Tool Question (no, not what does 46 & 2 mean) Remote Tachometer

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

...The Sperry Meter. Nice BUT.......mine came with a black glob in the display. Dangit.

" I'll drop another one in the mail ASAP". Less than five minutes after I hung up I get an email notice that one was already marked for shipping...

Wow, what great customer support! I'll be sure to remember those guys.

*Sometimes* you can revive the "liquid crystals" in a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
If you rub the area over the dark blob, as though you were working the bubbles out from under a decal, the display may heal. Doesn't always work, but it'll keep you occupied and out of trouble for awhile...

 

[Gordon in nc]

You know, I felt sorta bad about even calling. I told the fellow I could still read the numbers. Unless they went into the thousands the glob is out of the way. I figure even if the fellow only has a dollar in each one of these he's still not making a killing on them. But I figured what the heck I'd give them a call and see. I was willing to ship it back to them.

It's nice that there are still people out there that run their business like that......I won't forget it any time soon.

2M, I'll give that a try. I went around last night and compared DC readings with my other (read, even cheaper) meter. I'm going to see what the remote tach reads when I get that carb back together and then try the Sperry to see if I can figure out how to use it for RPM (and take some of the math out of it). Id like to try the tach on the XS but I loaned it to my brother..........then got a text from him yesterday that mentioned "his XS" ???????????????????????? He's got a bad habit of doing that.......little brothers can be a pain.

Okay fellows.......there's a chill in the air here in NC this morning. Perfect riding weather for an air cooled engine.

Take care, be safe and have fun......Gordon in NC

 

[weekendrider]

Has anyone else noticed a difference like this? Not sure I want to trust this meter. Both are checking the same battery.

To double check the old Sperry and a Habor Freight freebie.

 

[Gordon in nc]

Ouch!!! I've been too busy to mess with the motorcycles this week or last. But I did get my replacment meter and I'll give it a try and report back tonight. I did check the first one with one of my other meters (I had two already but neither one is something to brag about) and they were only off by hundreds when checking battery voltage.

I'll borrow a GOOD meter from one of the electricians here at work and compare it to the ones I have at home and report back.

So that will be five different meters measuring the same battery......should be an interesting adventure. I guess I could measure the output on one of my battery tenders???? I would think that voltage would/should remain stable?????

Gordon in NC

 

[weekendrider]

Mornin Gordon, this is the first time I've used it to check anything other than ohm some rotors and I felt comfortable with those readings. I was wanting to check generator output of a motor I have no experience with. When it said the battery had 17-18 volts I had to say . . . . Huh? Dug out the older Sperry to compare.
The second picture is after some running/checking was done so it shows the higher voltage.

 

[robinc]

Just took it out of the package, put in a new battery and hooked up to my trolling motor battery that needs a charge.

Guess we're going to find out who all bought one of these. Lol.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Has anyone else noticed a difference like this? Not sure I want to trust this meter...

Excellent catch there, WER! So, I drag out some meters, a calibrated power supply, and a battery. Hook 'em up, sure 'nuff, the Sperry is quite a ways off:

But, not to worry. This is a good meter. It's just been setting in a box for almost 20 years. The Sperry meter comes from that 'twiddly' time where gadgets had inner calibration adjustments, and I'll show you how to calibrate the voltage reading.

Open the meter, and find the 3 potentiometers (trim pots), each with a screwdriver slot. Using a fine-tip felt pen, make tiny marks on the trimpot cases that align with the existing positions of the trimpots screws.

Now, rotate each trimpot about +/- 45°. You'll hear/feel a slight 'snap' as the trimpot wiper breaks loose from its 20-year-old home. This fore/aft rotation will freshen the wiper contacts, essentially renewing the calibrations. Return each trimpot precisely to its original position, using the aforementioned pen marks as guides.

Now, retest the meter, leaving the unit open. The upper/right trimpot in this pic is the voltage adjust. Tweak it to whatever reading you desire. In this pic, you can see that I've adjusted mine a little counter-clockwise.

