Power Probe 1 - Manual (Page 12)

C
HECKING FOR
B
AD
G
ROUND
C
ONTACTS
F
OLLOWING AND
L
OCATING
S
HORT
C
IRCUITS
Probe the suspected ground wire or contact with the probe tip.
Observe the green LED indicator.
Depress the power switch forward then release.
If the LED indicator changed from GREEN to RED, this is not a true ground.
If the circuit breaker tripped, this circuit is more than likely a direct ground. Keep in mind that
high current components such as starter motors will also trip the circuit breaker.
In most cases a short circuit will appear by a fuse or a fusible link blowing or a protection
device tripping (i.e., a circuit breaker). Here is the best place to begin the search.
Remove the blown fuse from the fuse box.
Use the Power Probe tip to energize each of both contacts in the fuse box. The side which trips
the Power Probe circuit breaker is the shorted circuit. Take note of this wire’s identifi cation
code or color. Follow the wire as far as you can along the wiring harness, for instance if you
are following a short in the brake light circuit you may know that the wire must pass though
the wiring harness at the door sill. Locate the color-coded wire in the harness and expose
it. Probe through the insulation of the wire with the Power Probe tip and depress the power
switch forward to energize the wire. If the Power Probe circuit breaker tripped you have veri-
fi ed the shorted wire. Cut the wire and energize each end with the Power Probe tip. The wire
which trips the Power Probe circuit breaker again will lead you to the shorted area.
Follow the wire in the shorted direction and repeat this process until the short is located.
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