ARRRRGGGHHHHHH Electrical!!!!!!

[happeetxn]

Howdy All,
Apparently I have lost the ground for my window controller. Can I rig a ground from the drivers side window controller or do I need to trace it all the way back to its origin? Also, I failed inspection here in Texas (Dallas) because the license plate light didn't work. Changed the bulb and still nada, found a light that came on with the parking lights,jumpered it to that wire, nope, nada. At the base of the receptacle for the bulb I get -11.87volts. Why am I getting a - (negative) indicator? I am no electrical engineer but have a decent knowledge (or so I thought) of my way around an electrical system. I am using a an IDEAL 61-360 voltmeter, when checking on voltage I have it set on 20 VDC .
Any help will be GREATLY appreciated as I have enjoyed working on my truck this summer. To date I have the headliner out and ready to put new material on it, the carpet is out and I am waiting on insulation and a my molded rubber floor liner. I bought cab lights and hope to have those on this weekend. A side note, what configuration do you use for them 1 - 3 - 1 or 5 or 6 spaced across the cab.
As always, thanks for the help!
Craig

 

[Tbar]

At the base of the receptacle for the bulb I get -11.87volts. Why am I getting a - (negative) indicator?

Reverse your probes..........this should get you a positive reading. 11.87 volts is kinda low..............???


Tbar

 

[Black_Mamba]

You don't have a good ground for the license plate light. If it is a two wire socket it may read good on the ground wire but it is not completing the circuit somewhere on the ground wire to aloow it to light the bulb. With the bulb out you won't get a reading but with it in you are completing the circuit. If it is a one wire socket either clean the base where the bulb socket goes into on the bumper. I would bet you have a bad ground wire or bad ground for the bulb socket. As for the window controller you can jump it but if it was me I would trace it back to it's origin and if I find a problem somewhere I would fix it.

 

[happeetxn]

Thanks for the info Tbar & Black Mamba, I will check it out this weekend.
Craig

 

[BJS]

cab lights from the factory on the OBS trucks were 5 evenly spaced lights, wiht the SD trucks they went to 1-3-1 lights.

you can rig a ground for the windows but if you've got something shorting out I like to find where it is because it's a matter of time before something else causes a problem in the same place.

 

[happeetxn]

Thanks BJS,
Craig