7 best automotive circuit testers (Easily check cars, 2024)

Every car has electrical wiring and circuits that are powered by the battery of the car. With time as we all know, problems happen. Sometimes it can be a blown fuse, an open wire, a bad relay, and some light bulbs.

To tackle these issues, we can use different tools. We can use a multimeter, voltmeter, continuity tester, and a bunch of other similar meters.

Instead of using different tools to troubleshoot these problems, there is a single dedicated tool that you can use to diagnose all your car-related problems.

The tool is called the automotive circuit tester.

Now, choosing the best automotive circuit tester can be tricky. As a beginner, you may not know what parameter to look for. What are the famous brands for making top-quality automotive circuit testers? And perhaps a lot of similar questions.

Well…

In this article, I will explain exactly these things.

At the end of the article, you will know.

• What is an automotive circuit tester? 
• Technical parameters to look for in an automotive circuit tester
• List of some best car circuit testers to choose from

Sounds interesting? Then, I am sure you will enjoy the rest of this article as well.

Let’s get started.

Best automotive circuit testers

Every car on this planet will face some sort of electrical issue. To diagnose these issues properly you can pick any circuit tester for your car.

The best automotive circuit tester that I and field professionals recommend is Power Probe Maestro PPTM01AS or Power Probe IV (PP401AS). They are the best because they come from proven brands, are reliable, high quality, and used by thousands of car owners. And the best part is they all come in decent price tags that anyone can afford. These are tried and proven brands. It is the best in terms of build quality, function, and versatility.

I chose the mentioned two and the rest of the models in the article based on the following technical parameters.

Let’s have a quick look at them, and then we will start our list of some amazing high quality car circuit testers.

Choosing the best automotive circuit tester

Picking the automotive circuit tester that is best for you can be tricky. All testers are not made equal, some are good at one thing, and some at another. 

You have to know what your needs are in order to select the one that best suits your situation. But here are some features on the basis of which it would be easy to spot the best one.

a. Voltage rating

Cars have different devices that work on different voltages. So the automotive tester you decide to buy should be in the range of those components’ voltage ratings.

Now, typically the voltage range in almost all cars is under 30V. So the best automotive car tester must lie in this range.

b. Automatic circuit breaking

An automotive circuit tester helps you find the live and ground coming from the battery. So when you are working with your car and accidentally touch the positive with the ground probe or vice versa. Which is very dangerous and can damage the car circuit.

A good automatic car tester automatically breaks the circuit in the mentioned situation. So choose the tester that has this safety feature. Otherwise, you can run into some serious issues.

c. DC/AC measurements

Cars use batteries and batteries mainly provide a direct current that powers everything in a car, from air conditioning to built-in computers that run everything in that car. Also, there are AC signals in a car for powering different devices.

So to work effectively with your car a good automotive circuit should have both DC and AC measuring capabilities.

d. Resistance measurements

Sometimes we need to measure the circuit resistance. So if the automotive car circuit tester has a resistor option then it would save us a lot of time.

This way we won’t need to have an extra ohm meter while testing our cars.

e. Frequency measurement

This feature in-circuit tester for cars helps us measure the frequency of pulses and AC signals in our car circuits.

f. Cable length

Almost every car tester has a decent cable length. But please make sure to check this parameter. It is not that big of a deal, but I believe it is good to ensure that the tester you decide on has the cable length matching your care length.

g. Display Type

As you will be working with cars you may not be in a comfortable situation all the time. So the display of your meter must be easily readable from any angle.

Typically, a good tester has this function. Also, select the tester which has multi-line because it will help diagnose the situation much better as you will have a lot of reading on one screen.

List of the best automotive circuit testers

With my personal experience and on the basis of the above parameters I made a list of 7 testers that are the absolute best.

1. Power Probe PPTM01AS

The first one on the list, the Maestro, is from a POWER PROBE company which is based in California USA, and founded in 1993. A company dedicated to the creation of innovative, easy-to-use diagnostic equipment for the automotive industry.

Maestro is an amazing all-in-one product. It has covered all of your needs when it comes to car circuit testing.

Important features

• It has a voltage rating of 9-30VDC
• It has a Multicolor display
• It has an automatic circuit breaker
• It has a DC and AC voltmeter to replace your voltmeter, it’s capable of measuring from 0.01 to 199.9 VAC (RMS or Peak-Peak)
• It also has AC and DC Min/Max feature
• It has built-in ohmmeter
• It is also capable of measuring frequency from 1Hz to 9999 Hz/Duty%/PW
• Lastly, it has injector/driver/ECT test mode as well

In summary, the Maestro PPTM01AS (Amazon link) is an all-in-one package designed with professionals in mind. It provides full diagnostics and gives accurate values.

2. Power Probe PP401AS

The next best car circuit tester is also from the POWER PROBE brand because it is very similar to the PPTM01AS, but it is cheaper. Just because it’s cheaper does not mean it’s not capable enough. It’s almost as good as the first. 

