Hey Bigjon. I would strongly recommend something like a Vantage scope and there is a whole Youtube section on how to use it with Scanner Danner. It is a little rough around the edges but you will see that the scope itself is very easy to use and will do everything you need it to do. When I was rebuilding, our equipment was pretty thorough as far as testing components before they were put together and generally the finished product reflected the care we took in selecting the parts that went into it. I never scoped any of our alternators and never had problems with ripple voltage (only using and AC voltmeter) but I think what you are doing is great. It is good to see someone trying to keep the business going as offshore and Big Box have made it difficult for people to survive in the industry. Buy your fast moving stuff and build the specialty stuff. That will keep you in business.
As for the scope, Vantage is easy to hook up, easy to use and will take a shop environment very easily. A benchtop oscilloscope looks nice but not practical for your purpose.
To answer your question about starters, absolutely. Motors of any type are easily diagnosed and you can store your waveforms for future reference with some scopes which is a great way to create a reference library.

Thanks for all the information.

I have worked in heavy engineering on 20 ton alternators all the way down to rebuilding the automotive alternators and never used a oscilloscope In any workshop I've been in. I guess with this being my own business this time I just wanted to cover myself with all the test equipment I could find.

Maybe I should invest in a dedicated diode/rectifier tester as well as a scope.

And In regard to the offshore stuff I am finding it difficult to remanufactured a unit and match the price people are selling the Chinese units for. Especially as the replacement components in the uk are priced so high. The business is still ticking over though so I will definitely look into more specialized units.

Thanks for all your help.

Regards
Jonny

 

Having taken a look at your link – the Brise unit looks well over priced for what it does.

You could buy a far superior scope for much less money – which might serve you better.

With a 2 channel scope you could observe the voltage & current traces simultaneously, giving a much better indication of alternator issues.

Thank you for the links and all the information. I will look into using oscilloscopes in more detail online. Places like this and Youtube are always a good place to learn new things.

Regards
Jonny

 

This be a good one

https://www.grainger.com/product/45...1677!&ef_id=WuISKgAAAMeXsxA0:20180606193112:s

 

This be a good one

https://www.grainger.com/product/45...1677!&ef_id=WuISKgAAAMeXsxA0:20180606193112:s

It’s only a multimeter.

 

They lied to me lol it's said to show the wave the old one I have does work as scope it's not a great scope but you can see the signal up to 1 mhz
as graft.

 

A friend replaced a TDS series electronics scope with this one. https://www.jyetech.com/Products/LcdScope/e150.php

It's real cheap.

Nothing real special is required. Extra protections would not hurt.

I've use a battery powered Tek 212 to check alternators on a vehicle before. Lugging an AC powered scope isn't convienient.

The specialized one you suggested can contain a battery.

I've done internal repairs on older alternators, but none where spot welding of leads are needed.

The DSO150 comes in various kit forms and I think fully assembled. https://www.banggood.com/Orignal-JY...With-Housing-p-1093865.html?cur_warehouse=USA

 

One like this

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F1H3P...t=&hvlocphy=9014313&hvtargid=pla-394153671078

 

They lied to me lol it's said to show the wave the old one I have does work as scope it's not a great scope but you can see the signal up to 1 mhz
as graft.

Something like this would probably be more than adequate for looking at the output voltage from an alternator:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handheld...371971?hash=item58f6b7f103:g:YEIAAOSwqrZa4PRI

But I can highly recommend this model which I use in my work – besides the scope function, it can also operate as a multimeter.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Siglent-...216600?hash=item1a4fa2c358:g:pR8AAOSwYf9bAr0h

 

The one I have was about 1400 new 20 years ago it works great still it does all kind of tricks lol besides scope. It dvm scope and bunch of things.
Just. The batterys life not that great.
About 2 hours if I forget to turn it off.
You may get 3 days if you use and turn it off.

 

hi, bigjohn2018.......the person who suggested a vacuum tube 'scope is right, such as that Would be the best choice for your shop bench and
that application.
y'see, i'm an old-school tech nerd, and i've been working with vacuum tube equipment since grade 5 science class.
vacuum tubes are much more forgiving of surges and other electronic abuse (that's why the military still uses them).
as to the "how to use it".......try asking the science teacher at your local high school.
lastly, if you can find a working eico or military 'scope.........GRAB IT!!! (but first make certain it's a vacuum tube unit) that's a find that's beyond ultra-rare!

 

that's why the military still uses them

Really?
Where?
That last use of tubes in the military I know of were some old Soviet Union MIG fighter jets.

I don't recommend getting tube equipment.
I appreciate being an old-class tech, (I started my electronic career in 1963 and have used may tube instruments) but De Forest's valves are really obsolete.
Tubes are subject to wear-out failure and and it can be difficult to get replacement parts.
The also tend to drift out of calibration due to the heat they generate and tubes aging.
A well-made sold-state instrument will have many more features, give much better performance, and likely go many years without a failure (and that failure will probably be an electrolytic capacitor, not a solid-state part).

 

Hi

Total Newbie to aac and forums in general.

Can anyone help me regarding an oscilloscope for bench testing alternators.

I am currently looking at one from Brise which simply connects to the battery and gives a single waveform.

It is rather expensive however and I was wondering if there were any other types of oscilloscopes that I could simply attach to the test bench battery and use to check the alternator output.

Sorry if this has already been covered or it is a stupid request. Never used an oscilloscope before.

Thanks in advance

Jonny

I use a Hantek 20 MHz scope coupled with an ASUS notebook, running Win 7 Pro.
This is a 2 channel scope, with "screen shot" you can save display images.
The scope is/was new, the notebook, 50 on ebay. You can also observe CPS and CKS signals