Yet another electrical Question

[chaajoad]

Bought an inexpensive 6 & 12 volt circuit tester - the kind that looks like a pointy screwdriver with a ground and a light in the handle. With the rig running and lights on, I got no light bulb flashing when I touched the probe to the light socket. Just to test it, I unscrewed a light that was working, touched the probe to the inside of the socket - and sparks literally flew! I was expecting the light to glow, not sparks. I'm not an electrician but I'm guessing sparks aren't a good thing.

Thoughts?

 

[Clay L]

Sounds like you shorted the little button in the center of the bottom of the socket to the side of the socket with the test probe.
Not a good thing - something to avoid in the future. It does indicate that voltage is getting to that socket though.

 

[Karl]

But now you probably blew the fuse for the light circuit.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

You have to be careful with any tester and only connect to the right point and avoid shorting across other contacts. 

For a light socket, connect the ground of the tester to a nearby metal ground, e.g. the sidewall of the socket itself or a nearbyscrew head, and then touch the point to the small contact at the bottom of the socket. Avoid touching the sides of the socket with the the probe at the same time.

 

[Clay L]

I have put shrink tubing over the shaft of test probes - leaving the tips exposed - to prevent shorting to nearby metal.
Might be something to consider.

 

[chaajoad]

AH-HA! Touching the side of the socket with the probe while touching the lil' ol' round bump at the bottom of the socket caused sparks. Hmmmm - good to know. But if the sparks indicated power is getting to the socket, I can rule out a loose connection. no? Even a bad fuse?

Danny
Poulsbo WA

PS - I tried to get into that Bounder Forum on Yahoo and my account was locked out after trying to recall the ID/password a bunch of times. There are moments I detest the Internet and can't wait for us all to have chips implanted. Just kidding. Kind of.

 

[Karl]

But if the sparks indicated power is getting to the socket, I can rule out a loose connection. no? Even a bad fuse?

Well, yes and no. You probably blew the fuse when you created your 4th of July display, but the wiring and socket connection should be good.

 

[Jim Dick]

Bought an inexpensive 6 & 12 volt circuit tester - the kind that looks like a pointy screwdriver with a ground and a light in the handle. With the rig running and lights on, I got no light bulb flashing when I touched the probe to the light socket. Just to test it, I unscrewed a light that was working, touched the probe to the inside of the socket - and sparks literally flew! I was expecting the light to glow, not sparks. I'm not an electrician but I'm guessing sparks aren't a good thing.

Thoughts?

If you had one end of the probe on ground and touched the outside of the socket you were only touching ground to ground. You won't see any light that way. By touching the outside with one probe and the center of the socket with the other, and not causing sparks , you should get a light. As mentioned you may have blown the fuse now that you shorted the two points but it did indicate there was power there.

 

[Marsha/CA]

Ok guys....I use the "KISS" method of life.  Is it possible that Chaajoad's bulbs are burned out?  I'm talking about before he created the fireworks....

Marsha~

 

[Jim Dick]

Ok guys....I use the "KISS" method of life.  Is it possible that Chaajoad's bulbs are burned out?  I'm talking about before he created the fireworks....

Marsha~

Hi Marsha,

Yes, it is possible all his bulbs are burned out but not likely. One won't know for sure until they are all checked. It's not normal for all of them to go out at the same time but if the former owner didn't care about lamps it is possible.

 

[chaajoad]

Hi Marsha -

I checked the bulbs and the fiaments seem ok. I should probably try new ones just for the heck of it anyway. I think the headlight fuses are located underneath the dash, driver's side and short of trying to be a human pretzel, I can't see a way to get up under there to check them. I'm still looking for a Bounder manual or something for some guidance. If the light sockets are getting current, I don't know what it could be other than bulbs and - like I said - they look ok.

I'll mess with it this weekend and continue this thread.

 

[Jim Dick]

Danny,

Before you become a pretzle, give Fleetwood a call and find out if the dash can be raised for access. It will make the job much easier!

 

[Shayne]

Not familiar with Bounder but on Pace Arrow (Fleetwood)  the dash in front of the steering wheel lifts up and has a rod to hold it up and everything is right there.

 

[Tom]

Shayne,

Our Pace Arrow sure didn't have a dash that raised. Maybe that's a later model feature  ???

 

[Jim Dick]

Not familiar with Bounder but on Pace Arrow (Fleetwood)  the dash in front of the steering wheel lifts up and has a rod to hold it up and everything is right there.

Shayne,

Both my 95 and 96 Bounder had the same feature. I only wish we had a newer Bounder at the dealership so I could check it.

 

[Shayne]

Boy am I wrong I guess,  I just figured all Fleetwood products had it.