Technician Handbook ! 673 Electronic & Computer Controlled Systems Manual Voltage To compare signals to those shown in the Repair Manual, you must manually set the voltage scale. Scale Settings In the Repair Manual, the suggested voltage scale settings are expressed as volts per division . The drop-down menu for selecting the voltage scale on the PicoScope, however, offers choices that define the range of the entire screen. Therefore it’s necessary to make a simple conversion. If the Repair Manual suggests 2 V/Div and the PicoScope screen has 10 divisions, then the desired voltage range is 2 x10 = 20V. A +10V scale would provide a range of 20 volts from -10V to +10v.
If the signal actually fluctuates between 0V and 12V, however, part of the waveform will be going off the screen. In such a case, make an adjustment to the voltage scale setting as needed to display the entire signal (+20V). Manual Time Scale Settings The PicoScope does not have an auto time setting, so you will have to manually select the appropriate scale. The drop-down menu in this case does give choices in time units per division, so no conversion is necessary when using Repair Manual recommendations. If you don’t have a recommended time scale and the signal is unfamiliar, look at the waveform at a very high setting and a very low setting.
Seeing the signal from both extremes helps you determine the appropriate scale. Technical Training 49