Is DVA the same as Vp or Vpp?

[Daremo]

Trying to figure out my ignition problems here with a Sport Jet 90 ( http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=255077 ) and I have a question about DVA.

What exactly are you measuring? Is it Volts Peak or Volts Peak to Peak? In other words, is it the voltage of a single half of the waveform from 0 to its peak or is it the total voltage from the top of the positive wave to the total of the negative wave?

I dont have a DVA, but I do have an osilloscope and if DVA is merely a Vp or Vpp measurement, then I can do that with the scope no problem.

If not, is there a conversion from say a reading with a true RMS meter to DVA?


Thanks

 

[DRIFTER_016]

Re: Is DVA the same as Vp or Vpp?

DVA (Peak Reading) Voltmeters - Specialty meters for measuring average DC
voltages and AC voltage spikes on ignition systems. Some of the more common meters include the Stevens CD-77, Merc-o-tronic and ESI meters with DVA ranges.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Is DVA the same as Vp or Vpp?

To answer your question, yes it is a peak measuring meter, and measuring peak voltage with a o-scope would be the same.

The DVA adapter is a simple rectifier, storage capacitor (integrator) circuit. The o-scope would probably load the circuit less than the DVA, but I doubt it matters much.

It's nice to meet another geek that's dragged his o-scope out to the boat.

John

 

[TerryMSU]

Re: Is DVA the same as Vp or Vpp?

One caution...
Your scope and/or your scope probe may not tolerate the peak voltage that the DVA is looking for. If I recall, I seem to have heard people mentioning voltages on the order of 300 volts on the DVA. I just checked a scope probe here at my desk, and it is rated for only 300 volts. Thus an overly hot coil could damage this probe. By the way, you will want to use a 10x scope probe. I know that a scope with a 1x probe will definately not take 300 volts. On the otherhand, it sounds like it is a piece of cake to build a DVA adapter for my multimeter.

TerryMSU