New To Pico needing advice on what kit to buy

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robertsonautorepairs
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New To Pico needing advice on what kit to buy

Post by robertsonautorepairs »

Hi guys how are you all. Im wanting to buy a Pico scope but not sure what's best to buy. Im a ex BMW tech and have used there scope for years but I'm now setting up on my own and I want a scope that will be best for fixing vehicle electrical faults such as battery drains. Sensor and actuator fault finding. And also injector diesel and petrol testing and ignition coils. I'd prefer 4 channel then 2 and I know Pico offer different kits. What's the best kit to buy?
Kind regards
Phil

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STC
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Re: New To Pico needing advice on what kit to buy

Post by STC »

I'd prefer 4 channel then 2
That is the most important decision you need to make because it is the only one you cannot easily change in the future. You have used a scope before so you will know the advantages of 4 channels over two.

As for which kit then it is not easy to predict what cars and faults will come through your door.
fixing vehicle electrical faults such as battery drains. Sensor and actuator fault finding. And also injector diesel and petrol testing and ignition coils.
Basically what I and others rely on the Pico for. I have listed the accessories below that I use. Most frequently used first

Every day stuff.
Amp Clamps 2 small for everything and the larger one for Cranking Amps.
Breakout leads make life easier and saves cutting and soldering wires.
A Pressure Transducer or 2 (eg WPS500 kit) is the daddy if you want to see things others just cannot hope to.
HT lead extensions.

I have had the benefit of a Pico for some years now so have reasonable experience and the benefit of hindsight.

I would start with the WPS500x and then add to that the best kit (Standard, Advanced or Master (which includes the WPS) ) that your budget allows.
Should you choose just the standard , have no fear, you are already miles ahead of most of your competitors. You can the add accessories as demand dictates. In this day and age you pay today and it lands on your doorstep tomorrow.

I don't gain in any\way from any sale Pico make, quite the opposite, every time a competitor buys one and learns to use it I lose his work.

I cannot stress the Pressure Transducer enough. Just imagine having a hangover or a headache one Monday morning and faced with a car where you suspect compression issues.
In your BMW world it can be manifold off to remove a glowplug. Now you can disable start, and get a relative compression result from exhaust pulses.
Alternatively the Pico is fast enough to get that for you from a MAF, MAP or Crank Sensor. Start enabled you can achieve Cylinder balance.

I could go on!

Good luck in your new venture

robertsonautorepairs
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Re: New To Pico needing advice on what kit to buy

Post by robertsonautorepairs »

Thanks for the great reply. I'm about to order but my next thought is tablet or laptop any recommendations and pitfalls in a tablet I understand it has to be a Windows tablet I want a simple neat set up plus with my other diagnostic equipment easy to remove to take home on an evening.

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Re: New To Pico needing advice on what kit to buy

Post by STC »

but my next thought is tablet or laptop any recommendations and pitfalls in a tablet
That is a big question !!! and subject to your preference and set up.

Here is what I have found works best for me. Bear in mind that I do not have a workshop, I work out of a van.

I hate all things "touchscreen" but that is a personal thing. I just cant see the sense in it, they are forcing me to put greasy fingerprints onto a screen that I need to see clearly, as for the stylus or touch pens - they are designed to be lost when you need them most. Having them dangling on a string is a backward step. (mittens at school)

I have 3 Panasonic Toughbooks CF52 i5 Processor And I love them. (Reasonable from Ebay)

I like that the Hard Drive Caddy is external and be swapped in seconds, it is like having 10 / 15 laptops available to me in many combinations.
I like to keep different bits of software separate from each other to minimise conflict, plus if one dies - its just one.

I don't like the idea of switching between scope and scantool on the same screen, far better kept separate, for example, actuating a component and recording the result with an amp clamp.

Food for thought !

Get the Pico delivered, up and running. The rest will follow with some trial and error.

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