Handheld Digital Oscilloscopes

About Handheld Digital Oscilloscopes

Hand-held oscilloscopes are ideal for field work where a larger bench oscilloscope would not be practical. Many portable oscilloscopes are battery-powered but extremely powerful in functionality. They use digital oscilloscope technology to bring the power of the laboratory straight to the engine of a car or an electrical system where an oscilloscope and scope probes are ideal for "seeing" a problem that something like a voltmeter can only indicate.

Depending on the model, industrial scopes can be applied to numerous automotive test and analysis tasks, such as:

• Oxygen Sensor: Track the signal rise and fall time as well as the minimum and maximum peak voltage values the sensor generates as the fuel system transitions from rich to lean and back to rich.
• TPS: Throttle Position Sensor voltage variations as the wiper in the sensor moves across the carbon track resistor, changing resistance and output voltage.
• Magnetic Sensors: Monitor the AC voltage signal as the change in amplitude and frequency varies with trigger timing.
• Hall Effect Sensor: Monitor the DC voltage variations in the signal affecting frequency and signal quality.
• Data Stream and/or CAN Bus Activity: Display and record the activity found on the active data stream, identifying the presence of a communication protocol.
• Fuel Injectors and Fuel Pumps: Use as a current clamp to monitor the current ramping of the fuel injector signifying the pulse width injection timing in response to PCM fuel control. Use the current clamp to identify an open or shorted commutator segment on the rotor of a fuel pump, worn brushes, and/or seizing bushings causing an excessive current flow.
• Ignition System Performance: Display or record the high secondary voltage values to the spark plugs using a capacitive pickup or the lower primary voltage to the negative side of the coil.
• Voltage Drop: Quickly identify a high resistance connection on the power or ground side of a circuit by monitoring the DC offset values in a waveform.
• Relay and Contacts: Identify worn relay or switch contacts and any bounce in relay contacts as the relay closes.
• Recording Over Time: Use the advanced acquisition and recording features found on the ScopeMeter to acquire, store, share and recall the waveforms and setups with other users - even miles away.