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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Scott DeRoss on February 18, 2015, 07:09:43 PM
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How many of you use a fluke meter with rpm (like model 78 or 88) to adjust you rpm on the bike when tuning or on other machines. They are pretty expensive and looking into possibly buying one. It also would come in handy for other things too. Thoughts, suggestions, pros, cons etc...
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Fluke is the good stuff used by professionals. You'll pay for it. How much are you going to use it? A cheaper option would make more sense if the tool is to sit in a drawer most of the time.
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Fluke is the good stuff used by professionals. You'll pay for it. How much are you going to use it? A cheaper option would make more sense if the tool is to sit in a drawer most of the time.
Marty, is that you? It would take an airline mech. to recognize just how good the Fluke meters are.
Garrett, and recently retired.
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I use a Fluke at work, cheaper brands at home. Company bought the Fluke.
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Escort are good, as are Agilent.
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I have a older fluke now I have used for years. I am thinking of the rpm addition to measure my rpm on the bike when tuning, seems to be a good and convenient for that application, and for smaller engines especially for single cylinder.
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I have a couple of Fluke 73 III meters, one at home and one at work. They're getting a little old and one of them started acting a little weird. I sent it to Fluke and they replaced the selector switch, calibrated it, and included a new set of leads, all service and leads free. You get what you pay for.
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Marty, is that you? It would take an airline mech. to recognize just how good the Fluke meters are.
Garrett, and recently retired.
It's a small world, isn't it?
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Fluke 77 and 87 here, since 1985 or so. They're bullet proof, and every time I've taken them to a free Fluke calibration clinic, they're within the original specs.
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It's a small world, isn't it?
Yes, it is. Hope all is well with you.
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Fluke is good stuff. I have several different instruments of theirs. I have gotten some good stuff for next to nothing at pawn shops.
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I have a 77 that I need to return to Fluke. Company purchased it for me 30 years ago. :BEER:
Matt
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I use a fluke everyday at work for the past 15 years. I wouldn't buy any other brand, I find them extremely reliable. As far as tools goes, I usually buy the good ones that last a lifetime instead of having to settle for cheaper that needs replacing. So in the long run, it comes to pretty much the same price.
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I have gotten some good stuff for next to nothing at pawn shops.
Funny you mentioned pawn shops... my Fluke 87 came from a pawn shop. I think it was about $40 or so, and was in factory spec.
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I want one ... and I have absolutely no idea what you are all talking about. From the thread: It's old tech. It's good quality. It's owned by guys who have looked deeper in an engine than a spark-plug replacement... and... if I knew what I was looking for I could find a specimen within spec in a pawnshop for less than I pay for drive-through coffee in a week.
To me; a fluke is either a whale fin or a GP placement ahead of anyone named Marcus. Pics and description appreciated. :)
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;-T ;-T ;-T
Fluke 77 and 87 here, since 1985 or so. They're bullet proof, and every time I've taken them to a free Fluke calibration clinic, they're within the original specs.
I've had mine since '82 and ALL the attachments..[thermistor, strobe,I/R sensor ] etc etc . Best money ever spent,still use it almost daily. You wont regret it.
Paul B :BEER:
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I used a Fluke when I was doing automotive computer diagnosis in the 80s and 90s. But then somebody dropped a 2x4 on it. Now I use a cheap imitation, wish I still had the Fluke!
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Fluke 87 here, use it all the time, i do have a few cheapo meters also, they are good enough for work around the bike.
The Flukes have high rupture capacity fuses costing $30 or more, you don't need that on a bike.
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I have 2 oldies, a 77 and a 73III. Both have been stone reliable since day 1.
ronkom
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Fluke 87 here, use it all the time, i do have a few cheapo meters also, they are good enough for work around the bike.
The Flukes have high rupture capacity fuses costing $30 or more, you don't need that on a bike.
Where are you buying your fuses? Last I bought fuses for our "fleet" of Flukes at work they were under $10.
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Fluke 77 at home, cheapy multimeter at work, unless I need accuracy, then I bring my Fluke in.