In fact, I would recommend you buy this one because there isn’t a lot of difference other than the voltage range and connectivity

Important features:

• The voltage rating of 12-24VDC
• This has a Multicolor and multiline display
• It has an automatic circuit breaker
• It has a DC and AC voltmeter operating on 0 – 200 VDC to replace your voltmeter it’s capable of measuring from 0.01 to 199.9 VAC (RMS or Peak-Peak)
• It also has AC and DC Min/Max feature
• It possesses an ohmmeter
• It is also capable of measuring frequency from 1Hz to 9999Hz/PW
• Lastly, it has injector/driver/ECT test mode as well

In summary, the Power Probe PP401AS (Amazon link) is designed for someone with enough knowledge about electronics it’s almost a professional tool to replace all your needs

3. ALLOSUN EM287 

ALLOSUN is a Chinese company owned by EASTERN which has been standing since 1993. That is the main reason why the price is so affordable. It’s remarkable how such a good product exists at such an affordable price. It’s a very good quality and cheap alternative.

Important features:

• The voltage rating of 12-24VDC
• It has an automatic circuit breaker
• It can be used to test continuity, test the polarity of a voltage, check lamps, check an electric motor, follow and locate short circuits, test for bad ground contacts, and measure DC voltage from 2V to 24V, etc.
• It has a  5m long test lead which allows easy access.
• It is powered by the vehicle battery directly.
• It has an illumination function that helps in darkness.
• It has safety insurance. So when the current exceeds 8A, the unit will disconnect the current automatically.
• It is a universal fit type

In summary, the ALLOSUN Automotive Circuit Tester (Amazon link) is a good alternative to the power probe. If your goal is just to test circuits then this is the best option. It’s affordable and versatile.

4. Power Probe PP319FTC RED 

The next in line is again from POWER PROBE. The PP319FTC RED is the best alternative, but the advantage of this one is you get a robust product at a fraction of the price.

The features are not as robust as the above but it’s all you need if you are just getting started in the world of electronics.

Important features:

• The voltage rating of 12-24VDC
• This has a line display
• It has a manual circuit breaker
• It has a DC and AC voltmeter operating on 0 – 70 VDC to replace your voltmeter it’s capable of measuring from 0.01 to 70.0 VAC (RMS or Peak-Peak)
• It only has the DC Min/Max feature

In a short summary, the POWER PROBE PP319FTCRED (Amazon link) is the best you can get when it comes to testers It’s the tried and true brand. This model has a low price with lots of features.

5. ALLOSUN EM285

Standing since1993. It’s the same company that has the EM287. The main advantage of these is it’s easy to replace, and it has a breaker to prevent damaging components inside a circuit. 

Important features:

• It has a voltage rating of 12-24VDC
• It has an automatic circuit breaker
• It can be used to test continuity, test the polarity of a voltage, locate short circuits, and test for bad ground contacts, etc.
• It has a 5m long lead. 
• Safety insurance. When the current exceeds 8A, the Unit will disconnect the current automatically.
• Do not use AC voltage. Please read the manual carefully before using the product.
• Universal Fit

In summary, the EM285 Automotive Electric Circuit (Amazon link) is a robust alternative designed for beginners in mind it’s the best place to start if you are getting into electronics.

6. Lisle 28830 Digital Circuit Tester

The 28830 Digital Circuit Tester is a product by the company Lisle. It started in 1903 and used to produce horse-powered water well drilling machines and lawnmowers.

With the passage of time, it turned into electronics. The following is a basic circuit tester from this company.

Important features

• It has a voltage rating of 3-48VDC.
• It has an LCD display.
• Its operating range is 3-49 volts DC to work on most vehicle electrical systems.
• It has two LEDs that provide 360-degree visibility.
• The red light indicates positive polarity, and green indicates negative polarity
• It has a 12 ft (3.66 m) coil cord and heavy-duty alligator clamp.
• The probe is insulated to prevent the possibility of shorting the side of the probe to other components 
• It’s also Computer-safe.

In summary, the Lisle 28830 (Amazon link) is a simple light tester that tells you if a circuit is good or not with voltage on the LCD. It is perfect for those who are just starting out or have loads of tools other than testers.

7. OTC 3633

OTC 3633 Mini-Coil Cord Circuit Tester is the product produced by OTC having established a regional presence in 1906 in North America.

It is a very basic tester that you can use for open or short circuits in your care.

Important features:

• It is the standard in electrical system testing.
• It is capable of locating shorts, grounds, and open circuits.
• It comes with a needlepoint stainless steel probe and a special threaded probe with a screw-on alligator clip.
• It has a replaceable bulb
• It has 12 foot foot-long heavy-duty coiled cord lead
• It is strictly for use within 6 volts and 12 volts systems

In a short summary, the OTC 3633 Mini-Coil Cord Circuit Tester (Amazon link) is an old-school light tester with replaceable bulbs that are designed only to identify if a circuit is open or closed. 

Conclusion

Problems in cars are inevitable. It’s just a matter of time before you face a blown fuse a loose wire or battery issues of one kind or the other. It can also be an open wire or a bad relay.

These issues mainly arise due to environmental factors or movement from the car. Having a good tool that can troubleshoot these problems is a handy way to save some cash and potentially save you a lot of hassle.

An automotive circuit tester is designed to solve all of those problems like measuring voltage, resistance, frequency, etc., which eliminates the need to buy separate tools for each function.

Now when buying the best automotive circuit tester there are a few things you should keep in mind. 

• Voltage rating
• Display type
• Safety
• DC/AC measurement
• Resistance measurement
• Frequency measurement
• Cable length

Using these parameters you should be able to make a decision that best fits your situation. My goal is to educate you to the best of my knowledge and help you make the right decision.

Alright then,

This is it. That is all the information you would need to buy the best automotive circuit tester. I hope it helps you.

Take care.

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