Here's the result of my recalibration. The Sperry ADM-18A is to the lower/left.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

On a similar note, I compared my air gauges a few years ago. The top gauges are all within 2psi, the middle three are about 5psi off, the bottom one failed.

 

[5twins]

Thank you for this 2M. I checked my Sperry and it's a couple volts off too. I was starting to feel bad that I recommended this unit only to have it turn out to be crap, lol. Glad to hear it can be fixed. By the way, how did you know which one to adjust? And do you happen to know what the other two are for?

 

[weekendrider]

Thanks from mizery 2M. I'll see if I can finger this out. If I get down there sometime supper is on me!

 

[mrtwowheel]

Wow, Wow, Wow 2M , great test and fix !!!!!!! I'm impressed with the readings on those three little digital meters at the bottom of the picture. I have three of those on three different bikes, they're easy to make custom bracket/tabs for with ABS glue and ABS plastic, aka, recycled TV cases.

Scott

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

"Everybody gets one" _____Spiderman

...By the way, how did you know which one to adjust? And do you happen to know what the other two are for?

I took a course in "By guess by golly".

Tweak a pot 'till something happens. If not, put it back the way it was.

When the next round tuit arrives, I'll see whut the other pots do.
I'd expect one of them to adjust resistance reading. If so, that'd be a handy way to 'zero' that function...

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

...If I get down there sometime supper is on me!

Oh, yeah, you're on!

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

... I'm impressed with the readings on those three little digital meters at the bottom of the picture. I have three of those on three different bikes, they're easy to make custom bracket/tabs for with ABS glue and ABS plastic, aka, recycled TV cases...

Haha, another "cheep gadget" freak...

 

[weekendrider]

2M does the adjustment need to be done with a plastic screwdriver? You didn't say so I'm assuming no. But . . . .

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

No, I just used a small metal screwdriver. You can use plastic if you want, but not necessary on these low-voltage gadgets...

 

[Gordon in nc]

Holy CRAP!!!!!!! I get home late and run down to the shop to take some photos and come back up here to find out it's been sorted.........2M you get a BIG ATA BOY!!!!!!! for that my friend.

But what the heck......I went to the trouble so I'll share my results any way.

The battery.....

It's on a tender so I figure it'd stay at one votage. Lord knows I haven't got a power supply like 2M has.....I'm impressed.

First reading......cheapo Radio Shack. I carry this one in the XS's tool kit to mainly test for continuity if need be and for the battery so it doesn't need to be high tech.....since I'm certainly not. Looks to be close to 14 volts (it's on the 50 scale)

Second reading (the meter I use the most and stays in the shop). Still a cheapo tool.

Third reading.....the "glob" Sperry

And the last reading from the replacement Sperry......I swear.....it was bouncing back and forth between 13.37 and 13.38 but I couldn't catch it at .37 for the camera.

Sooooooo I figure I'm okay as far as DC voltage goes????

Since WER asked 877-967-1904 was the number I dialed.

I think 5twins reputation is still intact.......and 2M never ceases to amaze me.

Take care.......Gordon member of the yellow meter gang

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Gordon, it looks like we have the same drill press vise, the $9 special. Good that your meters read correctly. I think that the only things in that 'glob' area are the 'minus' sign and a 'low battery' indicator.

Haha, "Yellow meter gang"...

 

[Gordon in nc]

2M....I couldn't get by without my drill press and yes that's one of those cheapo vises.....that and a hand full of small C-clamps and Bob's yer uncle.

I'm going to borrow a meter from one of the PRO's at work tomorrow and see how my readings compare to it.

Later.......Gordon in NC

 

[mrtwowheel]

Yellow meter OHM tests? Clean the probes, touch them together, should be close to 0 on the meter, right?

How to calibrate RPM? Now, that's a tuffy.

Scott