meter info

[win]

Hi all
Accquired this meter, has anyone any info about how to use it, to the best advantage.

Regards Win[frame][/frame]

[Alec]

Hello Win,

basically a multimeter.
How many terminals does it have? I've not seen one exactly like that but I would guess that the tach is connected to earth and distributor terminal on the coil, ditto the dwell and the lo volts, volts and ohms just connect to where you want to measure.
Amps may have it's own separate terminals?, again put it in the circuit (series) you wish to measure but be aware of the maximum current you can measure, it looks like 80 which is very high for a meter like that unless it has a shunt?
Lo volts is handy to check the condition of the points and wiring between the coil, the scale is marked good and bad so easily judged.

Give it a try.

Alec

[win]

Hi Alec
It has 2 crocodile clips, red and black, plus a lead to go round the HT. like a clamp meter.
Just wanted some info, I did not want to make it into a melted plastic blob.

Regards Win

[mike.perry]

I use a test light, if it lights it works, if it does not then I have a problem. Any more is too technical

[Alec]

Hello Win,

the one that goes round the HT lead is for the Tachometer.

Alec

[MarkyB]

If you don't want to melt it, avoid using the Amp function.

A similar looking one that I have came with a brass strip to use as a load when checking Amps.

[Alec]

Hello MarkyB,

"a brass strip to use as a load"

That is a shunt, basically a bypass to carry most of the current while the meter measures a known percentage and is calibrated to indicate all of it. Not really a load.

Alec

[MarkyB]

That makes sense, it looked pretty crude to me and I took against it, big bits of live metal make me nervous .

[beero]

I have virtually the same meter made by Hawk. Email me if you want me to scan and send the instruction booklet.
It's not very clear (small feint print) but might help.

[drivewasher]

I imagine the shunt will be a 1 ohm resistor because if you measure the volts accross 1 ohm then 1 volt = 1 amp

Do you know that the dwell angle is best way of setting points gaps?

[GPO_Van]

Hi drivewasher
The shunts are all different resistances, depending which scale on the meter you are using, as alec said, the shunt takes a known percentage of the current.
The coil in a meter will burn out if it takes more than a couple of milliamps (thousands of an amp) i.e. if measuring 10amps with a meter movement working on a max of 1milliamp 9.999amps would go through the shunt and .001amp through the meter coil, but as said earlier it is calibrated to read 10amps.
The manufacturer knows the resistance of the coil in the movement so can select appropriate shunt resistances.
Reg