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Michael Wynn
Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 148
Location: San Ramon, CA
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 Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 1:35 pm Post subject: On the subject of checking voltage..... |
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I have been following the Schumaker thread with some interest. I bought one of the units and placed my batteries on it to keep them happy prior to install in the airplane.
It occurred to me that I ought to check the charging voltages. I plugged the unit it, made a harness to parallel the batteries and connected it up. It charged for about twenty minutes and then went into maintain mode. Seemed to be working exactly as advertised.
I have a really cheap voltmeter from somewhere. I don't really think I can trust its reading to be all that accurate. I also have an IM-18 VTVM from Heathkit. I used to work as a repairman for them, about four decades ago. Great instrument, but when I fired it up, it was not working. Maybe a bad tube. I am not sure I could get it calibrated anymore. Anyone with any experience with that unit?
If I wanted to buy a quality multi-tester, for the battery and other diagnostic uses, what would you suggest? What sort of price range do you need to spend to get a quality instrument?
Regards,
Michael Wynn
RV 8 Finishing
San Ramon, CA
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Michael Wynn
RV 8
San Ramon, CA |
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BobsV35B(at)aol.com
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| Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 4:09 pm Post subject: On the subject of checking voltage..... |
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Good Evening Michael
Buy a Fluke meter.
Something around sixty to seventy bucks should be a very good one, but I haven't purchased one in at least five years. Hopefully, someone else will have more recent information, but Fluke is the leader. If you are into nostalgia, Get a Simpson 260! <G>
Happy Skies,
Old Bob
AKA
Bob Siegfried
Downers Grove, IL
Stearman N3977A
LL22
In a message dated 3/25/2010 4:37:12 P.M. Central Daylight Time, MLWynn(at)aol.com writes:
| Quote: | I have been following the Schumaker thread with some interest. I bought one of the units and placed my batteries on it to keep them happy prior to install in the airplane.
It occurred to me that I ought to check the charging voltages. I plugged the unit it, made a harness to parallel the batteries and connected it up. It charged for about twenty minutes and then went into maintain mode. Seemed to be working exactly as advertised.
I have a really cheap voltmeter from somewhere. I don't really think I can trust its reading to be all that accurate. I also have an IM-18 VTVM from Heathkit. I used to work as a repairman for them, about four decades ago. Great instrument, but when I fired it up, it was not working. Maybe a bad tube. I am not sure I could get it calibrated anymore. Anyone with any experience with that unit?
If I wanted to buy a quality multi-tester, for the battery and other diagnostic uses, what would you suggest? What sort of price range do you need to spend to get a quality instrument?
Regards,
Michael Wynn
RV 8 Finishing
San Ramon, CA
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deej(at)deej.net
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| Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 4:51 pm Post subject: On the subject of checking voltage..... |
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On 3/25/2010 4:14 PM, MLWynn(at)aol.com wrote:
| Quote: | If I wanted to buy a quality multi-tester, for the battery and other
diagnostic uses, what would you suggest? What sort of price range do
you need to spend to get a quality instrument?
|
For basic battery tests and other simple diagnostics, about $3. These
work fine for pretty much any type of diagnostic test we would need to
do on our aircraft. I have about 4 of these kicking around in various
places, and they are as accurate as the more expensive one I bought some
20 years ago.
<http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98025>
-Dj
--
Dj Merrill - N1JOV
Glastar Sportsman 2+2 Builder #7118 N421DJ - http://deej.net/sportsman/
Grumman Yankee Driver N9870L - http://deej.net/yankee/
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tim2542(at)sbcglobal.net
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| Posted: Thu Mar 25, 2010 5:14 pm Post subject: On the subject of checking voltage..... |
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You cant go wrong with a Fluke, the 88 automotive model is a good bet but they make dozens of good quality meters.
Tim A
From: "MLWynn(at)aol.com" <MLWynn(at)aol.com>
To: aeroelectric-list(at)matronics.com
Sent: Thu, March 25, 2010 1:14:38 PM
Subject: On the subject of checking voltage.....
I have been following the Schumaker thread with some interest. I bought one of the units and placed my batteries on it to keep them happy prior to install in the airplane.
It occurred to me that I ought to check the charging voltages. I plugged the unit it, made a harness to parallel the batteries and connected it up. It charged for about twenty minutes and then went into maintain mode. Seemed to be working exactly as advertised.
I have a really cheap voltmeter from somewhere. I don't really think I can trust its reading to be all that accurate. I also have an IM-18 VTVM from Heathkit. I used to work as a repairman for them, about four decades ago. Great instrument, but when I fired it up, it was not working. Maybe a bad tube. I am not sure I could get it calibrated anymore. Anyone with any experience with that unit?
If I wanted to buy a quality multi-tester, for the battery and other diagnostic uses, what would you suggest? What sort of price range do you need to spend to get a quality instrument?
Regards,
Michael Wynn
RV 8 Finishing
San Ramon, CA
[quote]cs.com/Navigator?AeroElectric-List" target=_blank rel=nofollow>http://wt; n" target=_blank rel=nofollow>http://www.matronics.com/contribution============
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ulflyer(at)verizon.net
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| Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:04 pm Post subject: On the subject of checking voltage..... |
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OK, today there just is no excuse for one not having a working DVM
(digital volt meter) that you can trust. Sears have several models,
they work well. can be ordered on-line. Watch for one of their tool
sales, they usually have one of the models marked down to about half
price, that $10-$15 bucks. Now you will also need a good battery for
it. They have some with auto shut off and also have one with a
tempature probe.
Harbor Frieght also has their cheap DVM as low as $3 at times - how
accurate I don't know but it's probably more than close enought for
what were working with, note uses more batteries, does not have auto shut off.
I guess you all can figure out how I know that.
jerb
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