The idea with the light bulb and pigtail wire i good - just bad using your fuse box. Never ever ever do it that way. Use a flashlight battery and flashlight bulb. Safety first.
The idea with the light bulb and pigtail wire i good - just bad using your fuse box. Never ever ever do it that way. Use a flashlight battery and flashlight bulb. Safety first.
To reply to the OP's original question, yes, it is blown.
How do I know? I don't, really. But I got a 50-50 chance. If I'm right, I'll seem brilliant.
Probably not after admitting my strategy, though.
Your sick, but I was thinking along the same lines.
I am a fan of going to the auto parts store or using a multi meter.
If you are dead set on testing it yourself use jumper cables and a car battery. hook the positive up to the fuse and battery, and the neg to the battery only. when you tap the neg cable end against the other side of the fuse and it sparks you are in business. I would recommend using your neighbor's (or some relative you don't care for) car if yours is post 1973. Such testing has been known to cause problems for electronic ignition systems.
CW Miller
Whispering Wood Creations
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By looking at them...kinda hard to tell. An ohm meter is the best test for sure.
Another method that I have found to work well is...take one of the fuses,
hold it close your ear and shake it vigorously and listen to it, if it sounds like
loose sand shifting back and forth ....it is blown. Works for me, learned that
from an old electrician when I worked with him years ago...never failed yet!
Fuses like that are about a dollar each. Not much lost by just buying new ones. I do agree that a good multimeter is still a great tool to have.
A follow-up on Trent's post. A volt-ohm meter will definately find your problem. The key, however, is knowing how to use functions of the meter. If you know how to use one the check takes about 30 seconds to perform. If you don't know how to use one the results can be shocking
While you are replacing that bad fuse, go ahead and replace the rest. If one has blown, the rest will follow along, later. A set of "fresh" fuses is just good maintainence. When in doubt, throw it out. While you are at it, buy some spares, for later on.
The key, however, is knowing how to use functions of the meter. If you know how to use one the check takes about 30 seconds to perform. If you don't know how to use one the results can be shocking
...and possibly explosive....
I need someone to explain this to me. How can using a ohm meter be shocking or explosive??
Have I just been lucky for over 30 years???
Funny, I don't remember being absent minded...
I had one go ZAPPP! once. I still ahd it the Ohms section, and tested some ac, live in an outlet. A nice flash from inside the case, and then the smoke rolled out. OOPS. Take the fuse out of the fuse holder, and place the fuse between the probes ends. If the scale is on the "Ohms" section, you will get either an almost zero reading ( that fuse is good) or, if the needle "pegs" at the other end of the scale (fuse is blown, buy another). A "good' fuse should show almost no resistance, while a blown fuse will show a lot of resistance.
lol...maybe...
Cheap multimeters that do not contain internal overcurrent protection have been known to explode, if used improperly. Usually it's case of the meter being set up to measure component amperage, but then used to check for voltage. It's really not that uncommon an occurance. In fact, I have received warnings from the ESA (canada's Electrical Saftey Authority) about Chinese made meters coming into the country with fake CSA stamps in their casings... The internal protection is one of the standards ignored by the off shore "cheapy" meter makers.