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How to Set Up an Automotive Oscilloscope

Electricity is created by a flow of charged particles, known as electrons. There are two types of electricity: one carries a direct current and one carries an alternating current. A DC current has a constant voltage and does not vary with time, whereas an AC current has a voltage that varies in a sinusoidal fashion with time. Automotive vehicles have a number of complex AC electrical signals, such as ignition sequences. These signals can be tested with an automotive oscilloscope.

Things You'll Need

Automotive oscilloscope
Connection wires

Instructions

- 1
  Connect the signal wires between the relevant output on the car and the oscilloscope. Automotive oscilloscopes usually have two inputs, labeled "A" and "B." Switch on the input by pressing the "A" or "B" button.
- 2
  Alter the volts/division setting. This sets the vertical scale on the screen and the number of volts each vertical division represents. If the amplitude of the output signal is known from the car manual, set the volts/division to this value. Otherwise, vary the setting until a signal appears on the screen.
- 3
  Alter the time/division setting (time base). This changes the horizontal scale and the amount of time each horizontal division represents. If the frequency of the signal is known from the car manual, set the time/division setting to its inverse (1/f, where f is the frequency). If the frequency is not known, vary the time/division until a clear sinusoidal signal appears on the screen.
- 4
  Adjust the vertical position setting. This allows for the centering of the signal for easy analysis and measurement.

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