What do *you* use your oscilloscope for? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: howsTricks
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 08:56:48 pm
content: Hi yall,Basic question, hoping for some interesting answers: What do *you* use your oscilloscope for? Lots of times it seems people are driven with buying tools, measurement devices, etc without concrete answers as to what you have gained by having such an interesting device on your bench. So what are you doing with yours?

author: 10101
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:00:33 pm
content: I use mine so I can see voltage changes over time in many circuits

author: Skimask
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:02:06 pm
content: Imaginary bragging rights.

author: JackP
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:14:52 pm
content: Quote from: Skimask on May 25, 2015, 09:02:06 pmFor the 1% of the population that know what a scope is, half of which think it mounts on a gun for shooting things (Agilent even has a sight for killing Keys!).

author: Noise Floor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:15:27 pm
content: capturing a DUT voltage characteristicobserving DUT behaviors in an alternate form then naked eye alone providesdocumenting tests and and resultsin general viewing voltage change over time

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:17:04 pm
content: A scope, seriously? One of the most general-purpose pieces of debugging equipment?Everything! If you want to know what signal is present on a conductor, the very first tool you reach for is an oscilloscope...

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:20:15 pm
content: I really just have it so if I know my wife and kids are going to nag me, I turn it on before hand so they think I'm busy tinkering

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:23:20 pm
content: VoltmeterFrequency meterMeasuring rippleCurrent measurementsRisetime measurementsDecodingPower AnalysisAWGRC timing checksLogic checkerEMI checks (near field)Project waveform documentation(screenshots)And EEVBlog posts........

author: hneve
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:27:33 pm
content: Paperweight mostly, nice to lean my tablet against watching stuff.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:39:01 pm
content: Anything that is faster than I can see on my muttly-meter.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:42:02 pm
content: Quote from: howsTricks on May 25, 2015, 08:56:48 pmFinding answers to questions for which the answer isn't 42Seriously: buying an instrument with more capabilities than the previous one often leads to new insights and better usage of time. I think I upgrade my primary oscilloscope every 2 or 3 years.

author: Muxr
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 09:54:11 pm
content: A lot of things. On the current project I mainly use it for troubleshooting signals. I could use a logic analyser for a lot of it, but having the scope gives me more insight into the quality of signal.

author: JacquesBBB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 10:00:58 pm
content: Quote from: howsTricks on May 25, 2015, 08:56:48 pmMaybe when asking such a question to others, the first thing would have been to tell us what *you* do with your oscilloscope ?

author: daybyter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 10:29:11 pm
content: Trying to repair old computers. Measuring the output of my arduino projects.

author: guido
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 11:27:25 pm
content: Use them for fixing other scopes (and sometimes other stuff).

author: artag
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2015, 11:49:04 pm
content: A scope is my eyes when I'm debugging something electronic. I just guessing without it. I'm not sure what to compare it with - it's like a doctor's stethoscope and much more. It tells you much more than a DVM, at the loss of some precision (which is usually unimportant).Sadly, I don't find a digital scope is quite as good. There's often a display lag, it doesn't trigger as fast, and you have to be far more careful to get the timebase correct to avoid misleading displays. It offers far more automation than the analog, and still ends up less nice. I think this is because, in an effort to be as useful as the analog one is, it tries to work out far more about the signal so it can display it usefully. But that takes time, and sometimes it gets it wrong.One particular thing I dislike is a tendency to hold the display on when the probe is taken away - the auto trigger doesn't re-engage quickly, and the display is stored by default. I find this very disconcerting : I want the display to blank the moment the signal's gone, else how can I trust that it's telling me what's there ?

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:10:46 am
content: The simple answer is: To verify that time varying signals are varying the way I thought they should. If not, to find clues as to why not. Or if I don't know how they should vary, at least to figure out how they do vary, and try to figure out why.Works best for repetitive time varying signals, but with cleverness or specialized types of oscilloscope you can look at one time or infrequent events.Occasionally, out of laziness, to look at non-time varying signals. (Oscilloscopes are not really very good voltmeters, but if they are already hooked up and on, why not.)In some cases you can use another instrument to do the things you do with an oscilloscope (frequency meter, etc.), but only when things are working right. The oscilloscope isn't the most fundamental or first tool you should have, but it comes pretty high on the list. Save the gear bragging for more esoteric stuff like a TFA or a really broad band high resolution spectrum analyzer.