Love a Simpson 260 though!
Tobit
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I have my dads Simpson 260, my microbes, and several flukes. Sheesh, now I feel old.
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Micronta... dang spell checker.
Still have the original receipt and box. Wanted a simpson, couldn't afford it washing dishes. Got my first fluke 1978 at Intel.
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And I was scratching my head wondering if microbes were some sort of small probe accessory for a Simpson that I missed.
:D
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First computer? A 6800 kit. Follows by a PAL. Then a PET. Then a trash 80. Spent my time punching and loading cards on an IBM, the later wrote and taped out my first "asteroids" game. About this time got busted for running a prime number generator program that ate up the budget of the math department share time for the year. Is it any wonder I love my guzzis?
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Two Flukes at home, two portables plus a bench model at work and a few dozen HP bench models in the student labs. How are you using it to calibrate a tach? i have used a precision pulse generator or freqeuncy counter.
Pete
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Many Flukes and other digital meters have one disadvantage...They will "average" some readings.. Example,I was using a Fluke meter to test coil primary voltage on a vehicle with points ignition and a ballast resistor. The actual voltage at the coil with engine running is about 8 volts ( because of ballast resistor) when the points are closed and 14.5 with the points open. The Fluke can't react fast like an analog meter so it averages the reading and showed about 12 volts. I was confused until I shut off the engine and checked out the voltage by cranking over the engine by hand. Not that you are using the meter for this but maybe a similar situation...
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There are so many different Fluke's that I would be hard pressed to recommend any one model without knowing what it is to be used for. You can get anything from the really simple multi-meter types to full fledged "oscilloscopes in your hand" type. I've used many different ones, but, unless my job requires absolute accuracy (like at my work place) then I will use a cheap version.
Other brand name jobs are probably just as good.
For 90% of what I do the $5 multimeter from Harbor Freight does just fine. I always have 3 or 4 of them around so they are there when I need them. I don't care if they get run over, stepped on, left out in the rain, stolen, loaned, etc.
So, the big question is, what do you need it for and how precise do you need the measurement to be?
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So, the big question is, what do you need it for and how precise do you need the measurement to be?
[/quote]
See my earlier post.
For the rpm feature especially for small single cylinders.
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I think with some of the FI systems a good VOM would be handy. The older bikes a simple test light will handle most of your electrical trouble shooting needs. :BEER:
Matt
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Fluke at work that we "inherited" from a careless workman that left it and never came back. Doesn't see much use.
Simpson at home that sees little use; but a RadioShack DMM that does see some use. Have a couple cheap cheap meters too. One that sees some use every couple years, another I won at a Rally that is still in the packaging. I think the plan was to put it in the tank bag for road trips.
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You can find good testings done on some youtube: fluke performs against other brands. Like Jim says they are bullet proof. But Jim is a pro and no doubt needs the extra the fluke will deliver.
But if you are an average not daily user and if you will not be using it at it maximum capabilities then it comes down to is it worth the difference. I'm no pro and never will be so it wasn't worth it. I prefer to not buy used electronics unless you are sure of the source.
This guy is funny and has all sorts of tests on electronic products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1n_ELmpFI
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Where are you buying your fuses? Last I bought fuses for our "fleet" of Flukes at work they were under $10.
Retail suppliers really do charge a lot for those high voltage interrupt fuses. I can usually find a couple on eBay for a few bucks when I need them. The 87 beeps a warning if I have the leads in the current measuring locations and set the meter to volts, so I don't tend to blow fuses in that meter. :D
If you're never measuring high voltages, you can install cheaper fuses, but I don't to that except temporarily.
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So, the big question is, what do you need it for and how precise do you need the measurement to be?
See my earlier post.
For the rpm feature especially for small single cylinders.
Then get a tachometer. And for the VOM duties get cheap HF versions.
It's not like you are working on a missile or laser system. :)
PS yes I do have a Fluke at home. It was free. The guy who had it got a new one and was going to throw it away. I grabbed it out of his hands :) FWIW, I rarely use it cause I almost always have one of the cheap HF versions with me.
