As an automotive tech and student, your videos provide me with a clear and practical explanation of automotive systems. These videos are priceless. Thx a million!
Great video! One more note to add for the starter... the solenoid (in addition to completing the circuit for the starter motor) is also responsible for mechanically engaging/disengaging the starter motor pinion gear to the rest of the engine. The solenoid engages the starter motor's pinion gear while turning the engine, and disengages the pinion gear once the engine is started. This prevents the engine from turning the starter once the engine is running on its own.
Positive to neg flow is know as conventional flow.(how we have been taught and wiring diagrams show) Actual electrical flow is neg to positive through the movement of electrons which are negative charge known as Actual Flow.
oh yes. churbro25 is absolutely correct... in automotive electrical systems, it is especially helpful to think in positive to negative terms, as the ground is negative and functions as a drain of sorts.
I like that you give us insight into how this works. I'm a bit of a gear head, but my dad (who's been my primary teacher) isnt knowledgeable how to work with electric.
Thanks to Eric, solved a very difficult parasitic engine off, battery drain. Drained a brand new same day battery within 4-hours, battery was renderless, not able to recharge. 10-20 Amp multimeter test, engine off solved problem. It wasn't a fused electrical circuit, which are only moderate difficulty to locate/solve problem. It was wiring harness problem. Eric is no gimmic, he has real life massive experience. Also demonstrates within considering safety to diy people. Won't compromise your safety, in other words. Tracing electric wire harnesses is very time consuming, money within a top notch multimeter worthy, and beyond to have. All thanks to Eric.
@JTheGuitarPlayer Actually there are 3 more videos in this series, Belts and Pulleys, Starter Diagnosis, and Alternator Diagnosis, stay tuned for those.
I've been a long-time viewer (ever since I had to do my first brake job back in 2011 or so) and your videos are always *immensely* helpful ^-^ very thorough and informative, but you still keep it engaging and easy-to-follow Recently my brother was having battery troubles, and we would've had to get it towed and go through labor fees at a shop...likely to spend 2-3x the cost of a battery for the whole ordeal (labor fees, but also the battery was $80 cheaper than most places at Costco) But, thanks to your plethora of repair videos, I was able to diagnose/fix the issue myself and save my brother a lot of time and money. Honestly, I wouldn't have known the first thing about putting a multimeter on the battery to test it and the charging system if it weren't for your advice, heh. Thank you Eric for saving us (and my brother's car) once more ^-^ Your videos have been an invaluable resource over the years, and I can't help but recommend your channels (yes, ETCG1 also) anytime someone I know is having car troubles- or even for general car advice :3
Great vid! Lost me after the two big wire part! : D I'll watch it a few ore times! I live on the coast of Lake Erie, we get pounded by lake snow in the winter, it's like Alaska here sometimes! So I always put a big Diehard battery in my cars. I get that from my father, he always said,"Put a new battery in there!"
I love the fact that i knew most if not all of that already :) i loved learning about all of that since i was a kid because i remember always bugging my father or every mechanic i saw working on our cars.... whats this, how does it work etc.
@spelunkerd Yea and I think your speculation is correct because this won't come up as a new video but I'm working on a solution to that problem. As for connecting wiring, the only aluminum you really deal with is on the engine and trans parts, sometimes the body, so your really not connecting copper to aluminum wiring but rather large parts that complete the path to ground.
Hey Eric, love your videos I watch them all the time, I'm a tech too (heavy equipment), I know you already know this but just stating it in case some people might want this clarified, you said that a battery stores energy when in fact the electricity is not 'stored' but created, when the circuit is completed the electrons flow and there is chemical energy that creates one part heat and the other part electrical energy :) love your videos, stay dirty!
@jambe1234567 I often install a circuit breaker in the fuse slot and unplug different parts of the circuit to see when the breaker stops tripping to isolate the fault. You might also want to check out a video that Briansmobile1 did using a "fox and hound".
hardest wiring job I've done was swap a digital cluster out for an analog one.... try a 36 pin connector to 18 pin so I had to find every wire and ended up tearing whole dash out my s10 now every light in the cluster works perfect love electric jobs!!!
