In the described wire-short testing method, what does an OL (open loop) reading indicate?

• A. Short circuit exists.
• B. Wire is grounded.
• C. Wire is ok.
• D. High resistance present.

Answer: (C)

In this wire-short testing method, an OL reading means infinite resistance along the tested path. That indicates there is no unintended conductive path at that point—no short to ground or between conductors. So, from the perspective of finding shorts, an OL is treated as a pass and the wire segment is considered okay for the purpose of detecting shorts. It’s important to note OL doesn’t guarantee perfect overall continuity of the wire, just that no short fault is present at the spot tested. If there were a short, you’d expect a low resistance reading or a direct path to another conductor or to ground.