Getting to grips with the automotive kit...

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Pooh

Getting to grips with the automotive kit...

Post by Pooh »

Hi there,

I have just started to find my way around my new automotive kit. The software has installed fine (version 5.09.5 as supplied with the scope), and I can get it to do what I want (in general).

My question relates to the use of the automotive drop down menu. I seem to get some strange settings, what am I doing wrong?

When I select the relative compression settings drop down menu, it tells me in the IE help window to fix the 600A current probe to suitable leads. I’m happy so far. I close the IE help window and see that the scope has been configured to the 20A scale. I can re-set it but isn’t the point of the drop down menus to set it to something suitable? I have had the wrong range selected from other drop downs this is the only one I noted.

If I choose the primary ignition drop down, I can set the –100 to 400V range. If I then choose the primary vs secondary drop down menu, the –100 to 400V range is no longer available. Why?

When does the max samples per scope trace get re-set? I frequently set it to 32000 and when I loose the detail of high speed events having taken various measurements, it is often 2500.

Charging current: I was happily measuring 11.9A load plus a bit of noise on the 20A range. I believe this so far. I changed the probe range to 60A, and also changed the scope range to 60A. I was reading 0A flat (I didn’t move the probe or turn any load off etc).

Have I not configured something correctly?

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ricardo
OneWave
OneWave
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed May 07, 2003 9:43 am

Post by ricardo »

Hi Pooh,

First of all, the built in ranges can be fully customised. You can add, remove and modify any ranges. These ranges are saved in a settings file (.PSS), and they are also saved with every waveform file (.PSD) that you create.

The automotive dropdown menu (which you can also customise) opens saved waveforms (.PSD files). When the wavefrom file is opened the ranges from that file get loaded, overwriting the existing ones. The huge library of waveforms in PicoScope were saved by many different people, each one with their own set of ranges, so thats why when you open different files you may get slightly different ranges loaded (e.g. -50-400V instead of -100-400V). We are working on recapturing all the waveforms with a common set of ranges, but this is going to take a while...

With regards to the wrong range being selected, I cannot explain why that is happening. I have tested it on my PC with PicoScope 5.09.5 and the relative compression waveforms always open with the 600A range selected?! The only way i can think that the wrong ranges could get loaded was if you were using an ADC212/50 or 100 instead of the ADC212/3 that normally comes with the kit. You can check the back of your scope to see what model it is. If you find that yours is not an ADC212/3, before you complain check the prices of the other scopes... :D

The 'max samples per scope trace' will revert to the default value of 2500 everytime you start PicoScope. If you want to change this default value you can do so in the .ini file as explained in the help manual (ini file settings section).

With the current clamps the trick is to zero them everytime you take a measurement, i.e. disconnect it, select the ranges, zero it and then reconnect it.
Ricardo Paloschi
Sales Engineer
Forum Moderator

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Autonerdz
TwoWaves
TwoWaves
Posts: 387
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2002 4:19 pm
Location: Washington State USA

Re: Getting to grips with the automotive kit...

Post by Autonerdz »

I might be able to answer some of this:
Pooh wrote:Hi there,

I have just started to find my way around my new automotive kit. The software has installed fine (version 5.09.5 as supplied with the scope), and I can get it to do what I want (in general).

Send me an email and I will send you a PicoScope Tips article you may fine helpful

My question relates to the use of the automotive drop down menu. I seem to get some strange settings, what am I doing wrong?

When I select the relative compression settings drop down menu, it tells me in the IE help window to fix the 600A current probe to suitable leads. I’m happy so far. I close the IE help window and see that the scope has been configured to the 20A scale. I can re-set it but isn’t the point of the drop down menus to set it to something suitable? I have had the wrong range selected from other drop downs this is the only one I noted.

I really have no idea here. That's not how my 5.09.5 works. Selecting that option from the PicoScope automotive drop down menu should pull up a sample wave in PicoScope and the scaling should be 0-600A.

If I choose the primary ignition drop down, I can set the –100 to 400V range. If I then choose the primary vs secondary drop down menu, the –100 to 400V range is no longer available. Why?

Because the custom ranges are stored in the recalled psd file. When you pull up a different saved capture you get a different set of ranges. When you select from the automotive drop down, it opens a psd file and sets up your PicoScope for that capture.

When does the max samples per scope trace get re-set? I frequently set it to 32000 and when I loose the detail of high speed events having taken various measurements, it is often 2500.

Same reason. This setting is stored in the psd file. When you load up a previous capture, you get the settings that were used for that capture. Just go back in and change it back. If you want PicoScope to start up with 32,000 samples (like I do) then configure and File/Save settings. This will load up the program configured that way. Still though, recalling a saved psd will reconfigure to that capture.

Charging current: I was happily measuring 11.9A load plus a bit of noise on the 20A range. I believe this so far. I changed the probe range to 60A, and also changed the scope range to 60A. I was reading 0A flat (I didn’t move the probe or turn any load off etc).

Make sure you are using the correct probe and setting for the range you select. Look in Settings/Custom ranges and open the range you want to use. Then compare to your probe settings. The 20A range is configured for 100mv per amp and the 60A range for 10mv per amp. The 600A range is configured for the high amp probe at 1mv per amp. If none of these ranges suit your needs then you can make one of your own :shock:

Not sure why you had zero amps in the 60A range. You should have had a match there. Some of those psd files from the drop down come up with the vertical zooms on. Make sure they are off to 1X and scroll the capture up and down to be sure you have the capture in view. The zooms are not reset when you change ranges. Also make sure the probe switch is fully switched and you have zeroed the probe after changing settings. Hope this helps.

:shock:


Have I not configured something correctly?
Tom Roberts
(The Picotologist)
Autonerdz

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