mutimeter advice?

i just borrowed one to check the power getting to my hot grips is it simply touch the 2 prongs on the 2 wires? must be?

& what sort of reading do i want to be running the grips?

im on my 3rd atempt with oxford over the phone he now wants me to give him the readings then he wants the code number on the grip

Set the multi-meter to 20V DC max.

Remember the controller works as a big variable resistor.

Plug the controller in to power, and in to one of the grips (assuming the new controller works the same, and the grips both plug into the controller).

Touch the two pins on the other controller connector with the "prongs" on the multi-meter, play with the controller.

Set the controller to 100% power, take a reading. This in theory could be 12V, but I doubt it. I think mine were something more like 6V. The number displayed on this setting is the number of volts. No maths needed.

Set the controller to 50%, take a reading. This should be half your original reading.

Set the controller to 25% (if you can), take another reading, this should be half your last reading (I'd only take this reading for accuracy purposes).

Now set the DMM to measure Amps (again, max 20 needed, but settings depend on your DMM.

Repeat the above tests (100%, 50%, 25%) on this DMM setting. IIRC the max power rating is 4Amps, but it might not draw this much (and you're likely to show 2Amps max because you've only one grip plugged in). You're only looking to see if the variable works really.

The amount of current through the grips denotes how hot the grips get

OK I do not have hot grops fitted to my bike but I guess you need to do the
following for each grip:

Disconnect both grips <edit> set thermostat to hottest

- You need to check the voltage going to the grip for starters (connect meter set to Volts and connect across wires going to the grip), at a guess that'll be about the 12 volts as to my limited knowledge there is not a DC to DC convertor in the circuit. This will indicate that the power is at least going to the grips. No power means battery/fuse broken wire to grip feed.

- Measure the resistance accoss the disconnected grips (set meter to resistance Ohms and connect to across the wires coming from the grip), this should check if the grips have gone either open circuit or shot (in which case I'd have thought a fuse would have gone)

- Reconnect one wire to grip (improvise if there's clever socketry) , connect the meter in series with the grip circuit (to loop the circuit) and measure the current with everything switched on.

Make a note of everything after checking both grips (do not disconnect the first one tested when current test done) and call Oxford. As I say, if you have odd sockets then you will have to improvise the meter conectivity.

I hope this helps.

EDIT: Baph has alerady replied, feel free to ignore this post.

I missed the resistance check though That could be useful for these new fangled push button style controllers.

i shall have a fettle tomorrow............. IMO its faulty grips, which i told mr oxford........ as i said he wants the code part number on the grips which means taking them off......it was a sod to get the throttle one on

Originally Posted by hovi5

i shall have a fettle tomorrow............. IMO its faulty grips, which i told mr oxford........ as i said he wants the code part number on the grips which means taking them off......it was a sod to get the throttle one on

Apparently where the wire goes into the grip itself (moulded part) particularly on the throttle side, is quite prone to failure. It's to do with all that twisty wrist action breaking the contact inside the moulded area

Originally Posted by Baph

Apparently where the wire goes into the grip itself (moulded part) particularly on the throttle side, is quite prone to failure. It's to do with all that twisty wrist action breaking the contact inside the moulded area

thing is... they have both always been like this

this dont mean much to me but..............

from the batery 14.80

from bat through controll box on 100% 14.80

6 omes? (funny thing that looks like my starsign (leo))

@ 50 60 75% it seemed to jump about a bit

Originally Posted by hovi5

this dont mean much to me but..............

from the batery 14.80

from bat through controll box on 100% 14.80

6 omes? (funny thing that looks like my starsign (leo))

@ 50 60 75% it seemed to jump about a bit

Right, so voltage is fine.

Ohms (not omes), as in Ω? That's resistance there, you also want to check current (Amps).

You say it jumped around a bit? Guesstimate the max & min of each setting, then post back. I'd guess that the new controller not only acts as a resistor, but also it is a pulsed switch (from your limited findings this far).

Post back before you talk to Oxford

EDIT: Measure volts, Ohms, and Amps at each setting on the controller, you have voltage from the battery, you don't need a current reading from the battery & you won't get a reliable resistance reading from there either!

ohms

100% .....6.27
75%......6.27
60 & 50%......0.00-6.27

volts seems to jump all over the place for the first 2 secs
then @ all settings flash between

0.00- 14.67

dont know how to do the amps.? the multimeter i borrowed looks quite complycated (to me)