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We have a number of Fluke meters, Tektronix scopes, Rohde & Schwarz receivers, at work. We have to maintain current traceable calibration on them.
That is why I use cheap stuff at home. I get more value out of having three cheaper meters laying around, then one high end one that would 'leave me stranded' if it failed, or I simply questioned that it was working right.
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Have a Fluke 23 I bought years ago and it probably needs recalibrating by now but seems spot on. Other than changing the battery and cleaning the rotary switch contacts it has been trouble free. Only have the thermistor attachment though in which I have never used. Most of my older analog test equipment is byTektronics. Another quality manufacturer.
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Retail suppliers really do charge a lot for those high voltage interrupt fuses. I can usually find a couple on eBay for a few bucks when I need them. The 87 beeps a warning if I have the leads in the current measuring locations and set the meter to volts, so I don't tend to blow fuses in that meter. :D
If you're never measuring high voltages, you can install cheaper fuses, but I don't to that except temporarily.
We used to buy lots of electronic components at work from places like Newark, Allied, etc so we got the fuses fairly cheap. I use a Fluke 83 at work and a 77 at home, also a Simpson 265 I got from work for $5. I think I gave my 260 to my son who is a electrical maintenence man in a stel mill.
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One problem with cheap meters is their response to non sine wave AC. I once measured the output of a square wave inverter with several cheap meters and my Fluke 87, which is a true RMS meter. The cheap meters were all over the place, and none read anywhere near 120VAC. The 87 did what it was supposed to do.
This can come into play around motorcycles when measuring things like battery voltage with the engine running. The output of the regulator is not steady DC, and causes ripple on the battery's DC. Meters that aren't designed for measuring DC with ripple can give readings that are pretty far off in a case like this.
Some guys insist on using analog meters around vehicles for this reason. Analog meters are also immune to RF interference from the ignition system, where even a Fluke can get confused. I've had to put ferrite beads on the meter leads a few times, to keep the Fluke happy when making measurements around CDI systems.
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The biggest problem with cheap meters is they can kill you! I'd hate to have one short out when trying to read 480 vac! BOOM! Fluke is the good stuff.
I keep those $5 HF meters all over the place. They're in my tank bag, glove box, etc. It's fine for that purpose, 90% of the time.
(http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_13487.jpg)
LCD Automotive Multimeter with Tachometer Kit $35 at HF
That's probably what I'd get for my own garage using it once or twice every couple of years. As a professional, where accuracy and safety are paramount, Fluke is a good choice.
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I fish with Flukes all the time. Great Bass lure.
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One problem with cheap meters is their response to non sine wave AC. I once measured the output of a square wave inverter with several cheap meters and my Fluke 87, which is a true RMS meter. The cheap meters were all over the place, and none read anywhere near 120VAC. The 87 did what it was supposed to do.
This can come into play around motorcycles when measuring things like battery voltage with the engine running. The output of the regulator is not steady DC, and causes ripple on the battery's DC. Meters that aren't designed for measuring DC with ripple can give readings that are pretty far off in a case like this.
Some guys insist on using analog meters around vehicles for this reason. Analog meters are also immune to RF interference from the ignition system, where even a Fluke can get confused. I've had to put ferrite beads on the meter leads a few times, to keep the Fluke happy when making measurements around CDI systems.
Help this layman out Jim. What is the purpose of ferrite beads?
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The biggest problem with cheap meters is they can kill you! I'd hate to have one short out when trying to read 480 vac! BOOM! Fluke is the good stuff.
That's the reason Flukes have the High Rupturing Capacity fuse. I just looked up our Fluke 179 it uses a Bussman DMM 44/100 that's rated 10,000 Amps @ 1000 VAC This fuse is listed at CAD$43.58 on Digikey, over $90 on other sites, and that's just for the milliamp range.
I spoke to an electrician once who tried to measure 3.3KV with an AVO, he said every time he tried to lift the probe of it would draw a long arc. In the end he just dropped it and ran. That was in the days before you had to wear a fancy suit working on live switchgear.
