Multimeter/fault finding tips

[GQuigley67]

ok well I did do basic electrics in college, I know how to check for safe isolation etc, I forget the stuff about resistance etc and I'm just wondering if anyone has some tips they could give on using a multi-meter for fault finding ? Is it essentially putting one probe on say the fan live connection and the other on the pcb and checking if there is any resistance in the cable ? and this may tell you if its knackered or not ? correct me if I'm wrong was pretty much a shot in the dark but would like to know some tips

 

[Barry98]

have you tried the manufacturer courses a few offer these kind of courses for free. vokera for example

 

[SafeGasInstall]

Worcester baxi -did both good training

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

ok well I did do basic electrics in college, I know how to check for safe isolation etc, I forget the stuff about resistance etc and I'm just wondering if anyone has some tips they could give on using a multi-meter for fault finding ? Is it essentially putting one probe on say the fan live connection and the other on the pcb and checking if there is any resistance in the cable ? and this may tell you if its knackered or not ? correct me if I'm wrong was pretty much a shot in the dark but would like to know some tips

eh, you would not be checking for resistance on a cable,you would be checking for continuity in regards to a fan its simple 240v on the fan terminals,fan not turning its brown bread need a new one

 

[GQuigley67]

was just kind of using the fan as an example i realise now it was a stupid one I'm doing the vaillant course next month that's for free, not quite sure what's involved though would they teach you this stuff at the course ?

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

was just kind of using the fan as an example i realise now it was a stupid one I'm doing the vaillant course next month that's for free, not quite sure what's involved though would they teach you this stuff at the course ?

doubt it more than likely they will talk trough there product and assume you know the basics

 

[SafeGasInstall]

worcester and baxi do go through it all

 

[GQuigley67]

I'm going to book baxi but heard Vaillants are good and its free,they say its hands on practical day course

 

[SafeGasInstall]

my mate said is more of selling point,trying to impress installers with vaillants

 

[BLOD]

I found the mr combi 1 day course was good. It covered basic fault finding on fans pumps thermistors, gas valves etc.
But I don't have much fault finding experience, I guess a lot of people would probably find it too basic.

 

[Reg Man]

The higher the resistance reading, the more likely the parts broken. This is a dead test everthing turned off/isolated.

 

[GQuigley67]

yeah its ohms right ? but what would the probs be touching

 

[Reg Man]

yeah its ohms right ? but what would the probs be touching

Break down on part tested. For example: a burnt out electric motor would have a high reading or open circuit. One which is satisfactory will have a low reading closed circuit.

 

[GQuigley67]

aw ok think I'll ask my sparky for some tips I'm sure he'd know maybe get some hands on experience

 

[wnjswozo]

i,ve seen mr combi fault finding guide,dvd,its a good basic fault finding bit of info

 

[stevetheplumber]

baxi do a basic electrics course which is very good think its abot 50 now

 

[fuzzy]

check continuity and polarity with the buzzer when wires are dead. use voltage for fault finding, if each section of wiring live then one isnt, theres your fault

 

[obseen16]

i did the mr combi course last year. really helped me. i bought his DVD aswell but i dont think its as good as actually doing the course. i have repaired around 100 boilers since then and i have not mis diagnosed one of them. (although i admit some of them have taken a second visit to find the fault) Before i did the course i used to call up the technical helplines and just do what they told me to do but never understood why. now i do and i havent had to use the tech lines for a while.

multimeters are actually pretty simple to use for fault finding only ever really need to test resistance (Ohms), continuity, and volts AC & DC

 

[GQuigley67]

i got one and reading the instructions seems quite simple, when I replace my boiler going to practice on it and also going on vokeras fault finding course next month

 

[obseen16]

i got one and reading the instructions seems quite simple, when I replace my boiler going to practice on it and also going on vokeras fault finding course next month

Yep i did that one aswell, infact that was a really informative course, alot learned in one day and the things they teach you can be applied to all boilers not just the vokeras.

 

[GQuigley67]

yeh I know, got vaillant one next week its more of a sales thing for the Eco boilers but he said that the guy will strip it down and do some fault finding on them also

 

[Barry98]

it would be good if someone put a post on of all the symbols on a basic multi meter and what they meant.