Power Probe BASIC User manual

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Power Probe Basic 1
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Power Probe Basic
Power Probe Basic
The Ultimate in Circuit Testing
Instruction
Manual
Manual de
Instrucciones

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Power Probe Basic 2
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................3
WARNING ................................................................................... 3
SAFETY......................................................................................... 4
FEATURES .....................................................................................5
HOOK-UP.................................................................................... 6
QUICK SELF-TEST .........................................................................6
POLARITY TESTING...................................................................... 7
CONTINUITY TESTING ................................................................. 8
ACTIVATING REMOVED COMPONENTS................................... 9
TESTING TRAILER LIGHTS AND CONNECTIONS ......................10
POWER TESTING A GROUND ................................................. 11
ACTIVATING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WITH
POSITIVE (+) VOLTAGE ..........................................................12
GROUND SWITCHING A CIRCUIT HAVING AN
ELECTRICAL LOAD ................................................................13
REPLACING OLD ROCKER SWITCH ........................................ 14
ATTACHING THE SWITCH LATCH.............................................. 14
FOLLOWING AND LOCATING SHORT CIRCUITS ................... 15
POWER PROBE WARRANTY..................................................... 15
ENGLISH
TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Power Probe Basic 3
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for purchasing the Power Probe Basic. It’s your best value for
testing automotive electrical problems.
After connecting it to the vehicle’s battery you can now see if a circuit is
Positive, Negative or Open by probing it and observing the RED or GREEN
LED. You can quickly activate electric components with the press of the
power switch and YES, its short circuit protected. Continuity of switches,
relays, diodes, fuses and wires are easily tested by connecting them
between the auxiliary ground lead and the probe tip and observing the
GREEN LED. Check fuses and test for short circuits. Find faulty ground
connections instantly. The 20 ft. long lead will reach from bumper to
bumper and it has the option to connect a 20 foot extension lead to
make it reach up to 40 feet. Great for trucks, trailers and motorhomes.
If you are not using a Power Probe in your electrical testing, you are
wasting time.
Before using the Power Probe Basic, please read the instruction book
carefully.
When the Power Switch is depressed battery current is conducted
directly to the tip which may cause sparks when contacting ground or
certain circuits. Therefore the Power Probe should NOT be used around
ammables such as gasoline or its vapors. The spark of an energized
Power Probe could ignite these vapors. Use the same caution as you
would when using an arc welder.
The Power Probe Basic is NOT designed to be used with 110/220 AC-volt
house current, it is only for use with 6-12 VDC systems.
WARNING!

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Power Probe Basic 4
SAFETY
Caution - Please Read
Do not connect to electrical system with higher than rated volt-
age specied in this manual.
Do not test voltage exceeding the rated voltage on the Power
Probe Basic.
Check the PP Basic for cracks or damage. Damage to the case
can leak high voltage causing a potential electrocution risk.
Check the PP Basic for any insulation damage or bare wires. If
damaged, do not use the tool, please contact Power Probe
Technical support.
Use only shrouded leads and accessories authorized by Power
Probe to minimize exposed conductive electrical connections to
eliminate shock hazard.
Do not attempt to open the PP Basic, no serviceable parts are
inside. Opening this unit voids the warranty. All repairs should only
be performed by authorized Power Probe service centers.
When maintaining the Power Probe, use only replacement parts
certied by the manufacturer.
Use only in well ventilated areas. Do not operate around amma-
ble materials, vapor or dust.
Be careful when energizing components that have moving parts,
assemblies containing motors or high powered solenoids.
Power Probe, Inc. shall not be liable for damage to vehicles or
components cause by misuse, tampering or accident.
Power Probe, Inc. shall not be liable for any harm caused by
accidents, intentional misuse of our products or tools.
If you have any questions, please go to our website at:
www.powerprobe.com or contact our Technical Support at:
800-655-3585.
To avoid possible electric shock or personal injury and to
avoid damage to this unit, please use the Power Probe Basic
according to the following safety procedures. Power Probe
recommends reading this manual before using the Power
Probe Basic.
The Power Probe BASIC is strictly designed for automotive
electrical systems. It is to be used on 6 to 12 volt DC only.
The power switch should not be pressed when connected to
electronic control modules, sensors or any sensitive electronic
components. DO NOT connect the Power Probe to AC house
electrical such as 115 Volts.

