I'll do that from now on! So I test them off the circuit with a tester that makes contact with both probes! Got it! And ALL of them have to make a light turn on to indicate they are good? Correct

CarlosT95 · #7 03-29-2014, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clockwork

Carlos, NAPA sells alittle yellow fuse tester/puller for ATC Blade style fuses and its just $10 a green led illuminates on the tester if it is a useful fuse. red led illuminates is the fuse is busted

Alright that sounds awesome Ill be sure to get one tomorrow and start testing the good and bad ones! Thanks!

upallnight · #8 03-29-2014, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarlosT95

Man your the best! You know everything about X5's, I don't have an ohmmeter exactly I bought the one that looks like a screwdriver with a wire that you connect to ground and you poke on off the metal pieces a fuses has. Should I get an actual fuse tester that pokes both probes on a fuse at the same time?

You have a test light. It only test for 12 volts assuming the alligator wire is connected to ground.

Sponsored Links