author: Wuerstchenhund
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:11:22 am
content: Quote from: artag on May 25, 2015, 11:49:04 pmSounds like you only ever used really shitty DSOs then.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:14:22 am
content: it fills an otherwise empty spot in my living room and serves as a great conversation starter

author: jaxbird
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:21:54 am
content: Quote from: howsTricks on May 25, 2015, 08:56:48 pmA scope is probably the most versatile tool you will ever have on your bench.Ripple,Approximate voltage,Quality of signal,Debugging digital signals,frequency,Noise,General debugging and measuring performance timing, e.g. flipping a pin on a MCUChecking analogue performance, overshoot, rise time etc,Determining required baud rate of a serial connectionDiscovering unwanted oscillations+ much more

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:25:42 am
content: Looks like the OP is getting a good flavor for the wide range of possible uses of a scope. Possible uses include everything from designing, testing, and fixing to learning and entertainment, and more. And it is clear from the responses that scope users have a sense of humor tooA few comments on a few of the comments:As Noise Floor said, a scope can be very valuable in enabling a user to have visibility into DUT behaviors that the naked won't reveal.As c4757p said, it's one of the most general-purpose pieces of debugging equipment.As SL4P said, it shows a lot that a DMM won't.As Muxr said, it will give you insight into signal quality that might not be apparent with a Logic Analyzer.As tautech said, it's lots of functions in one box.As daybyte said, it's good for repairs and arduino projects.As guido said, you can use a scope to fix a scope (if you have more than one scope).As several posters said, it's only good (or best) if you have a digital or an analog scope - so you can start debates with a scopeAll the posts were good, but I think my favorite reply was from nctnico who said an oscilloscope "leads to new insights and better usage of time." Personally, I'd have to agree with the first part of that - a scope provides great insights and a lot of opportunity for learning. As for the second part, I'm not so sure having a scope will lead to a better usage of time. I'd say I enjoy using a scope immensely - so in that sense my time is better (more enjoyably) spent but whether it makes me more productive, that would be hard to say. For experienced users, I'm sure a scope can save lots of time. But whether a scope increases your enjoyment or your productivity or both, there is a good chance you will learn and be able to do a lot that you couldn't do without a scope. It will depend on your interests and objectives.

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:45:44 am
content: Of course I was kidding about using mine to keep the spouse away.I've used it for many things:Checking overshots on power supply.15KHz video to VGA conversionVarious protocol decoding and making sure the levels are correct without feedback from the transmission lineother things as well, it's the most versatile tool in a work bench and if you combine it with a signal gen, then you get way more usage.As for the old analogs, I did fall in love with the old 7000 tek series all over again with all their plug-ings, I had to stop myself collecting more but I know sooner or later I'll get more for them. But I use my DSO at least 90% of the time and resort to the two analogs when I need more channels and don't care about storage of those signals.

author: LaurentR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 12:50:34 am
content: I use it to check my function generator.

author: Melt-O-Tronic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 05:27:41 am
content: Learning. I've had an interest in electronics all my life, but my rate of learning and my ability to do practical things started growing exponentially from three personal milestones:Finally getting my ham radio license in 2006 and being active with others in the hobbyGetting a spectrum analyzer (DSA815-TG)Getting my latest scope (DS2072A-S)I already have 3 Tek scopes (2215, 2236, 2246) and an old Heathkit dual trace 15 MHz boat anchor, but the Rigol is revealing a whole new world to me.Hardware aside (if I may digress), this site, and the W2AEW, TheSignalPath and Mr. Carlson's Lab YouTube channels have opened up more new learnings for me in the last couple of years than in all the previous years of my life.

author: CaptainObvious
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 06:05:32 am
content: Great post, thanks guys! (Both for the chuckles and the detailed responses)I've just started the hunt on eBay for a decent old used scope to start with, excited to put a scope on some 555 circuits!

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 06:53:33 am
content: Quote from: Melt-O-Tronic on May 26, 2015, 05:27:41 amPretty much Ditto all that. I don't have the license but I can believe it's a very good path. Definitely the Rigol and Tek scopes are great learning tools, and a SA too.But what has accelerated the learning process the most - and in a very enjoyable manner - is this site and the people here. Go EEVblog

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 07:59:23 am
content: This is like asking a mechanic, what he is using his wrench for....I am using scopes for many things but the one that is most tickling to me is the measurements of high voltage spikes, up to 100 kV.And .... if you have lots of scopes, it is very impressive and like free_electron said, it is a great starter for any conversations.But, be careful ... if you have too many, people think you are nuts.