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Power Probe Basic 5
Probe Tip
LED
Green
LED
Red
Rocker
Switch
Battery
Clips
Heavy-Duty
4mm Male/
Female Keyed
Connectors
20 ft.
Power Lead
FEATURES
6 -12 VOLTS
Switch Latch
(Included)
Auxilliary
Ground
Lead

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Power Probe Basic 6
HOOK-UP
QUICK SELF-TEST
Unroll the Power Cable.
Attach the RED battery hook-up clip to the POSITIVE terminal of the
vehicle’s battery.
Attach the BLACK battery hook-up clip to the NEGATIVE terminal
of the vehicle’s battery.
Rock the power switch forward (+), the LED indicator should light
RED.
Rock the power switch rearward (-), the LED indicator should light
GREEN.
The Power Probe is now ready to use.
6 -12 VOLTS
BATTERY
Red
LED
Green
LED
Forward
Position
Rearward
Position

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Power Probe Basic 7
POLARITY TESTING
By contacting the Power Probe tip to a POSITIVE (+), circuit will light
the LED indicator RED.
By contacting the Power Probe tip to a NEGATIVE (-), circuit will
light the LED indicator GREEN.
By contacting the Power Probe tip to an OPEN, circuit will be indi-
cated by the LED indicator not lighting.
Red LED = Positive
Green LED = Negative
6 -12 VOLTS
BATTERY
BATTERY
6 -12 VOLTS

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Power Probe Basic 8
CONTINUITY TESTING
Continuity Testing Application
By using the Probe Tip together with the auxiliary ground lead, conti-
nuity can be tested on wires and components that are disconnect-
ed from the vehicle’s electrical system.
When continuity is present, the LED indicator will light GREEN.
6 -12 VOLTS
BATTERY BATTERY
6 -12 VOLTS
No LED = No Continuity Green LED = Continuity

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Power Probe Basic 9
ACTIVATING REMOVED COMPONENTS
By using the Power Probe tip together with the auxiliary ground lead,
components can be activated, thereby testing their function.
Connect the negative auxiliary clip to the negative terminal of the
component being tested.
Contact the probe to the positive terminal of the component, the
LED indicator should light GREEN indicating continuity through the
component.
While keeping an eye on the green LED indicator, quickly depress and
release the power switch forward (+). If the green indicator changed
instantly from GREEN to RED you may proceed with further activation.
If the green indicator went off at that instant or if the circuit breaker
tripped, the Power Probe has been overloaded. This could happen for
the following reasons:
• The contact is a direct ground or negative voltage.
• The component is short-circuited.
• The component is a high amperage component (i.e., starter motor).
If the circuit breaker is tripped, it’ll automatically reset to default
position.
6 -12 VOLTS
BATTERY
Connect the
negative auxiliary
clip to bulb casing
Contact the tip
to the positive
terminal of the bulb
Press the power switch
forward to activate
the bulb
Other than light bulbs, you can also activate
other components like fuel pumps, window
motors, starter solenoids, cooling fans,
blowers, motors, etc.