Hey Eric, longtime fan, finally subbed. You do great videos man. You explain things very intuitively and humbly. I'm upgrading the grounds on my Chevy Silverado and my RSX Type S. What I've got sorted thus far is: + Battery to starter solenoid and/or alternator - Battery to block Block to firewall Firewall to frame Additional grounds: Taillights Stereo Dash Bed to frame Misc additional components Looking good so far?
Years of confusion have just parted in front of me like the Red Sea. I doubled my knowledge of electricity in one sitting! Thanks for clearing things up, Eric.
Great video. Thanks to you & BBB industries for bringing this fine video to desktops, Laptops & mobile devices everywhere. Was that a Dodge that you were using for the demo?
Thank you for your video ! I like your comments about branches and roots, as I am more a gardener, that mechanic. I just feel electric going through the gas pedal.. and dash board is not lightened.. something going wrong..
@axenz1 If a diode in the bridge rectifier went it would normally turn on the charging system light or battery light since the alternator would only be capable of 2/3 output if that depending on how it was wired, I don't think having more ground cables will make any difference personally but of course good electrical connections are key to proper operation of the electrical system.
Awesome vid. I understood more about the electrical sys of my car now when I need to install electrical systems like led/s or underglow interior lights.
@willie- The alternator is designed to maintain a charge, not to "revive or recharge" the car battery. What you have described below, is the fastest way to kill your alternator and require a replacement. If you batter is constantly dying, chances are you already need a new alternator. If your battery loses charge to the point where the car won't start, you need to remove the battery and charge it before driving your car.
Hey Eric, do you have an opinion on adding remote starts and keyless entry systems? I’ve heard some good and bad thing about adding it to my gas 02 Dodge Ram 1500.
My wires was a dim light on the headlights. I now know how to explain to the Certified Mechanic what is the fault. TY for your Information. "Eric, The Car Guy!"
hey mr eric. i have been watching you show since i was a minor, lol.. great show.. really thought me alot and made me understand vehicles. i am soon going to be working on engines of AAV's for the US marine corps. watching your videos helped me expand my knowledge a great deal. so thank you SIR. i recently bought a 1990 celica. the wiring on the car is messed up. some on it is grounded in period places, spliced, taped, etc. what should i do? is there a way i can replace all wires? from jnkyrd?
eric my man,how can i tell if my turbo is turning and when does the intercooler fan come on,does turbo have electrc wire to it i can not find one,i have pajero 2.5 tdi intercooler 1991
Helle eric and thanks for this video, i have a 2013 chevy Malibu ecotec engine just like the one on this video, i had before a check engine light on my dashboard i tried to shut it down by the way of disconnect the battery termnals and connect it together (+&-) without power to reset the car computer, after that a strange phenomena happen to my car is all lights interior and exterior start a server flickering ! At idel RPM specially when i full load the car like flashlight and AC, then i went to the dealer they said the intake camshaft solenoid sensor need to be changed, they changed it and no more check engine, but the main flickering problem still available, i changed the alternator, checked the ground wires battery terminals all the connection was very fine, is there any solution for this please ??? Thank you very much.
So when I'm trying to replace my car battery, which cables do I disconnect first? -Positive then Negative OR Negative then Positive? And is there also a specific order of which cables are attached when reconnecting them to the new battery?
I'm in the early stage of an apprenticeship, and while this was remedial stuff for me these explanations still kind of help (mind replacing a guy I work with?)
Eric I have a question. When a vehicle is running, is the battery in any way helping in keeping the vehicle running? Or is it strictly the alternator? This is a question I have been chasing for YEARS, and can never get a straight answer on. I'm getting different answers from everybody.
i have checked the plugs again to see if any more oil is leaking where the spark plugs are but it seems to be fine and fuses are fine also (i did the light check from one of your videos). My engine light wont come on untill i start driving for apprx 3km or when i reach a certain speed (say over 70km). Would it be some sort of an electrical problem?? and because it has a honda engine WHAT honda model would i gets parts from that will be the exact same as the ones in my Rover/Honda.
As an automotive tech and student, your videos provide me with a clear and practical explanation of automotive systems. These videos are priceless. Thx a million!
