ACtion Magazine - June 2016 - (Page 18)

Bob Chabot Cars always win unless you're prepared with fundamentals and competent testing A strong foundation in fundamentals - basic electricity, ability to navigate wiring diagrams, systematic approach to diagnostics and testing - is the base that allows you to build the necessary skillset to properly approach and resolve electrical problems that occur in the mobile air conditioning world. The basics and how you apply them have become an industry focus, as those who attended the recent MACS Worldwide annual training convention heard. They've always been a differentiator for shop profits and technician earnings, but the rising complexity and proliferation of software, electronics and networking in modern and emerging vehicles makes proficiency a watershed, both in terms of ongoing profitability and longevity. The pressure is on "Of all the events I go to, an understanding of basic electrical fundamentals such as Ohm's Law and electrical circuit elements continues to be problematic, for technicians in service bays as well as students graduating from automotive technical programs and entering the workforce," shared Peter Meier, an industry trainer and technical editor at Motor Age Magazine. "It's one thing to book know fundamentals, and an entirely different thing to put book knowledge to work. "The fact is, many mobile diagnostic experts I talk with tell me this is an area where even experienced shop technicians still struggle. They say 80 percent of the 18 ACTION * June 2016 Peter Meier Contributed by Bob Chabot Resistance causes most electrical problems, not changes in voltage. Voltage is the measure of the difference in potential between the two points of your multimeter. Think of it as a measure of the electrical pressure needed to overcome any resistance in the circuit. Resistance is measured in ohms and is deﬁned as the opposition to current - a break in the wire, corrosion in a connector, loose pins, and even the electrical component, whether a load or control, that we are operating (which should be the only real resistance in a properly working circuit). Understand that any increase in resistance (for a given voltage) will cause a decrease in current ﬂow, while any decrease in resistance (for a given voltage) will cause an increase in current ﬂow. Current, measured in amps, is deﬁned as electron ﬂow between any two points in the circuit. For a circuit to work properly, current has be in spec.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - June 2016

ACtion Magazine - June 2016
Contents
Back to Basics
Outlook
Service Port
Leonard's law
Virtual View
Last Watch
Member Profile
Cooling Corner
Industry News
Association News
New Products and Services

ACtion Magazine - June 2016