wire probing

[obonaven]

I've always used a straight pin or safety pin to probe wires, but sometimes I think I'm doing damage to the wires.. Anyone have a better method?

 

[Thermo]

The other method that I would tell you to try is to get yourself a paper clip or a piece of really stiff wire. From there, you can take the wire, make yourself about a 1" long straight section with a little hook on the end. You then slide the straight part into the backside of a plug and then use the hook to insert and remove the wire and also to measure from.

 

[stamp11127]

Straight pins can be used to slide into connectors without damaging the insulation on the wire. This is my preferred method of testing harnesses since the pin is usually and interference fit in the connectors.

It is not a good practice to puncture the insulation at anytime especially when the harness is exposed to the elements or a hazardous environment. The puncture will allow corrosion to develop and create additional problems in the future.