Great video! One more note to add for the starter... the solenoid (in addition to completing the circuit for the starter motor) is also responsible for mechanically engaging/disengaging the starter motor pinion gear to the rest of the engine. The solenoid engages the starter motor's pinion gear while turning the engine, and disengages the pinion gear once the engine is started. This prevents the engine from turning the starter once the engine is running on its own.
@ElLeonidas2009 With the new shop I'll be able to use better lighting as that has also been a concern of mine for some time. Thanks for your comments.
@SuperRajyou Thank you, I'm glad you liked it.
Positive to neg flow is know as conventional flow.(how we have been taught and wiring diagrams show)
Actual electrical flow is neg to positive through the movement of electrons which are negative charge known as Actual Flow.
oh yes. churbro25 is absolutely correct... in automotive electrical systems, it is especially helpful to think in positive to negative terms, as the ground is negative and functions as a drain of sorts.
I like that you give us insight into how this works. I'm a bit of a gear head, but my dad (who's been my primary teacher) isnt knowledgeable how to work with electric.
Thanks to Eric, solved a very difficult parasitic engine off, battery drain. Drained a brand new same day battery within 4-hours, battery was renderless, not able to recharge. 10-20 Amp multimeter test, engine off solved problem. It wasn't a fused electrical circuit, which are only moderate difficulty to locate/solve problem. It was wiring harness problem. Eric is no gimmic, he has real life massive experience. Also demonstrates within considering safety to diy people. Won't compromise your safety, in other words. Tracing electric wire harnesses is very time consuming, money within a top notch multimeter worthy, and beyond to have. All thanks to Eric.
@JTheGuitarPlayer Actually there are 3 more videos in this series, Belts and Pulleys, Starter Diagnosis, and Alternator Diagnosis, stay tuned for those.
@MrPiwo Good points you raise, thanks for your input.
@aasimshamim Glad you liked it, thanks for the comment.
@Chills327 I hope to do more on this topic moving forward, thanks for the comment.
@jayarscintilla Thank YOU for that great comment I really appreciate it.
@jhorne18 Great point, thanks very much for your input and comment.
I've been a long-time viewer (ever since I had to do my first brake job back in 2011 or so) and your videos are always *immensely* helpful ^-^ very thorough and informative, but you still keep it engaging and easy-to-follow
Recently my brother was having battery troubles, and we would've had to get it towed and go through labor fees at a shop...likely to spend 2-3x the cost of a battery for the whole ordeal (labor fees, but also the battery was $80 cheaper than most places at Costco) But, thanks to your plethora of repair videos, I was able to diagnose/fix the issue myself and save my brother a lot of time and money. Honestly, I wouldn't have known the first thing about putting a multimeter on the battery to test it and the charging system if it weren't for your advice, heh.
Thank you Eric for saving us (and my brother's car) once more ^-^ Your videos have been an invaluable resource over the years, and I can't help but recommend your channels (yes, ETCG1 also) anytime someone I know is having car troubles- or even for general car advice :3
I really appreciate you making these videos Eric. They are exactly what I've been looking for.
@MrPiwo Good point, thanks for your input.
@terminamator I hope to have more electrical videos for you in the coming year. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks Eric for putting all these for us.
Simple, easy and PERFECT for a "noob".... THANKS!!!
Another great vid from ETCG!
Great vid! Lost me after the two big wire part! : D I'll watch it a few ore times! I live on the coast of Lake Erie, we get pounded by lake snow in the winter, it's like Alaska here sometimes! So I always put a big Diehard battery in my cars. I get that from my father, he always said,"Put a new battery in there!"
I love the fact that i knew most if not all of that already :) i loved learning about all of that since i was a kid because i remember always bugging my father or every mechanic i saw working on our cars.... whats this, how does it work etc.
@spelunkerd Yea and I think your speculation is correct because this won't come up as a new video but I'm working on a solution to that problem. As for connecting wiring, the only aluminum you really deal with is on the engine and trans parts, sometimes the body, so your really not connecting copper to aluminum wiring but rather large parts that complete the path to ground.
@malewizard I would be checking the electrical connections especially at the battery to make sure they are clean and tight.
Your the man Eric! U got a vid on almost anything :D Love it. Easy to follow
@freakye15 I'm glad you did too, thanks.
@sabritones68 Simple is always good, thanks for the comment.
