I have just gone self employed as a mobile mechanic and I am currently broke! I do however NEED a scope, catch 22 I havent got the money to buy one, but cant earn the money without one! I know how to use a scope for what I need to do with it, but do not understand the technical jargon. In simple terms will the ADC-40 scope surfice to get me off the ground? Basicly I need it primerally to plot patterns mostly between 5 and 15 volts on a timebase from 5ms up to a second. Also would an accidental spike up to 200volts from a faulty unit damage the equipment beyond repair?
The ADC-40 cannot take a 15V input - it can only take ±5V. However if you wanted to use a X10 probe then this would be ok. A voltage spike of 200V would certainly damage the unit though and quite possibly the computer. If this spike is possible then you would need an isolating probe to prevent damage.
The ADC-40 should be fine for the timebases that you want to look at. The unit has a 20kS/s maximum sampling rate and the smallest timebase in the software for this unit is 500us per div.
If this spike is possible then you would need an isolating probe to prevent damage.
Best Regards
Thanks for your response, this certainly does help. Could you however point me in the direction of an isolating probe on your website? I have looked under http://accessories.picotech.com/oscillo ... robes.html and can see no mention of isolating probes. Perhaps I am being stupid.
Thank you very much for all your help. Sadly at this young stage in my business I cannot afford the probe you are talking about so I will have to keep a look out for a cheap basic (perhaps second hand) scope elsewhere. This is not however the last you have heard of me. When the company has generated some revenue I will be back in touch to purchase the automotive scope kit.
It's good that you wait until you can get one of the automotive kits. That is what you need. The ADC 40 is not suited to automotive use for many reasons.
If you are in the US, feel free to contact me. I may be able to help.
Tom Roberts
(The Picotologist) http://www.autonerdz.com
skype: autonerdz
THE PicoScope Automotive Authority
In North America
Autonerdz wrote:If you are in the US, feel free to contact me. I may be able to help.
Thanks Autonerdz, sadly I am not in the US I am in the UK. Have just bought a second hand hand held scope off my old boss (who has just upgraded to pico) for £30. This will get me started until I can afford what I really want.