Topic: lots of electrical problems. not sure where to start

[juntjoo]

i think Im going to get this one:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F173044362801

40m ohms with .01 resolution. am I reading that right? Thats a large scale no? point zero one of one ohm? that would be way small enough for my purposes.

[TwoTired]

Well, it is a nice meter for a lineman or appliance repairman.

It's lowest scale is 400 ohms with a +/- accuracy of 1% of scale , resolution is good, though.

You won't need a 40 Million ohms scale for the bike.  As you will be measuring 4=5 ohms  for the rotor

https://bkprecision.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1535309-how-to-read-accuracy-specifications.

However,  you already have instruments, right?  Does it give consistent repeatable readings?

Can you not find 4 and 5 ohm resistors locally?   If you have these, measure them with your meter.  Whatever the display indicates is now your calibrated measurement of 4 or 5 ohms, and you can see the error it adds in the measurement.  When you use your meter on an unknown circuit/device, you know how much error your meter is adding, and subtract it out of the display.

Cheers,

[juntjoo]

Well, it is a nice meter for a lineman or appliance repairman.

It's lowest scale is 400 ohms with a +/- accuracy of 1% of scale , resolution is good, though.

You won't need a 40 Million ohms scale for the bike.  As you will be measuring 4=5 ohms  for the rotor

https://bkprecision.desk.com/customer/portal/articles/1535309-how-to-read-accuracy-specifications.

However,  you already have instruments, right?  Does it give consistent repeatable readings?

Can you not find 4 and 5 ohm resistors locally?   If you have these, measure them with your meter.  Whatever the display indicates is now your calibrated measurement of 4 or 5 ohms, and you can see the error it adds in the measurement.  When you use your meter on an unknown circuit/device, you know how much error your meter is adding, and subtract it out of the display.

Cheers,

idk what's around locally. no more radio shack. i guess they finally closed shop. And yes I was getting the last readings I reported consistently. off hand I forget but I think they looked promising but inconclusive and it's just waiting on me to troubleshoot. Just about to put everything back together after Wintergreen oil soaking my head cover gaskets. They exploded so ive had to wait for them to shrink. So, been fixing lawn mower carb in meantime. wow, what a relief after working on these carbs. I'll be back...

wait, do you have a recommendation on a meter? I keep looking for clamp ones because one of the book's steps for the charging system calls for one, or just amp testing and are these not the preferred type for amps measuring? And I'm also liking the thermocouples some of the models have. Would you consider them useful? or does it not get too much more complicated than wetting your fingers and touching your pipes to test temp on this bike, or vehicles in general? I'm guessing it's a nice feature, but what about this vs the laser type? maybe temp testing would be better off with a dedicated tool? any opinions on this?

[evinrude7]

find an auto parts store. 

[Yamahawk]

... or a Harbor Freight...
https://www.harborfreight.com/lcd-automotive-multimeter-with-tachometer-kit-95670.html
Charlie

[juntjoo]

... or a Harbor Freight...
https://www.harborfreight.com/lcd-automotive-multimeter-with-tachometer-kit-95670.html
Charlie

hey that one's shnazzy. great price. bad reviews... but no amp clamp. yoi dont consider a clamp a must have feature or unless you're checking amps for a living not necessary?  why didnt I think of HF. Got one over the bridge. favorite place, and the dollar store, the stores you go to before you go to the others. got a plunger at the dollar store for.. a dollar, as always they're made for children sized people, and thought, if it doesn't work lost a buck. well it worked! saved $4

edit: lol 33 1 star reviews 15 5 star. some things are too good to be true

[Yamahawk]

Reviews can be a help sometimes, and other, maybe not so much... when I see 5 star reviews, of say tires, and they get that from 'look's and not performance, I gotta take that with a dose of salt. I can say, that for the price, that's a heck of a meter. Now, I have a Fluke 87 that has the amps clamp, and I think I may have used it Once. I have an AMP meter that I have wired inline several times to check load, but normally it isn't something you would use every day. But, for voltage, OHMS and general multi-meter usage, it works great. Nice large digits, which I really like. So, for $30 I have a meter that has served me well for three years, so far. And, live Lloyd said, get a resistor, and check the accuracy! Or hold the probe together at your lowest ohm scale, and see what the thing reads, and subtract that from your test reading on the rotor to stator tests. It isn't rocket science...
Charlie