Hey Eric, love your videos I watch them all the time, I'm a tech too (heavy equipment), I know you already know this but just stating it in case some people might want this clarified, you said that a battery stores energy when in fact the electricity is not 'stored' but created, when the circuit is completed the electrons flow and there is chemical energy that creates one part heat and the other part electrical energy :) love your videos, stay dirty!
@jambe1234567 I often install a circuit breaker in the fuse slot and unplug different parts of the circuit to see when the breaker stops tripping to isolate the fault. You might also want to check out a video that Briansmobile1 did using a "fox and hound".
Thanks for all the knowledge Eric!!👍🏻💪🏻🏆💥😎🇺🇸
hardest wiring job I've done was swap a digital cluster out for an analog one.... try a 36 pin connector to 18 pin so I had to find every wire and ended up tearing whole dash out my s10 now every light in the cluster works perfect love electric jobs!!!
kai Gingerich - Man that must have taken much patience, well done. - Joseph
This is by far one of my weakest areas...keep it coming please :)
Same here😑
@TheGetawayer That sucks. Be sure to check the cables and connections as they can contribute to a no start condition.
Great video breaking it down to very simple terms made it easy to follow and understand
Thanks a lot for your detail explanation. I'm from Japan and looking forward to seeing another video.
@KillerZero259 Some of the videos I upload don't go live for a while and as a result don't show up as new videos.
Hey Eric, longtime fan, finally subbed. You do great videos man. You explain things very intuitively and humbly. I'm upgrading the grounds on my Chevy Silverado and my RSX Type S. What I've got sorted thus far is:
+ Battery to starter solenoid and/or alternator
- Battery to block
Block to firewall
Firewall to frame
Additional grounds:
Taillights
Stereo
Dash
Bed to frame
Misc additional components
Looking good so far?
You Rock Eric 'Guy of Cars'!
I haven't learned anything in class so I decided to watch this. It's taught me more than a whole month of school
great job eric . You are indeed a real car guy..
sir eric im just watching your video, i have learn a lot.
@XXWRD2BIGBRDXX Your welcome, thanks for the comment.
thank you for this episode. also hope all is well..thank you from NZ.
@markag6 No they brought it in for the video.
dude your videos are awesome, I used your method exactly to bleed my brakes. :)
I can tear apart and rebuild semi engines but when it comes to wiring I just can’t seem to grasp some of it lol
I hope to have more Electrical Videos in near future. thank you very much.
Thanks for all of your videos! Could you possibly make a video about the different kinds of sensors and how they work and possibly how to test them?
Years of confusion have just parted in front of me like the Red Sea. I doubled my knowledge of electricity in one sitting!
Thanks for clearing things up, Eric.
@ViperKillerWannabe Yes they would, aluminum conducts electricity just as good as most metals.
@Michiganborn1969 Actually a Buick if memory serves. Nice car really.
You are pretty much training me to be a mechanic lol. Thank you very very much.
Great video. Thanks to you & BBB industries for bringing this fine video to desktops, Laptops & mobile devices everywhere. Was that a Dodge that you were using for the demo?
Love the video's. Your a great help god bless you and your family
Great video man. Very informative!
Thank you for your video ! I like your comments about branches and roots, as I am more a gardener, that mechanic. I just feel electric going through the gas pedal.. and dash board is not lightened.. something going wrong..
@axenz1 If a diode in the bridge rectifier went it would normally turn on the charging system light or battery light since the alternator would only be capable of 2/3 output if that depending on how it was wired, I don't think having more ground cables will make any difference personally but of course good electrical connections are key to proper operation of the electrical system.
Really easy to understand,thanks eric
Thanll the videos, Eric. You are quite good at explaining all this. Nice work.
Awesome vid. I understood more about the electrical sys of my car now when I need to install electrical systems like led/s or underglow interior lights.
rice
@EricTheCarGuy you videos are great but some need illumination, thanks for doing them.
great one Eric keep making vids i love em, your biggest fan, Sarah =)
for the wiring harness can you usually put high voltagee and low voltage cables together? or should you use separate harnesses?
You rock man. You saved me a ton of money!
So wait, the battery does what? Lol. Sorry couldn’t resist. Thank you Eric for sharing your wealth of knowledge with us.
very good video eric, it helped me a lot!
nice tutorial sir.. soon i'll learn all of them
this helps so much, thank you !
