Getting a silent panel to talk with a multimeter check

I was working on a new install and the control panel stayed quiet. I almost thought I had a bad unit. Then I remembered to use my multimeter on the data wires. I found a low voltage reading at one connection point. After securing the wires, the system came to life right away. It felt great to solve it without a callback. What's your favorite troubleshooting step?

3 comments

3 Comments

sam_hart1mo ago

My multimeter skills are so bad I once checked for voltage by testing my own finger. I spent ten minutes convinced a live wire was dead because I had the dial set wrong. Nothing beats that click when you find the real problem though, right? What’s the dumbest mistake you’ve made that still got fixed?

the_shane1mo ago

Whoa, using your finger to test voltage is a bad idea!

allen.reese25d ago

Honestly it's like we're all just poking at life with the wrong settings sometimes (you know, metaphorically speaking). That relief when you finally figure it out is the best part though.