To put it in perspective 10,000 Amps at 480 Volts is equivalent to 6,000 HP, everyday stuff for an industrial electrician.
As Jetmechmarty says, working around high powered AC you need quality instruments. The electrical industry is very concerned about cheap Chinese knockoff components, I'm sure you can buy a "Bussman" fuse from China with a strand of copper wire inside for <$10
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The biggest problem with cheap meters is they can kill you! I'd hate to have one short out when trying to read 480 vac! BOOM! Fluke is the good stuff.
I keep those $5 HF meters all over the place. They're in my tank bag, glove box, etc. It's fine for that purpose, 90% of the time.
(http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_13487.jpg)
LCD Automotive Multimeter with Tachometer Kit $35 at HF
That's probably what I'd get for my own garage using it once or twice every couple of years. As a professional, where accuracy and safety are paramount, Fluke is a good choice.
This would be great if it did one and two cylinder engines. So I guess my question would be, what do people use for tuning rpm on one and two cylinder engines two or four cycle motors. Since most meters start at three and up.
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That's the reason Flukes have the High Rupturing Capacity fuse.
I spoke to an electrician once who tried to measure 3.3KV with an AVO, he said every time he tried to lift the probe of it would draw a long arc. In the end he just dropped it and ran. That was in the days before you had to wear a fancy suit working on live switchgear.
Linemen/electricians have been wearing long sleeve insulating gloves and vests for 75 years or more to work on high voltages.Sounds like the guys was being very careless... 3300 volts doesn't care about fuses and may jump the blown fuse and zap you anyway....High voltage high current demands specialized tools.....
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Help this layman out Jim. What is the purpose of ferrite beads?
Passing the wire through a ferrite bead or snap-together ferrite choke forms an inductor in the wire. Inductors don't like to allow a sudden change in current, and tend toward becoming an open circuit at high frequencies, looking like a broken wire to RF. Since RF interference from ignition systems is a high frequency phenomenon (radio frequency), the bead(s) greatly reduce the ability of the RF to get to the meter.
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This would be great if it did one and two cylinder engines. So I guess my question would be, what do people use for tuning rpm on one and two cylinder engines two or four cycle motors. Since most meters start at three and up.
If you have it set for 4cyl, 4 stroke that means it is measuring the number of pulses and doubling. 4cyl is times 4. 4 stroke is divided by 2.
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Linemen/electricians have been wearing long sleeve insulating gloves and vests for 75 years or more to work on high voltages.Sounds like the guys was being very careless... 3300 volts doesn't care about fuses and may jump the blown fuse and zap you anyway....High voltage high current demands specialized tools.....
No argument from me, In that respect I think Linemen were probably leading the way, an awful lot got killed in those 75 years.
The guy was the first to admit he had been stupid, he was just trying to pass on the experience to prevent someone else doing something equally so, If I saw him again I would thank him for it. BTW I'm pretty sure some AVOs had a pair of terminals labeled for something like 3.5 KV at the top.
http://www.richardsradios.co.uk/avo8.html I still have a Model 8 but it's too valuable to use.
I was working with an apprentice once, he looked at an outlet, it read 10 Amps and before I could stop him jambed the meter probes in to check if it really was 10, fortunately the AVO had a really good protection arrangement.
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I remember using a Jesus hook to ground out high voltage systems when working on them. You haven't lived until you are twisted up inside of a large piece of equipment using in eccess of one million volts that shunts to ground while your working on it.
I had quite a surprise from that.
we used a special fluke and probe if live. Yes, gloves shield and rubber suit like some serial killer.
Good memories.
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I like the older, less glitzy Flukes like the 77, I tolerate the newer ones, and also think they're grossly overpriced. Mandated to calibrate them annually, to relatively exacting standards, and they usually do need it. So no digital meter is good forever......but are reasonably OK. I really favor the analogs and specifically Simpson meters. And you can zero them on every use, they'll indicate spurious fluctuations, where digitals wont even budge.
But, after all we're discussing a solid signal here and relative ease of use that any $10 meter will provide....so don't overspend just so you own the top brand.