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Power Probe Basic 10
BATTERY
6-12 VOLTS
TESTING TRAILER LIGHTS AND CONNECTIONS
1. Connect the Power Probe Basic to a good battery.
2. Clip the auxiliary ground clip to the trailer ground.
3. Probe the contacts at the jack and apply voltage to them. This lets
you check the function and location of the trailer lights. If the circuit
breaker tripped, it’ll automatically reset after it cools.
• Identify which terminal illuminates specic lights
• Finds shorted wires
• Shows open or broken wires
8 Amps = No Trip
10 Amps = 20 sec.
15 Amps = 6 sec.
25 Amps = 2 sec.
Short Circuit = 0.3 sec.
BREAKER TRIP RESPONSE SPECIFICATIONS

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Power Probe Basic 11
BATTERY
6-12 VOLTS
BATTERY
6-12 VOLTS
Red LED DOES NOT Light
Red LED Lights On
Resistance in
Ground Feed
Circuit
Breaker Trips
Circuit Breaker
Does NOT Trip
First be sure the ground feed you are testing is really a ground feed.
Do NOT activate electronic control circuits or drivers with 12 volts
unless they are designed for 12 volts.
Power Testing a Ground Feed, that uses 20 to 18 gauge wires is easy.
You can determine if the ground feed is good or faulty by simply
probing it with the probe tip and apply power by pressing the power
switch.
If the circuit breaker trips, and NO RED LED lights, the ground feed can
be considered a good ground. If the RED LED lights, the ground feed
is faulty. It's that simple.
POWER TESTING A GROUND
CIRCUIT BREAKER TRIPS = GOOD GROUND
RED LED LIGHTS ON = BAD GROUND
Fuse
Fuse

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Power Probe Basic 12
ACTIVATING ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
WITH POSITIVE (+) VOLTAGE
Warning: Improper use and application of voltage to certain circuits
can cause damage to a vehicle’s electronic components. Therefore,
it is strongly advised to use the correct schematic and diagnosing
procedure while testing.
To activate components with positive (+) voltage:
Contact the probe tip to the positive terminal of the component. The
LED indicator should light GREEN.
While keeping an eye on the green indicator, quickly depress and
release the power switch forward (+). If the green indicator changed
instantly from GREEN to RED you may proceed with further activation.
If the green indicator went off at that instant or if the circuit breaker
tripped, the Power Probe has been overloaded. This could happen for
the following reasons:
• The contact is a direct ground.
• The component is short-circuited.
• The component is a high current component (i.e., starter motor).
If the circuit breaker tripped, it’ll automatically reset.
BATTERY
6-12 VOLTS
Fuse
Motor

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Power Probe Basic 13
GROUND SWITCHING A CIRCUIT HAVING
AN ELECTRICAL LOAD
Contact the probe tip to the circuit that you want to switch ON by
applying ground. The RED LED should light, indicating the circuit has a
positive feed through the load.
While keeping an eye on the RED LED, quickly depress and release
the power switch rearward (-). If the GREEN LED came on, you may
proceed with further activation.
If the GREEN LED did not light during the test, or if the circuit breaker
tripped, the Power Probe BASIC has been overloaded. This could
happen for the following reasons:
• The tip is connected directly to a positive circuit.
• The component is short-circuited internally
• The component is a high current component (i.e., starter motor).
If the circuit breaker tripped, it’ll automatically reset after it cools for a
brief period. (typically 2 to 4 seconds)
BATTERY
6-12 VOLTS
Fuse
Motor
Depress the
rocker switch
rearward to
ground the
motor.

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Power Probe Basic 14
REPLACING OLD ROCKER SWITCH
ATTACHING THE SWITCH LATCH
Rocker Switch slots makes it easy to replace a worn out switch in
the eld without having to send it in for repair.
Switch Latch (included) holds constant power or ground to your
circuit for many applications and dynamic testing.
Remove the old rocker switch with a small
screw driver or any at end pry tool. Insert
the tool into the slot and carefully apply a
mild force by lifting and popping out the
switch from the casing.
Make sure to install the new
switch straight and press
until ush with casing.
Rocker Switch
(PN005)
Slot
Position the Switch Latch on top of the Rocker Switch. Make sure the (+)
sign is on the top and the slider is placed on neutral position. Insert one side
of the bottom edge into the slot then push and snap the other side of the
latch until you hear a click sound indicating that the switch latch has been
fully attached to the tool. Once installed, test the slider by pushing upward
and downward to make sure it was attached correctly.
To detach the latch, use a small screwdriver or any at end pry tool. Insert
the tool into one of the slot and carefully apply a mild force by lifting the
switch from the case.
Switch Latch
Slider

