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Choosing a good multimeter for stator testing.

  • Thread starter Thread starter c&c
  • Start date Start date
C

c&c

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I read somewhere in the stator papers that a cheep 50$ multimeter will not cut it.

So my question is will a 51$ multimeter work?
Hehe seriously what multimeter do you suggest.


Thank you.
 
Price is no indication of quality. I picked up a really nice one at Sears for less than $20. It is a model 82140. It lacks 2 features: AutoRanging (which I do not like) and AutoOff (which is a nice to have but not necessary unless you are forgetful). It has a very nice wrap around protective case with a flip out stand. Small enough to be the main bike multimeter (which you always carry on a GS).
I also picked up a Radio Shack 22-172 off eBay for less than $50 to my door. It has a clamp for testing AC/DC current, handy when testing starters and automotive alternators, current draw on the battery, current from the R/R to the battery, etc. It is a bit large to carry around on the bike, though but is my main garage meter.
 
I've tested stators successfully with a free meter from Harbor Freight. (Look for coupons in your favorite gearhead/handyman mags.)

Don't let the meter snobs scare you. All you need is a very basic meter, not laboratory-grade instrumentation.

What you can get for a little more money than free is something a bit more durable and reliable, or a more useful size and shape. The compact meter I carry on the bike is an inexpensive Triplett with a nice case and a design that ensures you can't leave it on accidentally. About $15 at Fry's, also easy to find via Amazon/fleaBay.
 
Thanks I 'll keep using mine unless I need RR.
BTW what is the R/R?
 
Regulator/Rectifier. Changes the AC voltage to DC voltage (Rectifier) and keeps it from overcharging (Regulator).
 
investment tools

investment tools

I look at tools as an investment, money well spent. But I buy tools from Harbor freight ,the ones I will use very little to save some money. The tools I use all the time I go with quality. Wrenches sockets ratchets screw drivers.
 
Steve and I diagnosed charging issues on my GS1100ET tonight on a cheap yellow multimeter I picked up from Wal-lyworld. I normally avoid Walmart like the plague but I was picking up a battery charger at the time for my overgrown Power-Wheels (bike ran off the battery, wasn't charging). So I picked up a multimeter while was there. Cheap, but it worked like a charm.

Thankfully I know have a properly functioning charging system thanks to a Rick's stator, a Compufire, and Steve's help! :)

That man is the freaking GS Whisperer, no lie.
 
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I don't know what could be cheaper than a harbor Freight multimeter but that seems to be the 1 that I had...... It seems like such a piece of garbage I didn't trust it. So I went to Walmart and got their 24 dollar model and turns out that they both gave darn near identical readings .. I gave the super cheap cheap one to a friend and I'm very happy with the Walmart one, they have 2 or 3 different models.
 
Someone I know thought they had a bad stator, RR, charging system. Turns out the new Harbor Freight DVM was off, way off, to the point of being useless.

I use very high quality meters, I have owned them for over 20 years, and they are accurate and dependable. But to each their own.
 
I have a few meters, including some very expensive ones. I don't carry the good ones on the road, the cheap ones are fine for that. The Harbor Frieght ones read the same, except the one $2 HF one that failed right away.
 
Protip: if you're using a HF or El Cheapo meter, put in a new battery.

Any meter can give wonky readings when the battery is low, and the cheap meters tend to arrive on our shores with even cheaper batteries.
 
About any meter usefuill for checking the stator.

Some analog meter have a 10 volt scale and a 50volt scale. On 50 volt scale in not too easy to see small changes between 12, or 13 or 14 volts.
FOr checking a charging system a 20 volt scale is better, some other analog have a 20 volt scale where easier to see differences around the voltages we are intersted in.
Not a problem with digital meters.

Maybe check to see if meter has diode test features. That will make it more usefull for checking the R/R.THe updated stator papers assumes yhou have didode test feature on meter.

.
 
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