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 08:39:18 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on May 26, 2015, 07:59:23 amAny way you could cite a certain number or draw a curve showing where the inflection point is such that below that number of scopes people think you are not nuts? I have found that one doesn't draw much attention (unless perhaps you take free_electron's approach and put it in the living room) but at about 3-4 you get a slightly different reaction; not sure how close the nuts inflection point might be....The horizontal axis could be # of scopes and the vertical axis could be people's perception ranging from no one notices to they are sure you are nuts, measured in dB, of course.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 09:41:21 am
content: Quote from: Electro Fan on May 26, 2015, 08:39:18 amInteresting ...We could start a thread of "Look at the quantity of my scopes, you think I am nuts"Or ... "How many scopes do you have and how many of those do you use"I think even here on eevblog, some would think that some are nuts.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 10:11:17 am
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on May 26, 2015, 09:41:21 amYep. but the best sorts of nuts.

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 11:27:49 am
content: Quote from: Electro Fan on May 26, 2015, 08:39:18 amThe average German thinks you're nuts if you own more than two pieces of test equipment (including 4.99 € DMMs). By the number of three they keep asking "what the hell do you needall that stufffor?!".OTOH it is perfectly fine to have half a dozen Bosch professional power tools in your home, even if you don't know which side of the drill goes into the wall.edit: Post No488

author: R_G_B_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 01:09:28 pm
content: Most people who leave university with an electronics degree wonder what they should do with those bits paper. I believe a scope is a good investment in taking things farther. I learnt more than I ever did at university due to the fact of investing in test equipment such as a scope plus. If your at work and there is something you don't understand you can re run the experiments at home. I use my scopes for electronic and electro mechanical applications. Fluke 125 great for power measurements and checking protocols.

author: howsTricks
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 09:38:04 pm
content: These are all awesome answers, thanksA few posts back I was asked what I use mine for, and that's what got me to this thread. Currently it sits in a box with me waffling between opening it and returning it, I've never had an issue with breaking in a new tool but this one kinda has me at the edge of if I really need it or not. Still not positive but definitely happy that there's a wide variety of use/misuse cases I hadn't considered. Still pondering the pizza one

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 10:35:34 pm
content: Quote from: howsTricks on May 26, 2015, 09:38:04 pmTell us what you've done so far regarding anything related to electronics, it doesn't matter how trivial you think it is, then people could tell you why a scope would have been handy.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 10:53:36 pm
content: Quote from: Electro Fan on May 26, 2015, 08:39:18 ami also often use one to prop the door open to bring the groceries in. An older Tek can be used as stepstool to reach stuff on the upper shelves. or as spaceheater in wintertime.

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 11:12:01 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 26, 2015, 10:53:36 pmAh ha let the cat out of the bag................................ you do have valve gear afterall

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 26, 2015, 11:54:09 pm
content: I believe howsTricks would like to know what projects/hobbies everyone is using their scope for.So, here goes.I've been building an interface between my laptop and a HO model railroad layout. I want the laptop to provide some level of automation for the layout.The main interface is USB to a pic16f877 microcontroller module from DLP Design (DLP-2232PB-G). The pic16f877 in turn communicates with up to 15 pic16f876 controllers generating PWM signals for track power blocks. PWM greatly improves the slow speed and startup of each train engine. The pic16f876 controllers provide PWM signals with amplitude adjustment and direction control for 30 track blocks.In addition, the DLP module communicates to a bank of discrete TTL logic chips to control relays for the turnouts and lighting on the layout and reading discrete sensors around the layout.The handheld throttle controls have a pic18f2550 controller with a 1/25" OLED display and a nRF24L01+ wireless transceiver. Which will eventually allow up to 5 wireless throttles to control the trains on the layout.I currently have a Rigol DS1074Z scope. I've used the scope to debug the many SPI buses in the design, to verify the data and address bus clocking signals, address decoding for selecting a device, and of course noise and bus reflections.

author: 128er
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 12:08:27 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 26, 2015, 12:14:22 amYes, especially to women. "Hey, wanna see my scope collection, lady?"