Eric you should make a video about finding electrical shorts with an ammeter and a circuit breaker it would be a big help thanks. and great videos!
i JUST noticed this video now!!! i dont know how i missed it!
@willie- The alternator is designed to maintain a charge, not to "revive or recharge" the car battery. What you have described below, is the fastest way to kill your alternator and require a replacement. If you batter is constantly dying, chances are you already need a new alternator. If your battery loses charge to the point where the car won't start, you need to remove the battery and charge it before driving your car.
really great video sir, thank you so much
Nice explanation, good instruction, thank you.
AFTER 3 hours of searching google and RUclips the only video that tells you what electrical wires are for!
nice video! simple and basic, I like it
Hey Eric, do you have an opinion on adding remote starts and keyless entry systems? I’ve heard some good and bad thing about adding it to my gas 02 Dodge Ram 1500.
AWESOME NICE WORK BRO
@dandim23 It's brand new. :)
My wires was a dim light on the headlights. I now know how to explain to the Certified Mechanic what is the fault. TY for your Information. "Eric, The Car Guy!"
Good work Sir... very useful.. god blees
I love how he made a joke about the loop and started doing a loop while explaining the loop. Lmao
Thanks for basic startup.
hey mr eric. i have been watching you show since i was a minor, lol..
great show.. really thought me alot and made me understand vehicles. i am soon going to be working on engines of AAV's for the US marine corps. watching your videos helped me expand my knowledge a great deal. so thank you SIR. i recently bought a 1990 celica. the wiring on the car is messed up. some on it is grounded in period places, spliced, taped, etc. what should i do? is there a way i can replace all wires? from jnkyrd?
Awesome video. Thanks.
Hi eric, i need to know where my ground wire is connected to the frame on a 2007 ford fusion
Awesome vids. Thanx dude :)
How do you feel about the ELECTRIC fuel pump being in the tank?
Hi Eric, If i connect two fuses to power supply relay terminal 15 using a fuse piggy back will it damage my fuse box. I am trying to connect DRls.
good one, eric...
US ARMY is using this video to train mechanics at FT Lee. So feel proud about that
eric my man,how can i tell if my turbo is turning and when does the intercooler fan come on,does turbo have electrc wire to it i can not find one,i have pajero 2.5 tdi intercooler 1991
Helle eric and thanks for this video, i have a 2013 chevy Malibu ecotec engine just like the one on this video, i had before a check engine light on my dashboard i tried to shut it down by the way of disconnect the battery termnals and connect it together (+&-) without power to reset the car computer, after that a strange phenomena happen to my car is all lights interior and exterior start a server flickering ! At idel RPM specially when i full load the car like flashlight and AC, then i went to the dealer they said the intake camshaft solenoid sensor need to be changed, they changed it and no more check engine, but the main flickering problem still available, i changed the alternator, checked the ground wires battery terminals all the connection was very fine, is there any solution for this please ??? Thank you very much.
So when I'm trying to replace my car battery, which cables do I disconnect first? -Positive then Negative OR Negative then Positive?
And is there also a specific order of which cables are attached when reconnecting them to the new battery?
thanks man...luv it...❤🤘🏻☮
Great video ❤️
Any recommendations when it comes to purchasing wireharness or replacement wiring components?
I'm in the early stage of an apprenticeship, and while this was remedial stuff for me these explanations still kind of help (mind replacing a guy I work with?)
the Golden Spider-Duck how has your apprenticeship gone since posting this? im about to start mine
Eric I have a question. When a vehicle is running, is the battery in any way helping in keeping the vehicle running? Or is it strictly the alternator? This is a question I have been chasing for YEARS, and can never get a straight answer on. I'm getting different answers from everybody.
i have checked the plugs again to see if any more oil is leaking where the spark plugs are but it seems to be fine and fuses are fine also (i did the light check from one of your videos). My engine light wont come on untill i start driving for apprx 3km or when i reach a certain speed (say over 70km). Would it be some sort of an electrical problem?? and because it has a honda engine WHAT honda model would i gets parts from that will be the exact same as the ones in my Rover/Honda.
do you recommend to buy the Power Probe ECT2000 Short Open Circuit Detector?