Lee
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It used to be you could tell a lot about a man by his tools. Used to be. My dad would turn over in his grave with the idea of disposable tools aka h/f. Can't say I didn't inherit a similar feeling for quality tools.
Still bugs the neck out if me to see cheap worn out tools used to further bigger up a bike. That said, I have a complete set of disposable tools myself for the boat, such that for emergency, if lost or more I borrowed, I am not out some tool passed down from my great grandfathers time.
since many of my "keeper" tools are such vintage, they are like old friends.
:beat_horse
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My boat went down with a bunch of snap-on aboard. By the time we got them back they were ruined.
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I remember using a Jesus hook to ground out high voltage systems when working on them. You haven't lived until you are twisted up inside of a large piece of equipment using in eccess of one million volts that shunts to ground while your working on it.
I had quite a surprise from that.
we used a special fluke and probe if live. Yes, gloves shield and rubber suit like some serial killer.
Good memories.
I was a construction wiremen not a linemen but we did high voltage work. I worked in high voltage vaults with 17K live wires all around while dressed in normal work clothes. We shut it down for splicing...then test the 5 foot long high voltage test stick by raising the hood of a running truck and holding it by the distributor. Then ground the phase conductors ....sometimes with a chain...Depending on the situation I worked on live 240 volt bare handed. 3000 volts will burn your arms off, 460 volts with high amperage if shorted phase to phase or phase to ground will explode vaporizing metal and blowing a workman 20 feet with his body smoking... While working on live stuff,even 120 volt, every fiber in your body is focused on the task at hand.
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It used to be you could tell a lot about a man by his tools. Used to be. My dad would turn over in his grave with the idea of disposable tools aka h/f. Can't say I didn't inherit a similar feeling for quality tools.
:beat_horse
The tools I've carried on the job have always been first quality. I've always used what I like and what feels best in my hands. Tools like that are very expensive. The tools at home that I use often are what I call Craftsman quality. No junk, but being sensible about the cost. The specialty tools for home that might get used once or twice, I don't hesitate to pick up at a place like HF. If I break it and still see a need for it, I might replace it with a better one. A Fluke meter for working on my motorcycle occasionally is unlikely. For working on an airplane, or plant maintenance, Fluke is a name I trust.
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Passing the wire through a ferrite bead or snap-together ferrite choke forms an inductor in the wire. Inductors don't like to allow a sudden change in current, and tend toward becoming an open circuit at high frequencies, looking like a broken wire to RF. Since RF interference from ignition systems is a high frequency phenomenon (radio frequency), the bead(s) greatly reduce the ability of the RF to get to the meter.
Do they teach that in school. ;D :bow
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Do they teach that in school. ;D :bow
Yes, if you're studying electrical engineering 40 years ago. I hope it's still part of the curriculum. I studied mechanical engineering, but got pretty far into ham radio later, and ended up learning a lot of RF related stuff.
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Or you can ask Wayne about ferrite beads. He'll tell you. ;-T
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I got spoiled by Fluke meters when I was in college. My physics professors used them. Then I went out in the real world and found out what they cost.
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I bought a 77 when they first came out in the mid 80's and it works flawlessly to this day. didn't know there was a tach attachment. I also have a mini meter from Extech that I carry with a small tool kit and costs 20 bucks or something. It's fine but could never replace the Fluke. I suspect one of my kids will be giving it to one of their kids one day.
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I have an older Fluke 88. It was a shop tool and is now not working. I was quoted 350.00 to have it repaired, I've not done it, yet. As far as setting idle, I use a Snap-On timing light with a digital display for advance and RPM. Not sure how much they are now but, you get two tools in one!
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I have a fancy snap-on timing light with a dial for delaying the strobe. You can find where the timing mark is and then 'dial it in' to the proper timing marks. The dial will show you how far out you are. Very handy. I took it for a walk last week and the bulb flashed once. I think after 40 years the smoke came out of the bulb part. You can still hear it buzz and click like it should, but no light.
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As far as setting idle, I use a Snap-On timing light with a digital display for advance and RPM. Not sure how much they are now but, you get two tools in one!