[juntjoo]

Reviews can be a help sometimes, and other, maybe not so much... when I see 5 star reviews, of say tires, and they get that from 'look's and not performance, I gotta take that with a dose of salt. I can say, that for the price, that's a heck of a meter. Now, I have a Fluke 87 that has the amps clamp, and I think I may have used it Once. I have an AMP meter that I have wired inline several times to check load, but normally it isn't something you would use every day. But, for voltage, OHMS and general multi-meter usage, it works great. Nice large digits, which I really like. So, for $30 I have a meter that has served me well for three years, so far. And, live Lloyd said, get a resistor, and check the accuracy! Or hold the probe together at your lowest ohm scale, and see what the thing reads, and subtract that from your test reading on the rotor to stator tests. It isn't rocket science...
Charlie

well now you got me side tracked on the tach option, and for this unit it's the biggest complaint. So now Im checking out others <$50 with tach's and temp and diode and cap and more stuff I barely understand so you helped me get down from +$100. I can't even test the charging system yet. still gotta figure out valve clearance issues then pipe temp differences...

[Yamahawk]

Check the thread in the Open Forum for multimeters, I posted a couple, but this one I would check out as it has good specs, and is CHEAP.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DM700-9999-Counts-Auto-Pocket-Mini-Portable-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter-Tester/173131481969?hash=item284f70c371:g:eoEAAOSwIaFZEXl7
They also have an infrared non-contact gun for temperature checking your cylinders, for $10.50.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173131481907
Charlie

[juntjoo]

Check the thread in the Open Forum for multimeters, I posted a couple, but this one I would check out as it has good specs, and is CHEAP.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/DM700-9999-Counts-Auto-Pocket-Mini-Portable-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter-Tester/173131481969?hash=item284f70c371:g:eoEAAOSwIaFZEXl7
They also have an infrared non-contact gun for temperature checking your cylinders, for $10.50.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/173131481907
Charlie

thanks. I did check that thread. I'll assume sure to subscribe. lol, you're quite the bargain shopper, just like me, but for this purchase I'm prepared to spend a bit but I'm seeing it doesn't really cost much to get all the features you want but in separate tools where I'd rather consolidate as much as possible. If, and I won't be ordering from China or overseas as it takes up to two months sometimes. I'm in US, SWFL to be exact.

I'm seriously considering this one :

INNOVA 3340 Automotive Digital Multimeter (10 MegOhm/UL) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KIMHRQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rqHEAbY4PZ486

[Yamahawk]

That's a nice multimeter, I would say go for it! Then, get some instruction as to how to use it correctly, and you will be fine. If you live in SW Florida, there should be some forum members nearby that could give you some pointers, or some hands on instruction there. I hope that could happen.
Charlie

[juntjoo]

That's a nice multimeter, I would say go for it! Then, get some instruction as to how to use it correctly, and you will be fine. If you live in SW Florida, there should be some forum members nearby that could give you some pointers, or some hands on instruction there. I hope that could happen.
Charlie

thanks buddy. I've got this pride issue that keeps me from asking for help but I'll ask a million questions in the forums  but I do get a thrill of of doing something new mostly by myself. And even if it costs me more, that solo hands on experience ingrains deeper the lesson. That said, I do need to learn to outsource just in general

thanks, I'm gonna grab it now. I just needed a little push....

[FuZZie]

That's a nice multimeter, I would say go for it! Then, get some instruction as to how to use it correctly, and you will be fine. If you live in SW Florida, there should be some forum members nearby that could give you some pointers, or some hands on instruction there. I hope that could happen.
Charlie

thanks buddy. I've got this pride issue that keeps me from asking for help but I'll ask a million questions in the forums  but I do get a thrill of of doing something new mostly by myself. And even if it costs me more, that solo hands on experience ingrains deeper the lesson. That said, I do need to learn to outsource just in general

thanks, I'm gonna grab it now. I just needed a little push....

A good way to look at it as it's one of those tools you will never want to be without once you learn it.