
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 493
Battery
Figure 28.22 Tracing a high-resistance connection with a
voltmeter (V
5
is a test for resistance at the switch contacts)
the battery without supplying the consumer equipment.
With an earth-return system, the touching of a feed
cable conductor against the metal return path for the
current returning to the battery similarly allows the
current to take a short-cut home without supplying
the consumer equipment. In each case the current
completes its circuit by a path of less resistance. The
danger of this condition is that if a major short circuit
does not blow a fuse it can provide a return path for
heavy current, whic ...