resistance spec for LB1914 glow plugs?

[k0ua]

Here are the currents I measured yesterday afternoon:

front: 15 A initial, 8 A settled
middle: 14.6 A initial, 7.6 A settled
rear: 14.9 A initial, 7.8 A settled

FYI - the little hex nuts that hold the wiring on are M4 x 0.7 (in case you happen to drop one and then can't find it). I did come up with a technique to help avoid that:

View attachment 457767

Essentially something to hold the nut until it catches the threads when installing or to catch the nut when it comes off the end of the stud when removing.

Thanks for the report back. I think measuring the current draw is the best way. Others have reported holding a IR thermometer with the spot on the glow plug as a quick and dirty way to see if each is working as a fair method if you cannot measure large DC currents.

 

[ritcheyvs]

I would call those good numbers and healthy plugs. You have the right meter for the job; the initial current (15A) would blow the fuse in the typical consumer multimeter (10A max). Good tip. Dropping any small part into dirt, grass, or gravel is extremely frustrating (and that ain't speculation).

By the way, if you ever remove glow plugs, be extremely careful not to break them. Go slow; use lots of patience and penetrating oil. If you break a plug you generally have to pull the head and take it to a machine shop to get the broken part out. Also, if you ever remove glow plugs, clean out the carbon out of the hole with a wire brush. If you shoot, bronze gun-cleaning brushes work well.

 

[k0ua]

I would call those good numbers and healthy plugs. You have the right meter for the job; the initial current (15A) would blow the fuse in the typical consumer multimeter (10A max). Good tip. Dropping any small part into dirt, grass, or gravel is extremely frustrating (and that ain't speculation).

By the way, if you ever remove glow plugs, be extremely careful not to break them. Go slow; use lots of patience and penetrating oil. If you break a plug you generally have to pull the head and take it to a machine shop to get the broken part out. Also, if you ever remove glow plugs, clean out the carbon out of the hole with a wire brush. If you shoot, bronze gun-cleaning brushes work well.

Good tip, I will try to remember the bore brush idea.:thumbsup:

 

[dbotos]

Good tip, I will try to remember the bore brush idea.:thumbsup:

Just don't turn the handle counterclockwise. I learned that sweeping the chimney one time when I wasn't thinking.

If anyone needs a more reasonably-priced option for measuring glow plug current, I bought a Techman 20 A DC analog panel ammeter on eBay for $12 shipped (I use it on my electrolytic rust removal tank). It's internally shunted and has screw terminals on the back. Here's a Dorman 20 A pushbutton that would work in the test circuit:

Dorman Products - 85935