power probe

[Mitch//pa]

dad and i were talking about using a power probe. i have a couple of them and regularly use it on my model A for checking power, grounds and continuity. the better one i have has an led screen which shows actual voltage. connecting the negative lead to the starter cable and the positive to a head nut the read out should show battery voltage with the engine and key off. my car showed 6.4 volts which tells me my battery cable to frame connection is good and my battery connections also. i can touch the power probe anywhere on the frame, headlight buckets etc and it should show the 6.4v. now if it shows less than that i would know i have a bad connection at that component. this tool is very handy and easy to use for any hobbyist versus a test light or most functions of a multimeter. with a test light you can only go by bulb intensity vs the power probe actually shows voltage. with my car running at high idle no accy's on and running a Tom W. evr my charging voltage is 6.7 on the screen. testing voltage at the coil shows actual batt voltage and is easy to do. checking to see if the points are operating i touch the probe to the red wire at the coil and with car running it alternates between power and ground. whats easy about using this tool other than an exact voltage readout is it automatically switches when checking plus or minus but when using a regular test light you have to switch the leads manually. i can go on and on with other easy tests also but i think i bored you guys enough. all in all its like an easy to use do it all modern tool...

[Mike]

Mitch,
I like it what brand name is it and where did you purchase this tool ?

Mike

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Mike

Mitch,
I like it what brand name is it and where did you purchase this tool ?

Mike

http://www.powerprobe.com

you can pretty much buy them anywhere do a search also just make sure you get one with the digital read out

[Mike]

Mitch,

thanks

mike

[Mitch//pa]

forgot to mention an important feature is that it has a toggle switch on it so you can throw either a power or ground or both to components and test them and a built in circuit breaker. no need to run jumpers etc........also has headlights to see while working
the cord is long enough to walk around the car

[Bill Edstrom]

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Does you probe work on a 6 volt battery source or do you use an external 12 volt battery. The specs for the Hook say 12 volt min. Thanks Bill

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Bill Edstrom

Does you probe work on a 6 volt battery source or do you use an external 12 volt battery. The specs for the Hook say 12 volt min. Thanks Bill

bill,
works on 6v also the probe says 12-24 but i use it all the time. look at the first pic i posted it shows 6.4 battery voltage... mine is not the hook that is the newer one
i use the model A power source if you were to use a 12v separate source it would read wrong and send out the wrong power as it uses the cars battery

[takomaned]

Mitch, thanks for sharing this. It's on my "tool truck list". I have an older one that doesn't have the screen just LEDS. This has more versitility. I have the POWER PROBE soldering kit. I use it almost everyday for wiring repairs. Better that butane torches costing much more.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by takomaned

Mitch, thanks for sharing this. It's on my "tool truck list". I have an older one that doesn't have the screen just LEDS. This has more versitility. I have the POWER PROBE soldering kit. I use it almost everyday for wiring repairs. Better that butane torches costing much more.

ned
one of my techs has the same one you have without the read out and guess which one he borrows all the time

[chopo]

i have a snap on one and use it alot.

[Ross/Kzoo]

Mitch, I have a Power Probe II and have been reluctant to use it on my A being 6V. Thanks for the info because now I feel confident to use it on the A.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Ross/Kzoo

Mitch, I have a Power Probe II and have been reluctant to use it on my A being 6V. Thanks for the info because now I feel confident to use it on the A.

Ross,
time for an upgrade with the readout, it's a night and day difference on checking things out

[Mitch//pa]

with the recent chatter on multimeters I thought it was a good time to bring this old post back up.

[Russell in Tulsa]

I see they are $161.00 on the 'bay.

[C26Pinelake]

Originally Posted by Russell in Tulsa

I see they are $161.00 on the 'bay.

Obviously quite a bit more money than most Barners would care to invest in this kind of instrument! Harbor Freight at Free seems to be more attractive. Wayne

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Russell in Tulsa

I see they are $161.00 on the 'bay.

Can you post a link

[Kurt in NJ]

In the hands of the electrically ignorant the Power Probe can be dangerous --I have seen 3 engine computers fried in less than 2 weeks by indiscriminate applications of power and ground to computer signal terminals, although with the model A there isn't much chance to do damage

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

In the hands of the electrically ignorant the Power Probe can be dangerous --I have seen 3 engine computers fried in less than 2 weeks by indiscriminate applications of power and ground to computer signal terminals, although with the model A there isn't much chance to do damage

Hi Kurt
As you mentioned on a computer system you need to know what your throwing a power or ground to as many circuits are a 5 v reference or a ground and it's easy to fry a module. Mercedes dealers even have whistlers huh....
As u mentioned on conventional circuits your safe plus the probe has a built in circuit breaker...