TELMA RETARDER, INC.

1521 Morse Ave., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 TIL03005

Tel: (847) 593-1098 • Fax: (847) 593-3592 October 4, 1997

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Subject: Amperage Check Procedure

Models: All
to any third party without prior agreement from TELMA RETARDER INC. Any infringement will immediately involve legal action.

Tools Needed
This document is the exclusive property of TELMA RETARDER INC. It cannot be copied, modified, forwarded, or given

1 Voltmeter 0-30V
1 Inductive clamp-on ammeter 0-400 Amps
1 Jumper Wire
Measuring Procedure
Step 1: Connect the ammeter around the main power lead going from the + terminal of the relay box to
the positive terminal of the battery and connect the voltmeter to the battery.
Step 2: Start the Engine.
Step 3: With a jumper wire successively connect terminals 1, 2, 3, and 4 with the + terminal of the relay
box. In each case, record the values of the amperage and voltage in the chart below.
Volts
Step 4: Calculate the resistance value by dividing the volts by the amps measured (R= ) and fill in
Amps
Chart 1.
Step 5: Compare each value of "R" to the theoretical resistance per stage of your retarder model.

Troubleshooting
• If the "R" value for all four stages is higher than the theoretical value for your retarder clean and
secure all grounds and connections then recheck the amperage and repeat the process until you
reach the correct values. This symptom is characteristic of bad connections.

• Note: If during the test the voltage level drops significantly, the battery must be recharged. If the
problem persists the batteries may have to be changed and the charging system of the vehicle
checked.

• If some stages have the proper "R" value and others seem to be lower than normal, recheck these
values. Check the resistance according to resistance check procedure TIL03006 for any stage
with an "R" value less than 5% of the nominal value.

• If some stages read no amperage, check for burned/melted contacts or blown fuses at the relay
and repeat step 3.

Stage Voltage Amperage R= V/A

1

3
4