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dragnlaw

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This handy gadget measures the voltage in my electric fence.

I've opened the casing and taken a picture to show the little lightbulbs. The top two circled are burnt out. Can I change them? Would I have to solder them?

Is there a difference in the bulbs? The lowest bulb lights up at 2000V, then each one goes up by a 1000V. It is the top two at 5000V and 6000V. that are burnt.

Anyone got an idea for me?
 

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Yes soldering is necessary.

The bulbs are not different. The different voltages are determined by the circuitry on the board. Those turquoise do-dads at the base of each bulb are resistors. They each have different colored stripes on them. That's what identifies their different values.
 
Thanks Andy - I was afraid soldering was going to be involved, not my strong suit.

But I'm also think it is possibly the resisters or an actual break in a wire someplace - although I can't see one.

Well - I guess as long as I can see some activity on the tester it will be OK.

My other tester only comes by infrequently and he (my ex) has gotten wily about getting too close to the fence for me to test.
 
get a magnifying glass, look at the filaments in the 'burnt out' bulbs.
if they are in fact burnt out you will see gaps in the filament.
for expert soldering, take the replacement bulbs and the board to your local friendly jewelry repair shop. duck soup for them.... jewelry repair guys are seriously more expert at that kind of repair than computer techs.
 
Probably cost more than it's worth. The last tester we bought was like 8 bucks. We even have a 3 dollar one.

I would just pick up a new one. And I've been known to fix stuff that should be tossed.
 
When I realized it was the bulbs (or wiring/resistors) my first thought was with the original papers and replacement list - think they were $48. Never even bothered to look on line. Yup, pricing is all over the scale.

I only have horses here during the summer now and it's the horse owner's responsibility to keep the fences intact. They have their own tester. They came one day to repair something and had forgotten theirs. I dug mine out and that's when we noticed.

As long as I get any reading at all, I'm good.

Thank you all for your responses!
I'll think of you all while I eat the cookies I've made for you in appreciation!
 

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