Quick effective way to learn electrical work?

[Hobie]

I've never been taught nor have I taught myself how to wire or diagnose anything.

I'm 30, figure it's time. In addition to my own problems I always know someone that has a problem with their car/bike. I'm tired of not being able to do it.

I spent my teen years assembling road race formula cars from the chassis up, I assembled my first motorcycle from the frame up 10 years ago, I put the entire drive-line in my Mustang.

However, my electrical ability ends at checking fuses, battery voltage, and soldering wires. It's time to learn something like an adult.

[bonnie&clyde]

go get a voltmeter and start there, that is where i have recently started

[red95gts]

12V DC electrical is really very simple. Think of it like a garden hose:

- Wire/conductor = the hose
- Current = the water
- Voltage = the force that moves the water (water pressure)

For any device, you must have a voltage difference (difference of potential) across it's two wires. That difference of potential creates the current flow through the device.

For example, a light bulb will have 12V on one side and 0V on the other. The 12V side must have a path back to the positive side of the battery and the 0V side must have a path back to the negative side of the battery (often through the grounded chassis).

Every so often, things get a little more complex (diodes, dimmers, EFI sensors, etc), but that's probably enough to troubleshoot 90% of automotive electrical issues.

I would imagine there are books on the subject that would do a great job of explaining it...

[TENGRAM]

step 1: buy an EFI foxbody.
step 2: watch each circuit fail (one after another and sometimes a few at a time) and set off codes.
step 3: Read Joel5.0's diagnostic threads or bug him for personalized attention.

That's how I did it. After being walked through the diagnostic process for various sensors, switches, and actuators enough times you really start to pick it up.

[BP]

The MECP study guide is a good place to start. With a basic understanding of Ohm's law and a service manual you should be able to diagnose just about anything.

Star topography and canbus circuits throw that all out the window though.

[JimD]

Electrical is my weakness, but having alldata/mitchell access helps alot. Failure is not an option, i always figure it out, sometimes takes awhile.

[93LXHORSE]

The MECP study guide is a good place to start. With a basic understanding of Ohm's law and a service manual you should be able to diagnose just about anything.

Star topography and canbus circuits throw that all out the window though.

What do you work with that uses Canbus? I work with a big automation machine that uses CANbus everywhere tied into CRSC Module that controll conveyors, etc...... along with Lenze Servo Drives and PLCs

Pretty cool technology except when trying to troubleshoot miles of it trying to trace faults...

[BP]

What do you work with that uses Canbus? I work with a big automation machine that uses CANbus everywhere tied into CRSC Module that controll conveyors, etc...... along with Lenze Servo Drives and PLCs

Just about any 2006+ passenger vehicle.

[Strychnine]

Star topography and canbus circuits throw that all out the window though.

What do you work with that uses Canbus? I work with a big automation machine that uses CANbus everywhere tied into CRSC Module that controll conveyors, etc...... along with Lenze Servo Drives and PLCs

Pretty cool technology except when trying to troubleshoot miles of it trying to trace faults...

When it's setup properly and working, CAN stuff is awesome. J1939 diagnostics and controls... replacing a thick multi-wire harness with a simple twisted/shielded pair... awesome.

But God forbid someone put an extra terminating resistor in there or try to setup a 3 ft backbone with 40 ft nodes. Shit goes haywire.

[93LXHORSE]

But God forbid someone put an extra terminating resistor in there or try to setup a 3 ft backbone with 40 ft nodes. Shit goes haywire.

Exactly... when you have 30 ohms instead of 60, OR a dead short because someone ran the one of the cables incorrectly and it got pinched.

Didn't know they used it in cars now, that's cool.

[Baba Ganoush]

step 1: buy an EFI foxbody.
step 2: watch each circuit fail (one after another and sometimes a few at a time) and set off codes.
step 3: Read Joel5.0's diagnostic threads or bug him for personalized attention.

That's how I did it. After being walked through the diagnostic process for various sensors, switches, and actuators enough times you really start to pick it up.

Nice Joel 5.0 reference, I'm guilty.

It's intresting that alot of the efi "sensors" are just resitors. Once you start troubleshooting basic engine management systems, all that's left is to gradually complicate the equations (add more variables). You'll pick it up.

[garycrist]

A test light first! Then you can with a jumper wire, you can convert it into a self powered test light.

[Strychnine]

Exactly... when you have 30 ohms instead of 60, OR a dead short because someone ran the one of the cables incorrectly and it got pinched.

Didn't know they used it in cars now, that's cool.

J1939 is the SAE standard canbus protocol for auto, rail, marine, ag, o&g, etc. The SAE manual for it is about 4" thick

It's funny, you didn't know that it's used in mobile applicaitons... I had no idea, or I guess I just never thought about the fact, that they use it for plant processes and other stuff.

[BP]

A test light first! Then you can with a jumper wire, you can convert it into a self powered test light.

Test lights are great, lots of smoked PCMs from them. More burned up parts = more sales for us = job security.

[BP]

Didn't know they used it in cars now, that's cool.

Yeah and some manufacturers do a better job with it than others. GM and Ford stuff will pretty much point you to the problem, Dodge will tell you there is a problem somewhere with some system but it could also be a different system that's on the same network. Just because you have an HO2S error doesn't really mean it's not a shift solenoid problem.