What does it indicate if equipment works when tapped?

When equipment operates upon being tapped, it typically indicates a loose connection. Tapping the device can create enough physical movement to temporarily restore contact within a circuit that isn't making proper connections due to looseness or corrosion. This suggests that the issue lies within the physical integrity of the connection rather than a complete failure of a component or an open circuit.

In contrast, a faulty fuse typically wouldn’t allow equipment to function at all, as a blown fuse interrupts the electrical circuit completely. An open circuit also points to a break somewhere in the electrical pathway which would prevent current from flowing, meaning tapping the equipment wouldn’t cause it to work. Lastly, a defective component may sometimes work intermittently, but if it does so specifically when tapped, this strongly suggests a loose connection rather than a fault in the component itself, which would generally be consistent in its failure. Therefore, the most accurate interpretation is that the observed behavior points to a loose connection.