Have a go hero

TYREMAN · Post by **TYREMAN** » Thu Mar 05, 09 11:33 pm

Well its time for me to learn a few more skills

i want to follow some members examples and start to do a few Jobs myself,nothing major! i will leave gearboxes to Duncan,and Engine re-builds etc to the experts and Bodywork to Moparnutterz.

I just want to learn some electrical knowledge as i have not got a clue

so i have got my first multimeter tool and a few help full hints from members here

i want to start sorting out my own wiring problems and fit my own gages etc

I'm also out of cash!

so i have no choice Ive got to learn.

If i get stuck I may ask some what seem obvious questions over the coming weeks,but you must remember I'm a Lazy Baby when it comes to this stuff so got a bit to learn.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Mar 05, 09 11:38 pm

Hey Tony , have a look through some simple wireing diagrams , when you get to grips with it take a look @ something more complex , carry on like that & you'll be a whizz kid in no time.

Hats off to ya.

TYREMAN · Post by **TYREMAN** » Thu Mar 05, 09 11:43 pm

Brutus wrote:Hey Tony , have a look through some simple wireing diagrams , when you get to grips with it take a look @ something more complex , carry on like that & you'll be a whizz kid in no time.

Hats off to ya.

That would be a dream come true for me

it would be a pleasure rather than a choir.Cheers

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Thu Mar 05, 09 11:59 pm

Well done Tony, a good man's bow can never have enough strings in my book.

I studied electrical engineering in a past life for a few years, and there are a few basic principles that should get you through.

As Adam said, acquaint yourself with a few simple diagrams, and try to understand what is going on. It s all about continuous paths, with a load (like yer lights, cigarette lighter, brake lights, indicators etc.) and a method of connecting/ disconnecting that circuit to switch the load on and off.

Once you get yer head round that lot, you can start transferring that into some basic fault finding techniques, like have you got a complete circuit, is there a power supply, etc. etc.

A lot of electrickery is down to good old common sense and a logical approach to problem solving. When you have nailed that, come back and we'll talk about circulating currents and stray current collection in parallel earth paths in 25Kv AC supply networks.

As with all things, the following analogy applies:

How do you eat an elephant? By one small bite at a time.

good luck mate

(having said all of that, I hate car electrics and I still can't get my head round ignition timing principles.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:05 am

Clivey wrote:When you have nailed that, come back and we'll talk about circulating currents and stray current collection in parallel earth paths in 25Kv AC supply networks.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:09 am

Don't worry mate, I'm being a cock (as usual)

Just off to polish me sandals and pack me Kagoul.

TYREMAN · Post by **TYREMAN** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:11 am

LOL

I have broken down the odd time over the years, and its always turned out to be a simple fault that can be fixed in a few minutes,but because i have know nothing about it? then it may as well have been Rocket Science to me

Not a clue what your on about Clivey? i only want to fix simple old cars

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:11 am

Hey Clivey , i've seen a stray current first hand , threw me across the room.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:17 am

no that was your wifes fist ..mate

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:20 am

I could tell you a tale or two about some BIG electrickery close shaves I have had. Sometimes I can't believe I survived them.

I can remember standing on a rubber mat, with a pair of goggles on and a pair of 3000v gauntlets WRESTLING with the main incomer terminations INSIDE the bus bar chamber at the main switch board for LONDON BRIDGE STATION. I had to get some current transformers fitted to each phase. No one would do it live, and we couldn't get it switched off so I did it for seven shifts pay for a 5 shift week. What a knob.

Price work, what's it all about.

Tony, in my experience, many car electrical problems are not caused by component failure. More often than not the are down to poor wiring. Open circuits and high resistance joints (bad connections). A simple approach of going for the easy, obvious things first is a good way to start. Have a play with that meter and get the feel of how it works. I have a great one that cost me nearly £500. It measures temperature, frequency, and can even tell you a womans bra sizefrom 50 feet.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 06, 09 12:22 am

oh, and you can also get an attachment to fit to it which enables you to know if a woman has a thong on from about 200 feet, but I think you need a separate set of leads for that one.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Fri Mar 06, 09 8:57 am

Good for you Tony.
In practice most car wiring is straight forward, but then I am trained in digital electronics

However, most of it is common sense, and it is patience tracing wires.

Most of the old cars I have seen have had over-lay wiring put in because the previous owners or repairers could not be bothered to fix the root cause of the problem.

I think it pays to rip out all that stuff and renew as per the original specification.

I nearly lost the R/T Challenger I had to an electrical fire due to crap over-lay wiring and high resistance joints that build up heat in the wire.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Fri Mar 06, 09 9:04 am

Step one.

Learn to solder.

CORRECTLY.

You need someone to show you how to do it right so that you are not just "glueing" the wires together. This is called a "dry joint" when not done correctly and will offer high resistance to the joint.

Try not to just crimp wires together.

Make a good mechanical connection (there are techniques to twisting wires together) and then solder makes the electrical connection.

But you have to get the copper hot first before you apply the solder to the joint.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Fri Mar 06, 09 9:06 am

Actually, step one is to find out if you are colour blind or not........

It can urinate on your pomme frites if you are trying to trace wires against a wiring diagram

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Fri Mar 06, 09 9:14 am

I am colour blind. It does not mean a damn thing unless you have a very serious case of it.

The problem with the common test is that it is a blunt tool and will trip you up exactly the same if you are just very slightly colour blind or totally colour blind.

I make up network cables at work. But fail colour blindness tests badly. Purely because I don't see red quite as bright as other people.