Ohm’s Law: How to Apply it in Practice on a Vehicle

In 1827, a German mathematics professor, Georg Ohm, published a book that included his explanation of the behavior of electricity. His thoughts have become the basis for the understanding of electricity. He found it takes 1 volt of electrical pressure to push 1 ampere of electrical current through 1 ohm of resistance. This statement is the basic law of electricity and is known as Ohm’s law.
A simple electrical circuit is a load connected to a voltage source by conductors. The resistor could be a fog light, the voltage source could be a battery, and the conductor could be a copper wire.

A simple circuit consists of a voltage source, conductors, and a resistance or load.

In any electrical circuit, current (I), resistance (R), and voltage (E) are mathematically related. This relationship is expressed in a mathematical statement of Ohm’s law. Ohm’s law can be applied to

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Basics of Electricity: Electricity is Not Magic!

Perhaps the one reason it is difficult to understand electricity is that its action is not usually seen. By knowing what it is and what it is not , you can easily understand it. Electricity is not magic! It is something that takes place or can take place in everything you know. It not only provides power for lights, TVs, stereos, and refrigerators, it is also the basis for the communications between our brain and the rest of our bodies.

Electricity is the flow of electrons from one atom to another.

The effects of electricity can be seen, felt, heard, and smelled. One of the most common displays of electricity is a lightning bolt. Lightning is electricity—a large amount of electricity! The power of lightning is incredible. Other than lightning, electricity is not normally seen because

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Car and Motorcycle Engine Noise Diagnosis

More often than not, an engine malfunction will reveal itself first as an unusual noise. This can happen well before the problem affects the driveability of the vehicle. Problems such as loose pistons, badly worn rings or ring lands, loose piston pins, worn main bearings and connecting rod bearings, loose vibration damper or flywheel, and worn or loose valve train components all produce telltale sounds. Unless the technician has experience in listening to and interpreting engine noises, it can be very hard to distinguish one from the other.

Using a stethoscope helps to identify the source of an abnormal noise.

When correctly interpreted, engine noise can be a very valuable diagnostic aid. Always do a noise analysis before

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Wheel Alignment: Caster/Camber Adjustment

Caster affects steering stability and steering wheel returnability. Zero (0) caster is present when the upper ball joint or top strut bearing and lower ball joint are in the same plane as viewed from the side of the vehicle. Positive caster exists when the upper ball joint or top strut bearing is toward the rear of the vehicle in relationship to the lower ball joint. When the upper ball joint or top strut bearing is toward the front of the vehicle in relationship to the lower ball joint, negative caster is present. If the caster at both wheels is not equal, the vehicle will tend to drift toward the side with the lowest caster.

Examples of the screens available on the latest alignment machines.

Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the top of the wheel. Adjusting camber centers the vehicle’s weight on the tire. Proper camber adjustment minimizes

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