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After using any test equipment, I simply remove the batteries and return them to the caddy. No more frustration with dead batteries and I save a little money, too.
That's a good idea! I like the home made caddy too!
Picture this scenario, all too common: You're doing some electrical troubleshooting, but need to find a good power supply and ground. You get out your trusty meter and start prodding wires under the dash. For an accurate reading, you need a good ground for the meter to be sure. Is this screw head grounded? Or does it go into plastic? Before you know it, you're using foul language you didn't even know existed, wishing you had a simple place to access a known good ground and power supply.
You simply plug it into the cigarette lighter socket. The bulb in the middle illuminates to confirm power and ground are present. Then you connect your meter leads to the brass posts and you're in business:
Lisle 32150
As slick as the concept may be, I noticed a couple of problems the first time I used it. Like anything plugged into a lighter socket, the connection can be a bit iffy. If you bump it while connecting the leads, or tug on it while moving your meter, you can easily lose the connection. The other problem is access is poor on a Ford truck, as the socket is partially recessed. I managed to get my meter leads in there on my truck, but unfortunately this tool won't work with my car because of some adjacent trim.
Here's a view of the Lisle 32150 in use on my truck. Note the light confirming a good power and ground connection:
So I gets to thinking. What if I could make a remote version, kind of like an extension cord? Here's what I made:
The starting point was a cigarette lighter socket extension cord:
If you wanted a very simple version, with no fabrication required, just plug the Lisle 32150 into the end of the extension cord and you'd be ready to go. However, I preferred female banana sockets (watch it!) for ease of use with my various test leads. I cut off the female socket from the extension cord and installed these instead:
The male plug end has a small LED to show when power and ground are present. It's not quite as easy to see as the incandescent bulb on the Lisle 32150, but it still does the job:
One nice feature of any plug like this is an internal fuse. Even though the vehicle's wiring to the socket should already be fused, this extra fuse makes it a belt and suspenders approach:
And the moment we've all been waiting for, the completed power/ground extension cord in use. Note how I've connected the meter lead alligator clips directly into the banana plug sockets:
In use, this little device is slicker than snot. I made my version 4 feet long, just enough to reach either side window. This lets me also use it for work under the hood. And best of all, once connected to the vehicle's power and ground, I set a weight on the cord to keep the male plug from getting bumped and breaking the connections.
BK Precision 100 mHZ Duel Trace Scope Pair Fluke 77III, Fluke 1577 Insulation Meter Fluke 322 Clamp Meter, Fluke 61 Infrared Thermometer,Fluke meter probe set
This is what I carry most days, the automotive stuff is at the shop
I picked up an original roll-top case for my Simpson 260:
It's shown in mid-travel, to give you an idea how it works. I don't why, but I always thought these cases were the cat's meow. I picked it up used on eBay. The meter that came with it was trashed. Looks like it had been in storage that got flooded, so all of the innards were heavily corroded. I removed the case, cleaned it up, and transferred it to my good meter. Everything tested good.
While I was busy patting myself on the back, I made a fatal mistake. To clean up some dust on the outside of the meter, I hit the glass LIGHTLY with an air hose. The needle jumped to about 1/3 travel and stuck there. No idea why, but I guess the physical shock killed the needle mechanism. Nothing I tried could bring it back to life. I was quite surprised, as I've dropped similar models (at work) with no ill effects. Talk about disappointment!
Back to eBay, looking for meter parts. I picked up another complete meter, advertised as non-working. But when it arrived, it was too nice to part out. (Sound familiar?) All it needed was to clean up some corrosion from a leaky battery. Back to eBay, and I did find another trashed unit with a good needle mechanism, so my original meter is good as new now. But, um, well, you know how eBay is. One thing led to another, and before I knew what happened...
I don't really plan to use it, but made the purchase just because it seemed kinda cool. Then the coolness factor increased at least tenfold when I found this calibration sticker on the side:
NASA is easy enough. But what's KSC? Kentucky Steamed Chicken? It wasn't until I googled NASA KSC that my jaw dropped. That's the Kennedy Space Center. Check out the calibration date of 29 OCT 1969! This doohickey was in use during the Apollo launches! No idea exactly where, but ain't that something?
I certainly agree. Everybody who has seen it has stood there in awe. Our tooling guy just about wet himself. My boss squinted intently, held it up to the light, and proclaimed it was used for taking Neil Armstrong's temperature just before liftoff.
For all I know, this was used in some mundane setting, such as checking the HVAC in office buildings. Maybe it was used in the space center's sewage treatment plant. But I like my boss's theory best of all.
You know the tool is only as good as the tool person using it.
For me that tablet checking AC means nothing as I have not been shown what that means when looking at it if it is good or bad
Well maybe I was shown back 100 yeas ago in high school when scopes were used all the time.
I do like that NASA KSC tool that is cool
Dave ----
You know the tool is only as good as the person using it.
Well, if that is so, that makes the scope amazing, stupendous, brilliant, and good-looking. I'll have to go check, but I bet it even smells nice.
Originally Posted by FuzzFace2
For me that tablet checking AC means nothing as I have not been shown what that means when looking at it if it is good or bad
No published specs I've seen for my car, but general guides suggest anywhere from 50 to 500 millivolts AC max. I was replacing the battery for age (7 years) so took some before and after readings for giggles. I had 433 with the old, 180 with the new. Was/is bad? Depends which guide I used. Regardless, I definitely saw an improvement. The battery acts as a giant capacitor to reduce normal AC ripple, and that ability decreases as the battery gets older.
08-06-2018, 08:08 AM
