# Anyone got a good website to learn to use a Multimeter? n/m

Posted by PaxMax (91 SE) on June 18, 2002 at 11:03:05:

In Reply to: time to take the bull by the horns..... posted by Mikey P on June 18, 2002 at 10:49:50:

: time to get out to Sears and get yourself a cheap multimeter. You don't need a shop to help you. You can tackle this one yourself. At Sears you can get a meter for less than $20 that will let you test the light socket. If you go to Sears.com tools section and the electrical and you will see several options for under $20
: "Craftsman High Precision Digital Multimeter with Case"
: was 19.99 and would work well for you.
: With the lights off you can test for continuity to ground to make sure the ground is decent. With the lights on you will be able to check for +12 at the socket. you will have 12 at one lead with the low beams and 12 on the other with high beams. There should be 3 leads altogether; ground, high, low. You can also test the bulb with the meter. If there isn't continuity across the bulb then you know there is a break in it. The mulitimeter is good to have around to help fix any electrical problem. It's hard to do anything electrical in a car without it. If you need more help send me an email.

: -MP

: : My passenger headlight only works some times.
: : The low beam passenger headlight will sometimes
: : automatically turn off after a while. It sometimes
: : the headlight takes a few seconds later to turn on too.
: : If I switch from High beam to low beam, eventually
: : the low beam will stop working. The high beams
: : have no problems though. The problem is only on
: : the passenger side. I wind up driving with
: : one headlight. (+ fogs)

: : I suspect the shop messed up my headlights after
: : installing my new stock 55W H3 fogs. I suspect a 2nd ground problem in the headlights. Could the fogs
: : be competing with the headlights for ground?
: : I noticed that the passenger headlight is less
: : bright than the driver side one.

: : PaxMax

: : : Under no circumstance that I can imagine short of an engine fire should you need to replace that harness. Do you own a multimeter?
: : : Is the passenger light not working at all now or is it only working sometimes or is it taking a few seconds to come on like it did a while ago?

: : : -MP

: : : : This headlight problem is giving me a headache.

: : : : 2 years, I used over-wattage bulbs 9004
: : : : headlight bulbs for a few days. After noticing that
: : : : they were not very bright, I switch to stock
: : : : bulbs. Soon afterwards, my passenger headlight
: : : : turned off frequently.

: : : : Thus, I paid $300 to have some replace the wire
: : : : harness.

: : : : After about a year, the problem resurfaced, so
: : : : I paid $7 to my electric to splice an extra ground
: : : : wire to the fender chasis bolt. This fixed the
: : : : problem for about 3 months.

: : : : Yesterday, I added new 55W H3 bulbs to the factory
: : : : fog light connectors. I was testing all my lights.
: : : : After testing my headlight high beams, I noticed
: : : : that the low beam on the passenger bulb stopping
: : : : working again. This the 3rd time this problem occurred.

: : : : Now I am upset that this problem kept coming back.
: : : : Should I replace the wire harness a 3rd time?
: : : : Why would adding new fog lights affect the headlights.
: : : : Sometimes it takes a few seconds for the passenger
: : : : headlight to turn on. I thought I had fixed the
: : : : "ground" problem with the extra ground wire.

: : : : Is there anyone that can give me any advice???
: : : : I have ran out of feasible ideas.
: : : : See my picture below of the extra ground wire (in white).
: : : :

Replys:

- http://www.multimeterwarehouse.com/usingamultimeter.htm n/m abdul (90 GXE 92 SE) 11:07:29 6/18/2002 (0)
- try this.... Mikey P (93 SE) 11:06:41 6/18/2002 (2)
  - lol..I bet that was a google result ! n/m abdul (90 GXE 92SE) 11:08:36 6/18/2002 (1)
    - correct sir! :) n/m Mikey P (93 SE) 11:09:50 6/18/2002 (0)

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: : time to get out to Sears and get yourself a cheap multimeter. You don't need a shop to help you. You can tackle this one yourself. At Sears you can get a meter for less than $20 that will let you test the light socket. If you go to Sears.com tools section and the electrical and you will see several options for under $20 : : "Craftsman High Precision Digital Multimeter with Case" : : was 19.99 and would work well for you. : : With the lights off you can test for continuity to ground to make sure the ground is decent. With the lights on you will be able to check for +12 at the socket. you will have 12 at one lead with the low beams and 12 on the other with high beams. There should be 3 leads altogether; ground, high, low. You can also test the bulb with the meter. If there isn't continuity across the bulb then you know there is a break in it. The mulitimeter is good to have around to help fix any electrical problem. It's hard to do anything electrical in a car without it. If you need more help send me an email. : : -MP : : : : My passenger headlight only works some times. : : : The low beam passenger headlight will sometimes : : : automatically turn off after a while. It sometimes : : : the headlight takes a few seconds later to turn on too. : : : If I switch from High beam to low beam, eventually : : : the low beam will stop working. The high beams : : : have no problems though. The problem is only on : : : the passenger side. I wind up driving with : : : one headlight. (+ fogs) : : : I suspect the shop messed up my headlights after : : : installing my new stock 55W H3 fogs. I suspect a 2nd ground problem in the headlights. Could the fogs : : : be competing with the headlights for ground? : : : I noticed that the passenger headlight is less : : : bright than the driver side one. : : : PaxMax : : : : Under no circumstance that I can imagine short of an engine fire should you need to replace that harness. Do you own a multimeter? : : : : Is the passenger light not working at all now or is it only working sometimes or is it taking a few seconds to come on like it did a while ago? : : : : -MP : : : : : This headlight problem is giving me a headache. : : : : : 2 years, I used over-wattage bulbs 9004 : : : : : headlight bulbs for a few days. After noticing that : : : : : they were not very bright, I switch to stock : : : : : bulbs. Soon afterwards, my passenger headlight : : : : : turned off frequently. : : : : : Thus, I paid $300 to have some replace the wire : : : : : harness. : : : : : After about a year, the problem resurfaced, so : : : : : I paid $7 to my electric to splice an extra ground : : : : : wire to the fender chasis bolt. This fixed the : : : : : problem for about 3 months. : : : : : Yesterday, I added new 55W H3 bulbs to the factory : : : : : fog light connectors. I was testing all my lights. : : : : : After testing my headlight high beams, I noticed : : : : : that the low beam on the passenger bulb stopping : : : : : working again. This the 3rd time this problem occurred. : : : : : Now I am upset that this problem kept coming back. : : : : : Should I replace the wire harness a 3rd time? : : : : : Why would adding new fog lights affect the headlights. : : : : : Sometimes it takes a few seconds for the passenger : : : : : headlight to turn on. I thought I had fixed the : : : : : "ground" problem with the extra ground wire. : : : : : Is there anyone that can give me any advice??? : : : : : I have ran out of feasible ideas. : : : : : See my picture below of the extra ground wire (in white). : : : : : <img src="http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~ph3/car/9004_splice_ground.jpg">