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Update: I keep seeing guys skip the voltage check on existing door contacts.
Did a service call yesterday where a system kept faulting. Previous installer just swapped a door sensor without testing the old wire. Found 2.8 volts AC on the line from a nearby light fixture. Some techs say it's a waste of time if the old contact was dead. Others say you always meter the pair first. What's your standard move on a simple swap?
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the_max9d ago
Yeah, "waste of time" until it isn't. I learned that lesson the hard way after chasing a ghost fault for an hour. My meter stays in my hand for every swap now, even if it makes me look overly cautious.
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joel_martinez9d ago
Overly cautious" is just being thorough... I swap them out fast if the old one is dead, but I'll still do a quick visual check of the wiring first.
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adamr149d ago
Exactly! Why skip a step that takes ten seconds? I fried a brand new sensor once because I didn't spot a chewed wire. Now I always look and do a quick continuity check with my meter, just like @the_max said. That "ghost fault" hunt is the worst feeling, knowing you caused it by rushing. Being called cautious is way better than wasting an hour and a new part.
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