ajfran3

Hello I am having some trouble figuring out what wires are what behind the spare tire for my 95 xj sport. I'm trying to test the wires to figure which ones are which I'm using a Milwaukee voltage detector but I'm not picking up anything when I have the turn signals on brakes the lights none of the wires I test are lighting up can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong.

robsjeep

I use a volt meter.

The test tool you have will NOT work on the 12 volt DC car system.
The tool you have is for 50 volts and up to 1000 volts AC. It will not work on lower voltages nor on DC. It also lists the voltage range on the tool handle. These kinds of tools need the AC signal for detection by induction, kind of like a transformer works, and transformers only work with AC.

See link below...
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Milwauke...66aafe03597a85

You can down load the user manual from most tools if you do an inter net search of the tool "part number and owners manual" Print up a copy for future referance.

Have Fun Jeepin'!!!!

If you aint got a volt meter, you can rig up a 12 volt light bulb on some wires and with one end grounded to body, probe the connectors.
Another option if you got no meter is to one at a time remove the wires from the connector and see which lights stop working
You can also look at the back side of the bulb sockets in the lamp housing and see the wire colors to each bulb.

PS Black wires are typical the ground the Cherokees.

ajfran3

So how would I use the volt meter. What setting should I set it too and where should I have the black probe as I'm checking what the the red.

robsjeep

Black probe in the negative meter receptacle. Tough the end of that to body ground, there is a ground point behind the interior panel near the spare tire, the screw head there will be a nice ground point for you. Red wire in Positive receptacle on meter Use it to probe for the 12 volts positive on the light circuit. If there are more than two receptacles, slect the common and the one labeled for volts. Sometime there is a third (or fourth) receptacle(s) labled for AMPs, or A. do not use these, only the receptable labeled volts or V.

set the meter to DC volts, (often it is a symbol of a dotted line and a solid line, one above the other AC symbol is a wavey line) Set the maximum voltage to above 12 volts, on your meter it might have a 15 volt max setting, or 25 volt or so forth, just make sure it is set to above the voltage you want to measure (above 12 volt) If you pick a huge max volt, say the 500 volt scale to measure 12 volts, well then the meter wont be quite as precise, it will still work, so pick the range that is closest too, but ABOVE your intended voltage.

If this meter is an older needle type, be SURE you do not mix up the plus and minus probes, as if backwards, with negative on the positive receptable, the needle will be forced backwards, and the meter can be burnt out. for this old school type, to make sure nothing is backwards, it is good technique to very quickly brush the probe onto the test point, while watching the needle, if needle moves forward, then you are safe to press the probe hard and take a reading, if however the needle pegs backwards, quickly stop touching the test point with the probe, instead reverse the probes, if you act quick, you can save the meter from damage This is an old school, old timer trick to not burn up the old needle type meters, the modern digital meters can handle a reversed voltage no problem, the meter will show a negative sign on the digital display if reversed.