Professional_Tool_And_Equipment_News_April_2021 - 57

Phil's Probes
and Services
11 " Phil's Electrical
Piercing Probe

The reviewer is pleased with the probe's
ability to make a positive connection every time.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:
The Phil's Probes and Services 11 " Phil's Electrical
Piercing Probe is designed to end the frustration
encountered with previous piercing probes. The probe
was designed and tested by a technician for technicians
and built in San Jacinto, California. It is also available in a
long version (15 " ) and a short version (6 " ). Functionality
includes piercing wires from 10 to 18 gauge, a banana
socket connection or use an alligator clip right on the
shaft just below the handle, one-handed operation, and
five piercing pins to ensure a good connection.

Circle 81 on card, or enter at
" e-inquiry " on VehicleServicePros.com

by Emily Markham, Assistant Editor

THE REVIEW:

hen using piercing
probes to monitor
elec t rical signals,
making a positive connection doesn't always happen.
But the shop owner of Hilltop
Auto Service in Byron Center,
Michigan, Ken Elzinga, found
that Phil's Probes and Services
11 " Phil's Electrical Piercing
Probe makes that positive connection every time.
In addition to making that connection,
Elzinga was pleased with how the tool was
able to save him time on repairs.
" The tool allowed me to pierce a wire
to monitor its signal, which is much
faster than back probing the wire at a
connector, " Elzinga says. " This also
allowed me to monitor the signal at any
location in the circuit instead of just at a
connector location. "
The easy-to-use probe can be operated one-handed, giving technicians more
mobility during repairs, and comes with
a simple instruction card describing the

proper hand motion required to open
the probe. Technicians should be aware
of this because if they are accustomed to
using a probe that " screws " into the wire,
and they try that with this probe, it will
destroy the tool.
Elzinga says he put the tool to work
monitoring electrical signals to diagnose failures in components such as door
switches, blower motors, ignition coils,
and radiator cooling fans.
In his shop, there are four technicians
who do the majority of the diagnostic
work, and between the four of them the
electric piercing probe gets used around
two to four times per week.
" It is a good probe to use when you
have to tap into a circuit, " Elzinga says.
" We do use it carefully because here in
Michigan we are always mindful of wire
piercing with the possible water entry
point made by a piercing probe. When we
can access a circuit by back probing, we do
that first, but sometimes you just have no
other choice but to test at a spot where you
have to pierce a wire. " This is where the
www.VehicleServicePros.com

APRIL 2021

Phil's Electrical Piercing Probe comes in.
Even as the shop owner, Elzinga still
spends most of his time out on the floor
diagnosing vehicles and assisting his technicians with any jobs they may be working on. As a " lifelong auto tech " , he was
pleased to find the probe is equipped with
several spikes, unlike most other piercing
probes that only have one spike. The multiple spikes ensure a positive connection
every time, he notes.
One feature of the piercing probe
Elzinga would like to see improved is slimming down the " bulky " design of the tool,
which makes it difficult to use in tight
spaces. In future renditions, the shop owner
would also like to see an update to the opening for the hook. Currently, the opening
is about 1 " from the end of the tool. This
makes it challenging to hook onto a wire if
it is buried deep in a wire harness.
Overall though, Elzinga was pleased
with the Phil's Probes and Services 11 "
Phil's Electrical Piercing Probe's ease of
use and ability to make a connection with
every use.
PROFESSIONAL TOOL & EQUIPMENT NEWS

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