author: kolbep
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 12:25:44 am
content: Using x y and z inputs, you can make it draw a clockOr even show a TV picture (I think)They will seriously give u nerd credAlso any Scifi movie has to have a scope showing a waveform on it, or else it is not a Scifi

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 12:54:41 am
content: Quote from: kolbep on May 27, 2015, 12:25:44 amI really want to try this one day, I do have 3 analog scopes that would be able to do it, a Tek 7603, a Tek 7613 and an older Tek 5110

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 02:12:29 am
content: Quote from: CaptainObvious on May 26, 2015, 06:05:32 amI guess we all should have said something about the details. Before you shell out money you should know if the scope will let you look at the things you are interested in. Even shelling out lots of money doesn't insure this. At least at the beginning the questions and answers are simple.1. Audio work. Most scopes will work since the required bandwidth is only a few dozen kilohertz. But you likely will want one that has sensitivity on the vertical channels down to a few millivolts, and some scales that can deal with voltages around 100 V. Note the word channels. You will probably want a dual channel scope. A lot can be accomplished if the scope is not even calibrated which lets you go down into the real dregs of oscilloscopes, the free software scopes that use the audio card on a PC.2. Arduino work/stepper motor control etc. This drives you into higher bandwidth requirements, probably 25 MHz or so to let you look at the clocks and other digital signals. Sensitivity is not so much of an issue, but always useful.3. Radio work. Much can be done with a very basic scope, but the more bandwidth the better. This is an area where triggering capabilities can be important.4. General digital debugging. Here, even if you don't need full logic analyzer capabilities the capability to trigger on a digital pattern is very useful, and larger numbers of channels help. Four is often considered the bare minimum here. Sensitivity and high voltage capability aren't as important, but bandwidth again becomes important to be able to see those sharp leading and trailing edges.5. Glitch catching/transient signals/digital debugging. Here is where the digital oscilloscopes really shine, and analog scopes need fancy things like delayed triggering.There is no one scope that will do everything well, though if you spend enough money you can get close. Us mere mortals need to identify what we are going to do a buy appropriately. For my own hobby work I have an older two channel analog scope that has good sensitivity and a few MHz bandwidth. While I have thought about shelling out for a more sophisticated scope several times over the years the need has never quite caused the money to leave my pocket. In your case, looking at 555 circuits I would strongly consider the software scopes as a way to dip your toe in the waters. A little googling will find several. All that I have tried worked about the same and would provide a lot of insight into 555 operation. (You would have to be continually mindful of the fact that these never have DC response, so you won't be able to directly view trigger levels etc.).

author: GreyWoolfe
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 02:15:13 am
content: The most fun stuff is Lissajous patterns on my Tech 2235 when the 6 year old granddaughter asks to see the 'magic'. As the saying goes, no matter how big or tough you think you are, when your granddaughter hands you a fake phone, you answer it

author: -jeffB
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 02:29:12 am
content: Quote from: CatalinaWOW on May 26, 2015, 12:10:46 amTFA?Trifluoroacetic acid?Trace file analyzer for Oracle databases?

author: w2aew
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 02:43:09 am
content: What do I use my scope for?... ....Have you seen my YouTube channel???Seriously - mostly analog and RF circuit stuff - design, debug, repair, etc.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 04:19:35 am
content: Quote from: dom0 on May 26, 2015, 11:27:49 amOn the other hand , ask the average german how many steins he drank at the last oktoberfest and you run out of fingers and toes ... bunch of beer swilling lederhosen clad sauer krauts if you ask me!i can't remember if it was Feynman or someone else that gave a presentation for a bunch of germans. he would put a few jokes in his lecture. everytime he told one none of the germans laughed. in fact, they all got a kind of puzzled look on their face. After the lecture a friend of his told him : you have to understand the german psyche. when they work ,they work , when they are on free time they are on free time. there is no joke time during work. so the next day when presenting the same lecture for a different group of germans he did an experiment. before he would tell the joke he would clearly say : i am now going to tell a joke, followed by the joke. that worked. All the germans laughed.so next time a german asks you why you need al that gear : tell him it is to measure accurately the amount of beer in the stein and how many more he can have next oktoberfest.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 04:23:16 am
content: Quote from: lowimpedance on May 26, 2015, 11:12:01 pmspaceheaters don't count as test equipmenti have a few pieces of valve equipment. two agilent 3588 spectrum analysers, a 3589 network analyser a 34655 dynamic signal analyser. a 54645d scope a 54622d scope a 54622a scope and one other spectrum analyser (RF) they all have one valve in em : the picture tube . although i am working on replacing the ones in the 35xx machines by an 9 inch lcd as they are almost at the end of their luminosity.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 12:08:36 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 27, 2015, 04:19:35 amOld world rivalries and grudges never die...

