subject: Finding Appliance Troubles Before They Happen [print this page] Finding Appliance Troubles Before They Happen
There's no need to wait for appliance problems to arise before putting your VOM to work. Use it to make a record of the appliances in your home. Then, when one acts up, you can compare the new and old readings and often pinpoint the appliance problem area quickly. This is also a great way to develop proficiency with the VOM.
Mechanical problems in home appliances often announce them selves with squeals and clanks. Electrical troubles do not. But with a record of the electrical characteristics of your appliance during periods of "good health," you have fine help in solving a problem. In fact, you may even be able to locate a weakened part before it fails.
If you can find time to do it, you then would do well to get out your chart at least once a year and check all your appliances. The "Load" represents the part of the appliance that does the work. This part produces resistance in an electrical circuit. It is the primary point to check and record in your tests, for trouble and normal wear are most likely to occur there. I can't overemphasize the importance of simplifying within your own mind every step you take as you proceed in diagnosing a fault within an electrical appliance. As each component is discussed in the section dealing with the particular appliance, think how one chain of components (switches, conductors, etc.) in the machine can affect the other. In most cases you'll be able to eliminate 90 percent of the machine elements before you even begin to make your tests, simply by observing what the equipment is doing and listening for signs of unusual operation. And as we mentioned before, as you become more familiar with the world of home appliances, you'll find that the best test instruments available are still your eyes and your ears.
The wiring diagram of an appliance is like a road mapit tells you where to go to find the electrical problem which you are tracing. Many different types of diagrams have been used by appliance manufacturers, making any one explanation of the checkout procedure impossible.
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