I found out that the Innova timing lights are made by the same company that makes them for Snap-On. There's a whole line, from basic to full-featured like yours. I needed one that would handle a 2-stroke engine running at high speed, so I bought the basic one, which is rated as fast as the top of the line version. They work by not flashing at every spark as the engine goes faster. At low speed, they spark every time, then every 2nd spark, then every 3rd, etc. They're excellent timing lights, and with the Innova name on them, they're way less expensive than with the Snap-On name on them.
There's a little more information in this thread on the Kawasaki triples board: http://www.kawi2strokes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=3619
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I have a Fluke 16. Very nice, but when the battery gets low, the warning sign is that it becomes extremely inaccurate.
Call me crazy, but I think putting "Low Battery" on the screen would be a better way to go.
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I have a Fluke 16. Very nice, but when the battery gets low, the warning sign is that it becomes extremely inaccurate.
Call me crazy, but I think putting "Low Battery" on the screen would be a better way to go.
I count on suspicious readings to tell me the battery is low. If mine have ever shown a battery warning I've not noticed it. It would be handy though.
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I was building a guitar amp the first time I got crazy readings. I spent quite a while trying to diagnose the amp before I found out the meter was wrong.
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Funny... both my Fluke 77 and 87 have a low battery symbol on the display, and it comes on well before the readings are incorrect.
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I use a Fluke 73 I bought sometime in the early 80's for everything electronic.
I would certainly recommend Fluke for any one who wants a reliable and accurate DMM.
However, I'm not sure I would pay the extra for the RPM function. Seems maybe the accuracy the Fluke would offer would be a bit of an overkill.
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This guy is funny and has all sorts of tests on electronic products.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1n_ELmpFI
I watched about 1/4 of it so far. Man, the way that castrato technician speaks, I feel like I can't breathe after just a few minutes. :D
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh1n_ELmpFI
A lot of good information in there.
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The fancy timing lights with the advance dial back feature are known to be inaccurate on certain types of aftermarket auto ignitions...Likely not the case on ignitions found on Guzzis' but ya never know...
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Yes, if you're studying electrical engineering 40 years ago. I hope it's still part of the curriculum. I studied mechanical engineering, but got pretty far into ham radio later, and ended up learning a lot of RF related stuff.
They were still teaching it in college twenty years ago. Basic stuff, can't really avoid it.
Retaining it while not using it, now that is another matter. :P
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They were still teaching it in college twenty years ago. Basic stuff, can't really avoid it.
Retaining it while not using it, now that is another matter. :P
I have interviewed people with 4 years degrees that can't tell the difference between a resistor and a capacitor. So what they teach doesn't mean as much as what the students wants to learn, IMHO.
We had a salesman drop off about 50 pounds of ferrite beads the other day. We probably go through a ton of them a year trying to get customers failing products to pass.
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With the new tiny surface mounted bit today, I don't think I could trust myself to ID the little rotters. At least not without reading glasses or a loupe. >:(
We had a couple profs that were very good with discreet components, had no clue about the chips. Never made the transition so went into teaching (they didn't teach electronics, just theory).
We also hired an experimental physicist to round out the department but he didn't last all that long. His hands on work was pretty weak. More of a theoretical kinda guy.
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I have interviewed people with 4 years degrees that can't tell the difference between a resistor and a capacitor.
I was surprised in college, that there was next to zero practical information taught. It was mostly math, geared in various ways to engineering subjects like vibration analysis, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and strengths of materials. It seemed wrong until I thought about it. The 4 year degree has only so much study time, so the curriculum focuses on the things you won't normally learn with experience, and leaves all the practical information to your first employers. You're learning theory and practicing the math, and are expected to apply that to the practical information you come across later.
Trade schools are the opposite, so maybe engineering students who lack practical experience would be wise to attend a trade school to get what they're missing, either before or after college, before applying for a job.
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Trade schools are the opposite, so maybe engineering students who lack practical experience would be wise to attend a trade school to get what they're missing, either before or after college, before applying for a job.
