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Paper-ing my Stator: Or... Electricity confuses me

  • Thread starter Thread starter Roostabunny
  • Start date Start date
koolaid_kid said:
AFA the VAC, posplayr is the best to answer that. But as to the other, I have used that meter (I have a couple right here, actually) and at the low impedance readings I have found it very inaccurate.
Click to expand...

A $4 meter is going to be pretty crappy, but with it you can't do better than the 200 VAC scale. So calibrate it against a house outlet and make your assessment of your GS reading based on that.
 
koolaid_kid said:
And if you still have that Craftsman laying around, you might try replacing the fuse.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I damaged it more completely than that. There was smoke, and melting plastic. Pretty sure I tried to measure battery voltage with the red lead plugged into the current terminal. There was some charring and physical damage to the PCB including at least one separated solder joint.

So I'm in a bind. I can't exactly say - "of course I checked the fuse before I bought a new meter, I'm not an idiot", because that "not an idiot" part is still in committee to possibly be replaced with something like "and I'm lucky to be alive" or "also I'm a Darwin Award finalist". ;)
 
I've fried a few meters myself (Did you ever wonder what the voltage was on a bug zapper ?). It's hard to read 1 ohm , but all my cheapie Craftsmans managed to, even thought none zeroed out touching probes together. They usually are on sale for about $20
 
tom203 said:
I've fried a few meters myself (Did you ever wonder what the voltage was on a bug zapper ?). It's hard to read 1 ohm , but all my cheapie Craftsmans managed to, even thought none zeroed out touching probes together. They usually are on sale for about $20
Click to expand...

meters usually have a fuse inside so that they are protected.
 
Roostabunny said:
So is the 200 ohm setting good given a proper meter - should that setting give me the baseline of 0 ohms when I short the leads?

And is the 200VAC setting still OK for 5K Leg-->Leg and Leg-->ground tests?
Click to expand...

Yes, and yes. As mentioned earlier, use that 200VAC setting to check line voltage, just to see if the results are reasonable. 110 - 125, maybe.
 
Well, it depends on what you did. If it was an EXTREMELY high current extremely fast, the fuse won't have time to melt and you will let the smoke out, as you found out.
 
OK got the new meter and it won't power up properly - specifically it'll power up until I try to screw the battery lid back on, then it blanks out. Any pressure on the plastic under the battery (including pressure from the battery itself) sends it all wonky.

*sigh*

This past week I got an order from Amazon where one product was not the thing I ordered and the other quit working after about an hour (sending both back). Meanwhile my phone spontaneously lost the ability to send/receive data (that, I was able to fix).

Anyway, first world problems, I know, but it's just been one of those weeks.

But onward! I'll call the 800 help number that came with the meter and meanwhile I've got a buddy at work who probably has 10 high-end multi-meters at work (and a 12V charger that's come in useful the last couple of weeks) and will probably want to come outside and help me test it. I'll get it measured eventually and post back.
 
Just take it back to Sears and get another- these things don't have deluxe quality control (they rely on end user to test, i.e. you). but do read the manual before using.
 
tom203 said:
Just take it back to Sears and get another- these things don't have deluxe quality control (they rely on end user to test, i.e. you). but do read the manual before using.
Click to expand...

There was a little slip of paper in the package with an 800 number and big bold letters that said something like "if this meter doesn't work DON'T BRING IT BACK TO THE STORE. Call this number instead."

I ended up with a friendly and reasonable tech support person, who, once he heard what I was experiencing said, "yeah, bring it back to the store". When I asked about the little slip of paper he told me that was there because they discovered that about 90%+ of returns were due to user error. :)

Of course, when I returned it to Sears, they had no more in stock. :rolleyes:

So thanks to my Prime membership, Amazon will now deliver one to me overnight for $1 less delivered than I paid in the Sears store. Oh the perils of cheapskatery!
 
Got the new Craftsman meter from Amazon yesterday and huzzah! It works properly!

Will take new measurements over the weekend - tonight if I can manage it. I so wish I had a garage at times like this. Light 24x7, outlets, maybe even air conditioning. :)

Edit: BTW, when I touched the leads on the 200 Ohm setting I got down around .2 ohms. Does that mean I can mentally calibrate and subtract .2 from readings in this range?
 
Last edited:
Roostabunny said:
BTW, when I touched the leads on the 200 Ohm setting I got down around .2 ohms. Does that mean I can mentally calibrate and subtract .2 from readings in this range?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can. As a matter of fact, it is recommended that you do that quick test just about every time you get ready to use the meter to do a bunch of resistance tests. Not for every single measurement, mind you, but once for every session.

One, it will tell you that your leads are good.
Two, it will remind you that even your leads have a bit of resistance.
Three, it makes you look like you know what you are doing, if someone is looking over your shoulder.

Also note that it does not mean that your meter is faulty or inaccurate. My meter was calibrated just last month (5/9), and it also shows 0.2 ohms when I cross the leads. :D

.
 
Steve said:
Yes, you can. As a matter of fact, it is recommended that you do that quick test just about every time you get ready to use the meter to do a bunch of resistance tests. Not for every single measurement, mind you, but once for every session.

One, it will tell you that your leads are good.
Two, it will remind you that even your leads have a bit of resistance.
Three, it makes you look like you know what you are doing, if someone is looking over your shoulder.

Also note that it does not mean that your meter is faulty or inaccurate. My meter was calibrated just last month (5/9), and it also shows 0.2 ohms when I cross the leads. :D

.
Click to expand...

And the old analog meters had a zero adjust

My Fluke 75 has an auto ranging and manual ranging. Not sure how that affect the zero calibration on the ohm meter
 
OK, results of passive resistance and 5K RPM voltage tests are in. I'm glad I've got a new Rick's stator standing by.

Passive:
Baseline resistance (leads shorted): 0.3

Leg-->Leg
0.6
0.8
0.8

Leg-->ground
0.5
0.6
0.8

VAC at 5K RPM

Leg-->Leg
60
60
15

Leg-->ground
7
9
60

I'm not sure whether the 7 and 9 VAC measurements are within the meter error or not, but that 60VAC leg-->ground (and 15VAC across the legs) doesn't look good.

I gave up on the stripper/crimper frustration tool and bought myself a real crimper (no, not the Klein one, but a dedicated forged plier style like the Klein at half the price) and some better connectors, so I'm ready to dig in and replace the stator, but I'll give the bike a while to cool off if you want to say "STOP THE PRESSES!"
 
Side note, my plan for the moment is to:

Keep the bike on its center stand
Tip it to the right
Slip a 3" wood block under the left-side center stand foot

If memory serves, this will let me take that cover off without invoking memories of the Exxon Valdez.
 
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