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Power Probe Basic 15
In most cases a short circuit will appear by a fuse or a fusible link blow-
ing 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 identication code or color. Follow the wire
as far as you can along the wiring harness, for instance if you are fol-
lowing 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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.
FOLLOWING AND LOCATING SHORT CIRCUITS
Power Probe products undergo a strict quality
control inspection for workmanship, function,
and safety before leaving the factory. From
the date of purchase, we will warranty/repair
Power Probe products for one (1) year against
defects in parts and workmanship. All repairs
due to misuse will be charged a fee not to
exceed the cost of the tool. All warranty units
must be accompanied by a copy of the original
sale receipt. In the event of a malfunction or
defective unit, please call or write your Power
Probe dealer.
Power Probe Warranty

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Power Probe Basic 16
ESPAÑOL
TABLA DE CONTENIDO
INTRODUCCIÓN .......................................................................17
ADVERTENCIA ......................................................................... 17
LA SEGURIDAD......................................................................... 18
CARACTERÍSTICAS ...................................................................19
ENGÁNCHE .............................................................................. 20
PRUEBA RÁPIDA .......................................................................20
PRUEBA DE POLARIDAD ......................................................... 21
PRUEBAS DE CONTINUIDAD.................................................... 22
ACTIVACIÓN COMPONENTES REMOVIDOS ........................ 23
PRUEBA DE LUCES Y CONEXIONES DE REMOLQUE ............. 24
PRUEBA DE ALIMENTACIÓN DE TIERRA.................................. 25
ACTIVACIÓN DE LOS COMPONENTES ELÉCTRICOS
CON VOLTAJE POSTIVO (+) .................................................26
CAMBIO DE TIERRA DE UN CIRCUITO QUE
CONTIENE CARGA ELÉCTRICA ........................................... 27
REMPLAZO DE ROCKER SWITCH ............................................ 28
INSTALANDO EL SWITCH LATCH ............................................. 28
SIGUIENDO Y LOCALISANDO LOS CORTO CIRCUITOS ....... 29
LA GARANTIA DE POWER PROBE........................................... 29

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Power Probe Basic 17
INTRODUCCIÓN
Gracias por adquirir el Power Probe BASIC. Es el mejor valor para el
ensayo de los problemas eléctricos del automóvil.
Después de conectarlo a la batería del vehículo se puede ver si un
circuito es positivo, negativo o abierto sondeándolo y observando el LED
ROJO o VERDE. Puede activar rápidamente los componentes eléctricos
con solo presionar el switch de alimentación y sí, el cortocircuito es
protegido. La continuidad de los interruptores, relés, diodos, fusibles
y cables se prueban fácilmente mediante la conexión entre el cable
de masa auxiliar y la punta de la sonda y observando el LED VERDE.
Compruebe los fusibles y prueba de cortocircuitos. Encuentra las
conexiones de tierra defectuosas al instante. El cable de 20 pies. de
largo alcanzará de defensa a defensa y tiene la opción de conectar un
cable de extensión de 20 pies para hacerla llegar hasta 40 pies. Genial
para camiones, remolques y autocaravanas. Si no estás utilizando un
Power Probe en su prueba eléctrica, estás perdiendo el tiempo.
Antes de utilizar el Power Probe BASIC, por favor, lea las instrucciones
cuidadosamente.
¡ADVERTENCIA!
Cuando se oprime el interruptor de alimentación, la corriente se lleva
a cabo directamente hacia la punta que puede causar chispas al
contacto con el suelo o ciertos circuitos. Por tanto, Power Probe NO
se debe utilizar en torno inamables como gasolina o sus vapores. La
chispa de un Power Probe con energía podría encender estos vapores.
Usa la misma precaución que lo harías al usar un soldador de arco.
Power Probe Basic no está diseñado para ser utilizado con corriente
doméstica AC 110/220 voltios, ya que es sólo para uso con sistemas de
6-12 VDC.

