Tool question, PowerProbe, is it worth the money?

[SARuger]

I didn't see a forum for "tools" and tool related questions so I thought I would ask here. Mods, move if need be.

As a forklift/industrial equipment tech, it seems about half my calls are for electrical issues on older trucks. Hack job wiring that leads to shorts and drains. Older equipment with "open circuits" in the worn out wire harnesses etc.

I have learned over the years how to trace these problems with a multi-meter and a test light but I can see some advantages of being able to safely power circuits and find issues. I can get the kit off amazon for $180.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012USP6QW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Worth it or not? I'm a cheap a**, and hate to spend $, but if it will help me do my job faster/easier, I'm all for it!

 

[DIYDAVE]

I didn't see a forum for "tools" and tool related questions so I thought I would ask here. Mods, move if need be.

As a forklift/industrial equipment tech, it seems about half my calls are for electrical issues on older trucks. Hack job wiring that leads to shorts and drains. Older equipment with "open circuits" in the worn out wire harnesses etc.

I have learned over the years how to trace these problems with a multi-meter and a test light but I can see some advantages of being able to safely power circuits and find issues. I can get the kit off amazon for $180.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B012USP6QW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Worth it or not? I'm a cheap a**, and hate to spend $, but if it will help me do my job faster/easier, I'm all for it!

Tools are a sub-forum, in the Shop talk section... As for the Power probe, I picked up one, at an auction, for about $40, haven't had the opportunity to use it, but have a friend that has nothing but good to say about it...

 

[SARuger]

Tools are a sub-forum, in the Shop talk section... As for the Power probe, I picked up one, at an auction, for about $40, haven't had the opportunity to use it, but have a friend that has nothing but good to say about it...

Okay, hopefully the mods will move it.

I only know of one other tech in our company that has one, he swears by it. He came from a automotive background. I'm from a railroad/locomotive background and I never had a PowerProbe in my tool box. I might pull the trigger and order it today

 

[Junkyard]

They're awful handy. Having power available as you test circuits saves time and steps. You can apply power to something to verify it works then begin to follow the circuit back to the problem. They make several kits. I ended up with the fancy one which has adapters for various automotive bulb sockets, short finder etc. Most of that I've never used. The power probe, an assortment of probes for it and the extra length of supply cable for it is what I use 99% of the time.

Another handy thing on it is the tone. It's different for complete circuit on ground side and voltage side. Overall it's a handy tool once you get used to it and know how to utilize it to make life easier. Even when a complete rewire is in order it's helpful for that too. Mine has outlasted many many 12 volt test lights. It's got a built in circuit breaker so you won't fry it, don't have to smack it to make sure it'll work. The second you hook up to a battery you know it's working. Test away and don't worry about your ground or if the bulb in a test light is out or not making contact internally.

 

[JPV]

I love mine. You can do everything it will do with a multimeter, test leads and test light but you can do everything with one tool more efficiently I have found. If half your calls are electrical I can't imagine you wouldn't use it alot. It took me a little while to learn how to use it, I watched a few youtube videos that helped.

 

[PJ The Kid]

Best money I ever spent. Mine has the voltage readout, tone, and can supply switched power and switched ground. I also bought the extension cables for it. I use it almost daily.

 

[Wytruckwrench]

It's a great tool for the money. Hook up to the battery, and find problems in a hurry. I have one in each service truck and the shop.

 

[wornout wrench]

I am on my second one.
I killed the first one when the tool box I had it in had the lid left open and the rain got in. (Hazard of working on the westcoast, and no, it wasn't me left it open and it was a lot of rain so it was sitting in a pool of water.)
I bought the exact same one I had the first time, I believe it is the power probe II.
I use it almost every day.
My small jumper cables for checking circuits, adding grounds or power as needed now live in my tool box gathering dust.
I have enough extension cable I am able to get right to the back of the trailer.

Highly recommend it.

 

[crane operator]

They are a great tool, I work on a lot of older equipment that's been hot wired together by everyone and their dog at one time or another. I use the tone locater the most on mine, searching for where wiring goes and comes from.

I only wish I had a tone locater, that would tell me where the tool is when I need it. I can't find anything in my shop.

Maybe that's my gold mine. A little imbedded sender unit attached to each tool I own. Different code for each tool, a app on my smartphone with them all listed. A beeper on my phone like the old kids game- colder, colder, warmer warmer hot hot burning--- tool found.

Or I could just clean the shop.....

 

[digger242j]

Okay, hopefully the mods will move it.

The Mods are far too busy providing actual useful and interesting content to the forum. The Administrator, however, is pretty much worthless, unless he's doing stuff like moving threads around. Then he's worth having around. Maybe.

 

[thepumpguysc]

"Shop Talk" is the "catch-all" forum.. lol
We talk about our "new buildings" going up.. our "back problems" aches & pains.. lol.. I love it..
As far as the PP goes.. I've heard NOTHING BUT good things..
Check your local pawn shops.. My local PS had a PP 2 for 90.00 !!! & I didn't snatch it up..
BUT I DID go today at lunch & got a Hitachi 12" double compound SLIDING miter saw w/ laser for 100.00 & no tax!!! "I" felt like the crook.. lol

 

[old-iron-habit]

"..
BUT I DID go today at lunch & got a Hitachi 12" double compound SLIDING miter saw w/ laser for 100.00 & no tax!!! "I" felt like the crook.. lol

Sounds like you are getting to work on the shop again?

 

[SARuger]

Great replies! Thanks all.

I'm on call this weekend but I might hit a pawn shop or two and see if they have a good used one, if not I will order the one linked on Sunday.

 

[thepumpguysc]

OIH.. LOL.. I AM getting ready to start AGAIN.. The kid brought & set-up the scaffolding.. THE DAY before the hurricane!!! I said, THANK YOU, but there aren't gonna be any walls left to hang wood on.!!!! LOL
Well, we made it through ok.. BUT ALOT of limbs down & grass needs cutting because of all the rain..
Its a NEVER ENDING list of things around here..

 

[SARuger]

I ended up ordering the PowerProbe 3 kit, about half the price than the one I linked above. I did not need the DVM since I have 5 on my truck already, including a couple of Fluke. The kit I ordered has everything else the linked kit has.
Now I feel I am better armed for electrical troubleshooting

 

[Tenwheeler]

I do not know the name of it but in my last power probe kit has a tool that will send a frequency down a wire. It also has a reader that will pick up that signal. When you go past an open circuit no more signal, even if it is in the middle of a harness. It is not perfect, won't pick up well through plastic insulation, or tell you when a circuit will carry a frequency and not a load. If you are doing a lot of electrical work on modern vehicles that is a must have in my opinion.