RE: [T3] Getting started.

[Jim Adney <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 10 May 2007 at 8:41, Scott Walters wrote:

> I tried everything last night. I checked all the grounds and the fuses. I
> have no idea what's going on! Is there a book on square backs that I can
> pick up for wiring and stuff like that? If so does anyone have a lead on
> where I can pick one up?

Do you have a voltmeter, or a test light? Either one will give you the ability 
to check different places for the presence or absence of voltage. There is 
little that's special about the auto electrics of an early type 3, the 
stumbling block for most people is just a lack of understanding of fundamental 
electricity, but you can familiarize yourself with this rather quickly if you 
give yourself a way to measure voltage.

Think of voltage as equivalent to pressure (in a water pipe.) To get the water 
to flow from one place to another there has to be some difference in pressure. 
if there's no pressure difference there's no flow. When the water moves from a 
region of high pressure to low pressure it can do work, just as electricity can 
do work when it moves from a region of higher voltage to ground (low voltage.)

Also keep in mind that voltage is always a measurement taken between 2 points, 
usually between ground and the point of interest. Thus the voltmeter you buy 
will have 2 probes which you will use to measure the voltage difference between 
two points.

Even a standard water pressure gauge is actually measuring a difference in 
pressure. It's just that the measurement is with respect to the pressure of the 
air surrounding it, so the electricity/water analogy is actually better than 
most people suspect.

-- 
Jim Adney
jadney@vwtype3.org
Madison, WI USA

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