New around here so I hope this is in the right place and relevant to what you want to talk about.
Not to long ago a friend of mine found some info on locating parasitic loads by measuring the voltage drop across fuses. The obvious advantage being that pulling the fuse and reinstalling it so many times is a wake up for some module and then your waiting again for everything to go back to sleep.
I have been doing this for a couple years now with some success and some cars that these measurements just didn't help at all.
I think my friend came up with this thru some google search. I ran in to him one time about a year ago and talked to him about this and he was growing cold on the whole idea. Then recently he was all about it again. So I suspect he's had limited success with it also.
Anyone try this or think it could be a useful test?
I've used this technique a few times, usually successfully. There's some charts (
info.powerprobe.com/fusechartsdownload
) out there that can supposedly correlate the voltage drop with current draw, but I've found there's too many variables to be all that accurate. :unsure: Mostly, I just use this technique as a go/no-go for which circuits are drawing and which aren't.
Definitely better than just yanking fuses. :lol: Especially with the sheer number of fuses (and fuse boxes) out there on newer vehicles.
It is a good test on most engine bay fuse boxes but on other fuse boxes access issues can be a show stopper. On those a Fuse Buddy or fuse adaptor can be the go for tool. I am not crazy about the Fuse Buddy I had to repair one of mine because of a sticking power button and I discovered the wire gauge used in the lead is no way big enough for the 20amp current rating of the tool.
" We're trying to plug a hole in the universe, what are you doing ?. "
(Walter Bishop Fringe TV show)
