Looking for comments on this, Condenser Tester?

[Paul Sutton]

Now back to that Fluke meter. I have used the Hz setting successfully to check the rpm on my lathe by sticking a magnet on the chuck and using the coil from a relay as the pickup. What would I have to do to use the Hz setting as a tachometer for the bike for tuning? Pehaps connect a probe to one AC alternator wire and divide the reading by 3??? Maybe connect to the coil to count pulses???

Geek Lives Matter

 

[MaxPete]

Now back to that Fluke meter. I have used the Hz setting successfully to check the rpm on my lathe by sticking a magnet on the chuck and using the coil from a relay as the pickup. What would I have to do to use the Hz setting as a tachometer for the bike for tuning? Pehaps connect a probe to one AC alternator wire and divide the reading by 3??? Maybe connect to the coil to count pulses???

Geek Lives Matter

...and if that shipment of dilithium crystals comes in, you can get the warp drive fixed and get the heck out of here - or at least slink away on impulse power!

 

[kshansen]

This is one of the things I love about this group of people all you need to do is post some abstract idea from a chainsaw forum and now you have someone adapting a frequency meter to an alternator to check the accuracy of the mechanical tack on a 40 year old motorcycle!

Oh! and some Canadian trying to repair his warp drive to escape the virus!

 

[Paul Sutton]

MaxPete, I have already tried to remodulate the phasers without success.

 

[Jim]

Maybe connect to the coil to count pulses???

Try wrapping a wire around the ht lead a half dozen times or so.... see if the induction is enough for the fluke to read. Inquiring minds want to know...

 

[MaxPete]

MaxPete, I have already tried to remodulate the phasers without success.

DANG! I hate it when that happens...

 

[Paul Sutton]

For all those desperate to know, the Hz function can be used as a tachometer.

My Virago does not have a dual spark coil so each coil fires every 2 revolutions of the crank. Taking Jim's suggestion I wrapped 4 and 1/2 turns around the right side spark plug lead using a scrap of enamelled wire and connected both the black and red meter leads. With the bike running at 1000 rpm, according to the tacho, I had very unstable readings that made no sense. By connecting only the black or only the red lead the reading had improved stability with 500 - 700 Hz (x2 gives 1000 -1400 rpm). I increased the idle to 2200 rpm according to the tachometer and the meter was very stable with 1200 Hz (2x gives 2400 rpm).

I conclude that with a dual spark coil the Hz function should give stable readings at idle for the XS650.

Confession time: My meter is a £14 Chinese copy.