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How to Trace Out a Short Circuit to Chassis Ground
A direct short to chassis ground that blows a fuse, is one of the simplest circuits to trace for one simple reason. The majority of the “Grounded
Circuit Signal” travels THROUGH THE SHORT CIRCUIT TO CHASSIS GROUND making it easy to trace. This sometimes eliminates the
need for isolating the circuit.
1. Remove the blown fuse
2. Connect the transmitter’s “power lead” to the vehicles battery
3. Connect the “signal lead” to the shorted terminal of the fuse panel using the Blade probe.
4. Turn on the receiver. It will be in “pulse mode”.
5. Place the “Open & Short Pick-Up” about 2” from the wire harness and parallel to the shorted wire until the “Direction to Short or
Ground” indicator beeps rapidly.
6. Press the “Sense Lock/Sense Low” button.
7. Trace the circuit in the direction of the indicator until you loose the signal.
8. If you reach an obstacle remove it or work through it. Remember to ISOLATE THE CIRCUIT YOU ARE TRACING. Inspect the
circuit and verify the short. (See: “Verify a short circuit to ground” pg. 18)
9. Isolate the short circuit you are tracing and reconnect the “signal lead directly to the new found part of the shorted wire. (See: “Isolate
the Circuit you are Tracing” pg. 18)
10. Continue to follow the signal until you loose it.
11. Inspect the circuit and verify the short.
12. Repeat steps 7 through 10 until you find the cause of the short circuit.
13. Once you fix the short, reconnect all the sections of the circuit you had disconnected earlier.
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