Electrical Troubleshoot with a tool (test light) that will make you money for the rest of your life!

You should have your own Weldmart Test Light in your hands. If you take a few minutes and read these instructions, three very positive events will happen in your future.

One: You will have a better understanding of your welder’s engine electrical system.

Two: You will be able to better identify problems with the engine’s electrical system.

Three: You will not have to take time off the job and haul your machine to someone you don’t know, who will charge you $60.00 to $100.00 an hour to look at it!

If you want to learn how to troubleshoot your SA200/ SA250-F163 engine electrical system,

This is where you need to start. The electrical system on the Lincoln welder is quite simple.

You have an alternator that only charges the battery to start the welder and provides 12 volts to power the automatic idle system and any other miscellaneous lights.

You want a test with an incandescent (old-fashioned) light bulb. The human eye is susceptible to light. It can see one photon at a time, in the dark. In World War 2, the Navy found that on a dark moonless night, the light of a cigarette could be seen for 50 miles! The test light in the image to the left comes with a wire piercer. You can hook it around a wire, and it has a needle that will pierce the insulation to see if there's any voltage on that wire.

My Favorite, the one I use every day. Click the image above to buy it on Amazon.

The most common problem is this: your engine won't turn over. Or your idle board isn't working.

Before you grab your VOM, let's see if we can find the problem now.

1. Put your light across the battery posts. Note the brightness. This works better in the shade or on a sunless day. That is the brightness you are looking for.

2. Now put the light on the battery terminals-it should be the same brightness; if not, they need to be cleaned or replaced.

3. Its brightness is what you are looking for.

   How to do a down-and-dirty, quick check of your welder's 12-volt system. Jumper across your oil pressure switch.

4. Attach your lights clip to the engine, somewhere you can find a good ground. Every "hot" lead should have the same brightness. First, check each side of the clipped oil pressure switch for bright spots on both sides. Remove one of the clips, one side should be "hot," the other side off, nada! Any question, replace it.

Check that these points are "hot" with the oil pressure switch jumpered.

1. The yellow wire (the far right terminal on the idle PC board) with the idle switch in automatic.

2. Both terminals on the amp meter.

3. One terminal on the starter button, on both screws, when the button is pushed, the starter should engage.

4. If you have a green light on the front of the machine, it should be on.

5. One terminal on the idle solenoid should be hot. The other terminal will have some voltage on it, but will not be as bright.

FYI (FOR YOUR INFORMATION)

      62% OF ALL STARTER FAILURE ARE DUE TO WEAK BATTERIES! 19% OF ALL STARTER FAILURES ARE DUE BAD CABLES, CORRODED TERMANIALS AND GROUND STAPS!

      It’s a good idea to check battery voltage and then see how bright the test light burns on fully charged and partially charged batteries.

   The battery is the “storage tank” for the electrical power. It feeds electrical power (DC Voltage) to; the alternator (to jump start it), the starter motor to spin the engine, the electronic engine idler, the distributor (IF YOU DONOT HAVE A MAGNETO IGNITION-A MAGNETO MAKES ITS OWN POWER), and the green “oil pressure light” if you have one-that is it!