Topic: Dixson Electronics Meter

[Johnie]

Got this meter at an estate sale no manual. Made at Dixson Inc. from Grand Junction, CO. Anyone know anything about this meter or used one? The guy was a vintage car buff and did a lot of work on old muscle cars. I hate to toss it if I can figure out how to work it. I did change the 2 AAA batteries but nothing working yet.

[Mark1976]

Ya need the leads that go with it.

[newday777]

Hopefully the batteries were not leaking.
Did you get the cables to hook it up?

[CycleRanger]

Neat, old-school analog.
Dixson or Dixco made a lot of dwell/tach meters back in the 70's and 80's.
I have one of the hand-held models.
Do a search by model number and you might be able to turn up a manual.

Yours looks like an older version of the Dixco 396.

[Johnie]

Yes, I do have the leads tucked in the back of the unit in the built in tray. Batteries were not corroded. I did not see a model number, but will check again. Maybe I will open it up as there possibly is a fuse in there. I had connected the red and black lead to the battery to see if I could get a reading but nothing. I will do some more digging...thx. Haven't tried Dixco yet but will.

[scottly]

Connect the two leads together, then select the ohms function: the needle should move to the right.

[Mark1976]

Connect the two leads together, then select the ohms function: the needle should move to the right.

Good place to start, then see if it'll zero out (calibrate).

[rocket johnny]

years ago i was a photographer for a division of dixon shooting box art .   i'm not sure if they still have a office here in town .  they made tons of gauges , tachs, timing lights , tune up equipment .  it was all good quality .

[HondaMan]

I have a similar (but other brand) dwell-tach meter. One thing that happens when they have been sitting unused for a long time is: the switch contacts grow a light form of corrosion on them) oxidation, actually) from moisture in the air. It can be removed in several ways: one way is to spray some contact cleaner into the backs of the switches and then work them a few dozen times (each). Sometimes merely operating them a few dozen times each will also bring them back to life. If you can find some LPS-1 and get a drop on each contact it will outlive you before it needs to be treated again.

Mine is a little easier to do this with: it has a single rotary switch instead of all the selector buttons.

[Johnie]

All good ideas! I connected the 2 leads and got nothing. I will go further and report back. Thanks for the feedback...

[CycleRanger]

If the unit contains capacitors they probably need replaced.

[Johnie]

If memory serves me the black component is the capacitor. Will need to see what it needs to read. Don’t see anything on it except #1022. Also 4 smaller ones.

[Johnie]

Did more cleanup on contacts and connected the black and red contacts together as scottly suggested. Selected ohms and needle moved to the right. Maybe I can save it after all. Really need to find a manual. Here’s a pic of the 3 leads. Not sure why the bar lead.

[scottly]

If memory serves me the black component is the capacitor.

Yes, the black part is an electrolytic capacitor, which is probably used for the dwell and/or tach function. The lead with the bar may be a shunt for the ammeter function? Was the bar mounted somewhere in the meter?   

[RAFster122s]

Electrolytic capacitors have a relatively short life. They often need replaced on older electronics. Just need to replace with same size and voltage rating, minding proper polarity.

[newday777]

If memory serves me the black component is the capacitor.

Yes, the black part is an electrolytic capacitor, which is probably used for the dwell and/or tach function. The lead with the bar may be a shunt for the ammeter function? Was the bar mounted somewhere in the meter?

The bar lead is for an amp reading, it mounts to the battery and the battery cable to get the reading. I'm thinking the post on the right is threaded for a but to clamp the positive cable to??

[newday777]

I stopped by my friend's shop, the old Norton dealer to help him get his small automobile lift moved over behind his Citroen and get the car up on the lift and remembered that he had a Sears Penske Automotive Tune up Test Meter.
It has a large Ampmeter test bar to clamp on a car battery post and cable in with the cables in the back compartment.

[Johnie]

Scottly the bar was not mounted on the meter. Just tucked in the holding area for the leads and cables.

[newday777]

Scottly the bar was not mounted on the meter. Just tucked in the holding area for the leads and cables.

The notch clamps on the battery positive post, the positive cable clamps on the bar post(is it threaded??) with a nut.

[scottly]

Scottly the bar was not mounted on the meter. Just tucked in the holding area for the leads and cables.

The notch clamps on the battery positive post, the positive cable clamps on the bar post(is it threaded??) with a nut.

It just dawned on me that the shunt is for measuring the current from a car's generator/alternator. The notched end goes on the gen/alt stud, and the wire from the gen/alt connects to the threaded post.

[CycleRanger]

If memory serves me the black component is the capacitor. Will need to see what it needs to read. Don’t see anything on it except #1022. Also 4 smaller ones.

That big black cap doesn't look bad, not leaking, bulging, but it could still be dried out.
Or it might be just fine. Can't tell.
It kind of looks like one the resistors is damaged? Maybe got hot?

[Johnie]

I have it all back together now and it is working. I just need to get a manual.