Anyone using an oscilloscope?

[deltarider]

Just watched a Youtube vid that explained well (finally) what it in essence is and what one can do with it. The vid is British and a relief after watching US vids that usually show someone with a cap in front of a monstrous pick-up truck who adresses you with a lot of 'you guys', goes hysterical about his new toy and where you usually learn... nothing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEzkoF-gAn4 I wondered if any of you have experience with an affordable handheld automotive oscilloscope and if you find them useful for our bikes.

[Orcade-Ian]

I use an old Hameg scope for lots of electronic testing jobs but there are not a great lot of applications for classic bikes - apart from some of those he has outlined.  It is very useful on the fuel injected, electronic ignition bikes (my CBF 600SA). We used PICO data loggers when I was at the Spinal Unit for the electrical stimulation of paralysed muscles and they were very affordable and reliable - I'm sure things have moved on a piece since I left 15 years ago!

I use my laptop with an interface for watching in real time the engine management system on our MG RV8 (made before OBD diagnostics) and it's been a real help when there was a lambda fault.

I don't think it's worth buying an old scope but certainly would recommend a PICO type interface box for use with a laptop or tablet.

Ian

Forgot to say that with a PICO type interface connected to a laptop you can save events for later analysis or even send the files to someone who might figure out what your problem is if you are stumped.

[mike the bike]

I've not used a scope since I finished with fixing televisions. There was one at work on the shelf gathering dust.  I was tempted to nick it but I thought, Nah, no point.

[K2-K6]

This one I found interesting

https://youtu.be/PALjk13DDiQ

Clear representation of switching and spark form, duration etc.

[AshimotoK0]

I used to have all sorts of posh Tektronics, Telequipent, Iwatsu (Japanese digital storage cost a staggering  £8,500 in 1983 !!)  'scopes. Nowadays I just use a digital  portable storage one made in China by Owon ..cracking bit of battery/mains kit for about £300. I also bought a programmable Chinese arbritrary function generator made by RIGOL, which is absolutely stunning and cost about the same.

[K2-K6]

We were taught to use them at school,  also used at work for setting up various machines too. I'm not that skilled with them but have been extremely useful in cars for EFI systems, when you get very obscure faults people give up and just guess that the ECU is "faulty" without really understanding the true fault.  Whenever I've tested ECU output I've not found a faulty one, but many other minor things like sensors and control devices.

I'm intrigued by the spark length and form as displayed in those above currently,  it seems to have far more impact on combustion process than is initially viewed from what I'm finding.  Basically I  don't believe the " huge fat spark" is of any significance, but always forwarded as desirable.  Ultimately that's another thread really  though.

[K2-K6]

Orcadian,  is that "Roverguage" you are using for the following?

"I use my laptop with an interface for watching in real time the engine management system on our MG RV8 (made before OBD diagnostics) and it's been a real help when there was a lambda fault."

If so,  do you have any reliable lambda trim value percentage data for yours that you could post?

Many thanks.

[Orcade-Ian]

Hi K2,
Yes, the software is Rovergauge.  If you are familiar with it there is a bar graph for each lambda trim - left and right banks and at start up the system is open loop - no lambda values being used but at 75 degrees on water temp it goes into closed loop and uses the lambda value to adjust the fuel trim.  There is also a 'set key' for fuel trim in different markets.  You can see the bar graphs changing in real time as the ECU tries to keep the value close to 1.  Ours ran fine when cold but felt like someone had hold of the rear bumper as it warmed up!  At 3000rpm it goes back to open loop by design and it was off again like a scalded cat - very light car with a 3.9 V8 EFI motor!
I run rovergauge on my old Windows based laptop and can't remember if I can do a screen dump like I can with this ipad - someone might know.  The car is tucked away in the corner of the workshop at present so not possible to connect to the port on the car  but if you are in no rush I will certainly investigate when it takes to the road again in early Spring.
As you say - really the subject of another post or PM - I don't suppose it's a subject of interest to many!