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Power Probe Basic 18
LA SEGURIDAD
Precaución - Leer Por Pavor
Para evitar posibles descargas eléctricas, lesiones personales o
evitar daños en la unidad, por favor utilice Power Probe Basic de
acuerdo con los siguientes procedimientos de seguridad. Power
Probe recomienda leer este manual antes de usar Power Probe
Basic.
El Power Probe Basic está estrictamente diseñado para sistemas
eléctricos del vehículo. Es utilizado en 6-12 voltios DC solamente.
El interruptor de alimentación no debe ser presionado cuando
se conecta a los módulos de control electrónico, sensores o
cualquiera de los componentes electrónicos sensibles. NO
conectes el Power Probe al AC eléctrico tal como 115 voltios.
No conecte el sistema eléctrico con alto voltaje nominal que se indica
en este manual.
No se debe pasar tensión superior a la tensión nominal del Power
Probe Basic.
Revisa el Power Probe BASIC en busca de grietas o daños. Daños en
caso de fugas de alto voltaje puede causar un riesgo de electro-
cución.
Revisa el Power Probe BASIC por cualquier daño en el aislamiento o
cables pelados. Si está dañado, no utilice la herramienta,
por favor contacta el soporte técnico de Power Probe.
Use conductores y los accesorios envueltos autorizados por Power
Probe para reducir al mínimo las conexiones eléctricas conductoras
expuestas para eliminar el riesgo de descargas.
No intente abrir el Power Probe BASIC, no hay piezas que puedan ser
reparadas. La apertura de esta unidad anulará la garantía. Todas las
reparaciones deben ser realizadas en centros de servicio autorizados
por Power Probe.
Durante el mantenimiento del Power Probe, utilice sólo piezas de
repuesto certicadas por el fabricante.
Usar sólo en áreas bien ventiladas. No opere cerca de materiales
inamables, vapor o polvo.
Tenga cuidado al energizar los componentes que sean partes móviles,
que contienen conjuntos de motores o solenoides de alta potencia.
Power Probe, Inc. no será responsable de los daños a los vehículos o
componentes por la causa del mal uso, manipulación o accidente.
Power Probe, Inc. no será responsable por cualquier daño causado por
accidentes, mal uso intencional de nuestros productos o herramientas.
Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor visite nuestro sitio web en:
www.powerprobe.com o póngase en contacto con nuestro soporte
técnico en: 800-655-3585.

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Power Probe Basic 19
6 -12 VOLTS
Punta de la Sonda
LED
Verde
LED
Rojo
Rocker
Switch
Pinzas de la
Batería
Tarea Pesada
4mm Masculino/
Hembra Conecto-
res con Llave
20 pies
Poder el Cable
CARACTERÍSTICAS
Switch Latch
(Incluido)
Cable de
TIerra
Auxiliar

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Power Probe Basic 20
6 -12 VOLTS
BATTERY
ENGÁNCHE
PRUEBA RÁPIDA
Desenrolla el cable de alimentación.
Sujeta el clip rojo de la batería al terminal POSITIVO de la batería del
vehículo.
Sujeta el clip negro de la batería al terminal NEGATIVO de la batería
del vehículo.
Precione el interruptor de alimentación hacia delante (+), el indica-
dor LED se iluminará en ROJO.
Precione el interruptor de encendido hacia atrás (-), el indicador
LED se iluminará en VERDE.
El Power Probe Basic está ahora listo para su uso.
.
LED
Rojo
LED
Verde
Posición
Delantero
Posición
Hacia Atrás