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Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 3:49 pm
by dusty
Ed in Tampa wrote:I'm much more simplistic. When I use a VOM I'm looking for an expected voltage, a continuity or want to measure overall amperage.
I can't think of anything I would what to see the wave form of since it is probably generated in an IC circuit and there would be nothing I could do about it anyhow.
I know early on in the computer industry I use to tote around really spiffy oscilloscope but before long they were replaced with what we call latch cards. Cards that contained actual circuits we could dial in and see if the logic was functioning as expected. And later to self diagnostics where the computer would more or less tell which circuit was failing. I might be a circuit on 20 cards that needed to swapped out to see if the it could be narrowed down to one card or not. But we could do that faster than setting up a scope.
I could possible see a scope on old TV and Radio's we played with in school but even today's TV are usually on a dozen or less IC chips mounted to a board or two. Easier to replace the board and in many cases today the TV or radio. I have more than one where the whole of the electronics was contained in a solid block of plastic impossible to change it.
Like I said....troubleshooting techniques are very individualistic.
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:07 pm
by JPG
frank81 wrote:That is true of a cheap digital multimeter like you buy for $10 at Walmart (which I use most of the time). If you get something better, like a Fluke, you've got a higher frequency of readings and can see it fluctuate just like an analog. Heck, even on my cheap digital multimeter I can see anything that would be more than a vibration on the analog.
I have a triplett analog vom and a fluke digital. Old habits being used to the triplett(bought just out of high school), I still prefer it to the fluke(which also has a line bar display as well as the digits). Over the years an observation of fluctuations has led to earlier conclusions.
Ed, you have illustrated the difference between 'Customer engineers' and design engineers. The goals are different. CE's need to get stuff back up and running ASAP. Rarely do they give a RA what caused the problem. Design engineers need to acquire understanding of funkiness so as to correct adequately or prevent reoccurrence.
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 4:09 pm
by JPG
dusty wrote:I must not get in a debate here because troubleshooting techniques are very individualistic. When I need to know how rapidly changes are occurring I drag out a scope. Waveform analysis is much more revealing than watching a VOM's rate of change.
Sheez! An oscilloscope. Now there's a
rare tool in a wood shop!:D
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:59 pm
by Ed in Tampa
JPG40504 wrote:I have a triplett analog vom and a fluke digital. Old habits being used to the triplett(bought just out of high school), I still prefer it to the fluke(which also has a line bar display as well as the digits). Over the years an observation of fluctuations has led to earlier conclusions.
Ed, you have illustrated the difference between 'Customer engineers' and design engineers. The goals are different. CE's need to get stuff back up and running ASAP. Rarely do they give a RA what caused the problem. Design engineers need to acquire understanding of funkiness so as to correct adequately or prevent reoccurrence.
You under estimate CE's we usually knew what caused the problem, lousy engineering.
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 6:17 pm
by saminmn
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 6:21 pm
by dusty
The numbers on this poll just do not add up.
There are 18 members who have a multimeter
and yet
there 42 members who use one plus 8 who have one but don't know how to use it.
Even with that contradiction - I learned what I was curious about. It seems that a large percentage of the Shopsmith users also have access to a multimeter.
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:27 pm
by skou
dusty wrote:The numbers on this poll just do not add up.
There are 18 members who have a multimeter
and yet
there 42 members who use one plus 8 who have one but don't know how to use it.
Even with that contradiction - I learned what I was curious about. It seems that a large percentage of the Shopsmith users also have access to a multimeter.
Dusty, where did I fit in?
I don't have one (currently) but have used one most of my life, AND know how to.
But, since both my ERs are electrically OK, I don't need one for them. (Steve knocks on wood!)
steve
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 7:33 pm
by dusty
skou wrote:Dusty, where did I fit in?
I don't have one (currently) but have used one most of my life, AND know how to.
But, since both my ERs are electrically OK, I don't need one for them. (Steve knocks on wood!)
steve
Fear not, you fit in there very nicely.
The problem, if there is one, is in the fact that the poll does not cover all situations.
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:05 pm
by greitz
Dusty- I did not realize that you can choose multiple responses to one of these polls, so I just chose "use occasionally" without also choosing "I have one". That might explain why the numbers are not adding up.
Gary
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 9:38 pm
by lightnin
I have several multimeters I usually grab the Harbor Freight $3.99
It serves well for most all my needs now days. When I do the occasional
electronic circuit work I'll dig out the Simpson 270 and maybe the scope.
I got rid of most of my other test equipment for space and because it
was so very old and never used. I doubt I'll ever repair another TV or
Pac-Man.
Anyone who has learned to use a multimeter most likely will have and use one
for the rest of their life if he is one that likes to tinker with things.
Also I didn't know you could choose more than one answer.
