Question

Tech A says that an open circuit typically causes higher current flow, which will blow the fuse. Tech B says that a short to ground can typically be found by checking voltage at different points in the circuit. Who is correct?

Answer 1

Neither Tech A nor Tech B is accurate; open circuits prevent current and would not cause a fuse to blow, while checking voltage can indeed help locate a short to ground.

Step-by-step explanation:

Neither Tech A nor Tech B is completely correct in their statements. An open circuit does not typically cause a higher current flow; in fact, an open circuit means that there is a break in the circuit, which prevents current from flowing at all. Therefore, an open circuit would not blow a fuse due to high current since there is no current flowing.

On the other hand, a short to ground occurs when the insulation on wiring fails or a conductive path is created unintentionally, bypassing the normal resistance of the circuit. This can cause an excessive current to flow through the unintended path to the ground, which often leads to an increased current flow that could potentially blow the fuse.

To diagnose a short to ground, Tech B's technique of checking voltage at different points in the circuit could be helpful to locate where the voltage drop occurs, indicating the location of the short.