How do I use a voltage tester?

Question by Pyratas: How do I use a voltage tester?
I’d like to test for power getting from point a to point b in my car (ie, getting to the wiper motor). I have a tester that came with a toolkit I bought.
It looks like a screwdriver with a little bulb inside.

How do I check for voltage using this? Do I test with battery connected or disconnected? And how does it work?

Thanks (I really can’t find this stuff on a google search believe it or not!)
BTW,
There’s no ground wire connected to this device.

Best answer:

Answer by kbyprotocal
This wil only test is there is power present. Touch the end of the point of the scerwdriver with the light in it the the positive terminal of the part you are testing , the black wire should be grounded to the car .

Give your answer to this question below!

This entry was posted in Electronics and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to How do I use a voltage tester?

  1. notaclue says:
    June 5, 2011 at 7:03 pm

    You need to purchase a volt meter if you want to check the current amount of voltage. You basically bought a test light that only tells you that current is present in the circuit but not how much.

  2. dutch says:
    June 5, 2011 at 7:29 pm

    First poster is right.BUT—Test that light on your battery first.Put the wire end on the NEG batt.post and the end with the bulb on the POS. It should light up. Now assuming your tester works,unplug the connector at the wiper motor-turn on the ignition and put the wiper on HI. Now probe the wire plug–theres probably2 or3 wires-if your tester didn’t light up -you have a problem somewhere in that circuit.If you found voltage at the plug– you have a bad motor.(only one of the wires should be HOT)