;-T
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I was surprised in college, that there was next to zero practical information taught. It was mostly math, geared in various ways to engineering subjects like vibration analysis, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and strengths of materials. It seemed wrong until I thought about it. The 4 year degree has only so much study time, so the curriculum focuses on the things you won't normally learn with experience, and leaves all the practical information to your first employers. You're learning theory and practicing the math, and are expected to apply that to the practical information you come across later.
Trade schools are the opposite, so maybe engineering students who lack practical experience would be wise to attend a trade school to get what they're missing, either before or after college, before applying for a job.
Jim,
This makes so much sense and applies to my field (orthotics/braces...NOT FOR THE TEETH but for the body).
I entered my field first as a technician and came up through the ranks. Nearly 10 years as a tech I could make anything in my field from scratch... unlike some facilities that outsourced their work we did everything on site at Warm Springs Georgia. But I wanted move up and be a clinician. I finished my BS degree at night and went to Northwestern Medical School in Chicago for post graduate training to become a certified clinical orthotist. I did my year residency and passed my boards. Because I had a long and strong back round as a tech the clinical side came so much easier. I was a much better clinician as a result of combining both clinical and technical skills. What you describe in engineering is classic in my field. Those who gain their degrees as clinicians are taught zero practical information. It was funny that I was taught by people who knew less than I did about how to design and fabricate complex custom braces (orthoses). I used to argue with my instructors when working in the lab. They would say you can't do that I would tell them I would cut apart the brace in little pieces and eat the metal and plastic if what I was making did not work. They would fume when I said that. Sometimes instead of learning from me they would pull rank ::( and say I'll flunk you if you do it your way! :+=copcar
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Sometimes instead of learning from me they would pull rank ::( and say I'll flunk you if you do it your way! :+=copcar
Yes, not all teachers are good teachers, not all engineers are good engineers, etc.. My wife had worked in commercial display for well over a decade when a less experienced boss did the same thing you described, "Do it my way or you're fired." It's funny that the person of authority doesn't realize how stupid he looks to the others involved when he pulls rank like that.
A very wise small business owner I used to consult for told me that when an employee asked to do something differently from how he was trained, as long as it didn't hurt production, he'd OK it, even if the business owner didn't think it was the best way. He said that morale was much more important than forcing his employees to do things his way.
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I worked for a foreign car repair place that had a sign over the owner's desk reading
"I'm sometimes right and I'm sometimes wrong, but I'm ALWAYS the boss!"
He was, too.
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Trade schools are the opposite, so maybe engineering students who lack practical experience would be wise to attend a trade school to get what they're missing, either before or after college, before applying for a job.
Or attend a Polytechnic which straddles the divide, portioning an equal amount of theory with practical.
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Back to the original thread. I actually forgot that I DO use a Fluke at home.
My Fluke is bigger than yours.
(http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee208/worwig/publicshare/20150225_150512.jpg) (http://s235.photobucket.com/user/worwig/media/publicshare/20150225_150512.jpg.html)
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I am a field tech for a communications company I have many cheap meters in my car and I carry one in my EV. But doing my TPS balance I needed precision. I forgot to borrow the $500.00 Fluke from work so I used a Fluke 114 they sell for about $120.00 on Amazon. Using the Fluke I was able to get the desired voltage adjustment. I tested my China meter, my craftsman (Taiwan) and an unknown radio shack model. The fluke was dead nuts stable the others were jumping around. I brought home works Fluke 287 my tool box Fluke 87 and a Fluke 79 we had lying around. The Flukes gave me the same reading the 287 and 87 gave me extra digits of accuracy.
If you want to spend the $$ and buy a quality tool you can't beat the 114 mine was made in the USA I understand the new ones are Chinese manufactured but the quality and accuracy is there.
I was in Sears and an equivalent Craftsman is $60.00 we had some "Wavetech's" at work but they could not be calibrated or repaired. The bottom line is what will you use it for and how much do You want to spend?
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I have one, but I also have a multi-scale inductive tachometer that is far more useful for tuning carburetors.