Electrical Boot Camp · Module 01

Available Voltage Test

A6 · General Electrical7 minFinds the fault by walking the circuit
01 The Concept

Follow the voltage from the battery to the load and catch where it falls off a cliff.

Module 00 measured the drop across one suspect connection. The available-voltage test zooms out: with the load running, you measure the voltage to ground at each point as you walk down the circuit — battery, fuse, switch, connector, load. A healthy circuit barely loses any voltage along the way, so every point reads close to source. The moment the number takes a big step down, the fault is the piece you just crossed.

Where does the
voltage disappear?
walk it point by point, loaded
The method

Black lead on a known-good ground. Red lead hops from point to point toward the load. Voltage stays high, then cliffs at one spot. The bad connection is between the last good reading and the first low one.

⚑ Test it loaded

The load has to be on and drawing current, or there's no drop to see — an open-load circuit reads full voltage everywhere and hides the fault. Same principle as Module 00: V = I × R, and with no I there's no clue.

02 Walk the Circuit

A blower motor fed through three connectors. Put a fault on one and watch the voltage staircase cliff.

12.6 V M BLOWER
Faulty connector resistance1.50 Ω
03 What If…

Reason first, then reveal.

?You read 12.5 V at the connector before the motor, but only 7 V at the motor feed. What's between them?
?With the blower off, every point reads 12.6 V, including the motor feed. Is the circuit good?
?Voltage is full all the way to the motor feed, yet the motor doesn't run. Now what?
04 Practice

ASE-style. Pick an answer to see why.

05 Recap
  • Measure available voltage to ground, at each point, with the load running.
  • Voltage stays near source, then cliffs — the fault is the part you just crossed.
  • No load means no current means no drop: an off circuit hides the fault.
  • Full voltage to the load but no operation → check the ground side and the load.
  • Pairs with Module 00: available-voltage finds the area, the drop test confirms the joint.
Redline · Electrical Boot Camp · Module 01