I'm looking for a good video or on-line class dealing with electrical diagnostics. What are other mechanics doing as far as continuing education on this type of thing? Our local tech school used to offer fairly decent evening classes but not anymore unless you want to take Lamaze classes. I'm 56 years old and have been a mechanic my whole life, working at shops ect for 7 years before going on my own. I've never had any formal training and in the seven years of working for someone else I only worked under an older mechanic for 3 years. A large part of my business is electrical diagnostics, I work on a large variety of equipment, Deere/Hitachi excavators along with a few other brands occasionally, 9000/9020 Deere tractors, JLG & Genie man lifts just to name a few. I've always managed to figure out the problem and get it fixed but I never feel as though I'm adequately trained. Just wondering what others are doing and what is out there that doesn't cost an arm & a leg.
I'll look and see if I can find my old Cummins Basic disks. It was a pretty good program with lots of info. I think they're in my garage somewhere. John Deere University had some pretty decent online courses also.
Well im 62 and would have been just fine with finishing out my life without having to deal with computers, dpf's and the like. BUT, my trucks were wearing out and I either needed to update or retire. With a couple sons in the business the latter really wasn't and option. We replaced a couple of trucks and that's when my education started...lol. Then came the need to buy Cummins Insite programs to work on the trucks. Being 90 miles from any dealerships I had to learn on my own. Its taken two years but by golly I can get in there and dig around now. Im by no means an expert, can't always remember where im going in there but with enough patience I get the job done. So that's my story. I hope you figure out what you want to do Excvator.
Hey Excavator: Here's a link to a site with tons of good info on electrical. Even though its auto based its still good info. http://www.autoshop101.com/ I can relate to what you are saying, since electrical was never my strength as a Tech. I had to learn fast though when I started teaching it and this was a great resource.
I think the systems are designed so you never feel comfortable working on them. They change between manufacturers, types of machines and even models so often you never get the chance to feel good about what you are doing. I've never seen a good general electrical and electronic course on line or anywhere else. The only good way I found for learning was to go through the shop manuals on a particular machine until I understood where all the components were at, what each component was supposed to do when it worked correctly and finally how it was connected to other components in the system. Once I got through that machine I started on another. After you have been through a few machines you start to see similarities and finally begin figuring out that the engineers only have so many ways to put something together. What is aggravating though is that there is no commonality is wiring diagrams or actually marking and identifying individual wires in a harness between manufacturers. The old service manuals put diagrams on fold out pages which wasn't easy to follow but the worst I see now is computer screens and their stupid mapping style display. You get one block of the diagram and then, like a news paper, get thrown to a page somewhere else just to follow out one wire. Not many of us have the brain power or patience to view 25 squares on a diagram and piece them together inside your head to figure out which $100 part is the problem and then explain a $1,000 bill for the job.
I found a guy on youtube, Dan Sullivan. He has some pretty good videos on electrical troubleshooting on trucks and equipment. I watched them all and ended up buying a book he wrote. Learned a lot and I'm putting it to use in the field.
I found my Cummins disks finally now I just need to make sure they still work. If they do, I'd be more than happy to mail them to ya Excavator. I'm just outside Tacoma.
Thanks Deeretracks, I'm about 2 hours north of you. Let me know what happens and I will gladly pay you something for you time & effort.
X2 on Dan Sullivan. The guy seems to know his sheet. Glad to know his book was a good read as I intend to buy one.
I have one of his test tools. Works good
JDU along with most other manufacturers have some great online info. And they will keep it ll to themelves.I don`t know anybody who will share every bit of info there is. Even the factorry service schools have dealer and seperate customer schools.
Deeretracks would I be about to get a copy of the discs .let know what is to send them .thanks ed
Has anybody been to Dan Sullivans School? Reviews sound great I also am at a loss when it comes to electrical diagnosis! http://brighterideas.com/dan-sullivans-teaching-style/ Just something to look at! Jerry
Well ****, I can't get them to work. It was designed for windows 2000 or ME and doesn't seem to play well with Windows 7 from what I can tell.
I don't know if this you tube video is any help Deeretracks. It might be worth looking at. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ySQ3ylkusM
Deeretracks if you can copy the discs I will try it .
My disks are Cummins Virtual College BETT