Troubleshooting with a Test Lamp

Special Tools

EL-35616-200 Test Light – Probe Kit

For equivalent regional tools, refer to Special Tools.

Danger: This procedure should not be performed on high voltage circuits. Performing this procedure on high voltage circuits may result in serious injury or death.

Caution: Refer to Test Probe Caution.

A test lamp can simply and quickly test a low impedance circuit for voltage. A digital multimeter (DMM) should be used instead of a test lamp in order to test for voltage in high impedance circuits. While a test lamp shows whether voltage is present if the impedance is low enough, a DMM indicates how much voltage is present. In other words, if there is not enough current, the test lamp will not illuminate even though voltage is present.

The EL-35616-200 kit is Micro-Pack compatible and comprised of a 12 V light bulb with an attached pair of leads.

To properly operate this tool use the following procedures.

When testing for voltage:

  1. Attach one lead to ground.
  2. Touch the other lead to various points along the circuit where voltage should be present.
  3. When the bulb illuminates, there is voltage at the point being tested.

When testing for ground:

  1. Attach one lead to battery positive voltage.
  2. Touch the other lead to various points along the circuit where ground should be present.
  3. When the bulb illuminates, there is ground at the point being tested.