Warning: A quick fix with a paperclip got my nav system talking again

I was troubleshooting a dead VHF nav unit on a Cessna 172, and the manual said to check a specific data bus pin for corrosion. I didn't have the right probe, so I carefully bent a small paperclip to bridge the test points for a second, and the unit lit right up, confirming a bad ground. Is using a temporary jumper like that a legit diagnostic step, or am I just asking for a short circuit?

3 comments

3 Comments

angela68722d ago

That "temporary jumper" could mask other faults by bypassing the actual problem circuit.

caleb_price15d ago

Sounds like a classic fix. My old landlord pulled that stuff all the time. Sethhernandez, your building isn't the only one with "creative" wiring.

sethhernandez22d ago

Ugh, @angela687, that's basically how my whole building's "renovations" have gone.