2017 B2601 HST Died unexpectedly

[ve9aa]

Don't forget to touch the meter leads together before doing your continuity test.

Why?

Because, the leads themselves have SOME resistance. The cheaper the meter or leads (or with age comes broken strands) comes higher resistance.

So, it would not surprise me to see 0.3 Ohms (300 milliOhms) on a cheaper meter and/or old leads.

THAT way, you can subtract the 0.3 Ohms from whatever you're measuring across the switch.

For example....you might measure 0.4 Ohms across the seat switch. That'll mean the switch only has 0.1 Ohms (100 milliOhms) of resistance. (a good thing)

*IF* you touch your leads together and you see (*for example) 15 Ohms.....then either your 9V battery is pretty low ( <7 Volts or so) and won't take good readings for you and/or your meter(or leads) is NFG.

A very short drop (timelag) in Ohmmeter readings can be normal, but what you describe "seems" outside what I am used to, using quality meters. (Fluke, B&K, etc.)

AFTERTHOUGHT: Don't use "autosensing" mode. Use the lowest range. Typically 0-20 or 0-200 Ohms.
You're looking for something under an Ohm. Only if you didn't get around an Ohm or so would I ever go to autosensing mode.

 

[ve9aa]

2nd afterthought. What cthomas already said. If you are checking your switches with the wiring still attached that's probably not advisable.

The way an Ohmmeter works is to put a small current (9v battery is your source) through a circuit and send it out.

What you may be seeing is capacitors charging up in your tractor as you supply that current through your meter leads. Might not let the smoke out, (but might!) and it's so easy to avoid damaging anything....pop one wire off the switch and you won't be in parallel with anything else that's hooked the switch.