troubleshoot/rewire

[Anonymous]

I am helping a friend trouble shoot his wiring.He has no paper work/schematics.I do not know where or how to identify switching relays or any of the other components.Some suggestions on where to start in deciphering the spagheti under the table will help prevent duplicating my efforts.

[Anonymous]

Maybe one way to start is to label the wires. Take a wire near one end of it and tag it "A", then find the other end and tag it "A" as well. Do the same for the next wire, using "B", etc. Then make a schematic, using the "ABC" labels.

[cmrproducts]

About the only way to do it is to trace the wires from the switch, track, etc. one at a time. Be sure and label the wires this time. You can use colored tape, electrician wire markers or even the old bread bag plastic tabs and mark them with a number.

I went through a similar situation when a friends layout cought fire. The dehumidifier burned up. The smoke detectors saved the layout, but a lot of the wire around the burned area needed replaced but I stillhad to findout where everthing went.

Be sure to make wiring charts after everything is finished.

BOB H Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

Thank you fellas for the timely response! I suppose i knew all along there was no "magic bullet" for after the fact troubleshooting. Also, after signing in here this a.m. I found additional help in the 'tips'(?) column on wiring in general. Again it was stated to mark as you go! Lee

[Anonymous]

The methods suggested above are probably the only ones that work. About 30 years ago my father and I restored an old Austin Healey sports car. we had to replace all of the wiring. We took exactly the same approach. The replacement wiring worked well. Be sure to keep the schematic.