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 04:31:40 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 26, 2015, 10:53:36 pmYou probably think you're kidding.. but I actually do fire up the old Tek RM503 on cold days and let it do Lissajous patterns from four old oscillators, to help keep the room warm!(OMG.... I just realized I have 6 oscilloscopes, only one of which isn't operational! I must be nuts all right ...)

author: dom0
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 04:55:15 pm
content: Quote from: alsetalokin4017 on May 27, 2015, 04:31:40 pmI only recently realized that a Tek 555 can draw power in excess of 1000 W. So it's really like a fan heater.

author: Smith
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 05:56:15 pm
content: I mostly use scopes for debugging and calibration purposes.Last week people at my job where complaning it was getting warm. So I turned of the old TDS7154...

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 27, 2015, 07:09:16 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on May 27, 2015, 12:08:36 pmOnly thing about Germans is where they put all that beer. I have seen them drink 5l of beer and more, and not need to go water the flowers, yet the rest will be out at least 2 times for a single litre of beer.BTW, I don't drink beer, as I both dislike the taste ( but love the crunch of brewers yeast) and spent way too much time in breweries seeing how it's made.

author: CatalinaWOW
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2015, 02:49:50 am
content: Quote from: -jeffB on May 27, 2015, 02:29:12 amTransfer function analyzer. Not as big a deal nowdays, as for the most part it can be done with software on a DSO. That acronym should be just fine today.

author: Noise Floor
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2015, 02:33:18 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 27, 2015, 04:19:35 amBrilliant.

author: PA4TIM
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2015, 08:53:37 pm
content: There are rare days I do not use my scopes. I use them for my job, repairing test and calibration gear. In winter I use my Tek 547 more as in summerThey are my most used electronic eyes.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2015, 09:18:30 pm
content: When I was a respectable engineer, I used it for...well...everything. It's hard to even list it all because it's soooo damn much.Now that I have my own business, and am doing analog audio stuff, I don't use it for much other than tracking down the occasional gremlin. For example, sometimes I can hear a little "hair" working it's way into the circuit. I want to be able to figure out where it's coming from. Stuff like this is generally simple enough that I can almost go from just thinking about a design, to producing a board, and 9/10 times the prototype board comes in and it does pretty close to what I need it to do the first time.Even if you're a hobbyiest, though, anything that has to do with timing is prime stomping grounds for a scope. Communication, driving steppers, debouncing contacts, Class B or AB amps (crossover distortion, for example), tracking down inadequate decoupling (rails sagging or excess ripple), etc etc etc. Anything that happens faster than a couple of seconds and can't be viewed on a DMM, the scope comes out.But if I just need to get something like a PIC going, and maybe it needs to take some serial input and drive something, I can generally do that with nothing but paying attention to the datasheet, and maybe a DMM to make sure things I want to switch are actually switching, and things I want to read for testing purposes are actually at the correct voltages. Once I know I can communicate with the outside world, things happen so slowly and have so much margin that a scope is not all that critical.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2015, 03:11:02 am
content: Normal days the scopes are used for design of hardware, today I needed to measure the condition of the batteries in the cars.DSO-X sig gen capacitively coupled through a series resistor to the battery + terminalPreamp probed directly on the battery + terminalAdditional channel of the scope measuring the voltage across the series resistorIt was nice to measure that with a "single" general purpose instrument, rather than needing a single purpose meter for each job.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2015, 09:54:41 am
content: Quote from: Someone on May 30, 2015, 03:11:02 amThat is indeed an interesting way to test a batteryDid you get any valuable data out of this test?In comparison to other - good - battaries, you might be able to tell about the internal resistance of the cells, but you still do not know which cell is bad.

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2015, 11:54:08 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on May 27, 2015, 04:19:35 amHey! Some of us also quite enjoy scotch!

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2015, 10:36:05 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on May 30, 2015, 09:54:41 amIt worked better than expected, getting down to a 1mOhm noise floor (much much lower than the batteries were measuring at). I now know for sure that the batteries in all the cars need replacing.