PDi 920 Instruction Manual

COMPREHENSIVE

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

AUTOMOTIVE MULTIMETER

Complete "step-by-step" electrical systems

troubleshooting guide included.

DISCLAIMER:

This manual tells you how to use the meter to perform diagnostic

tests and to find possible locations of vehicle problems.

It

does NOT

tell you how to correct the problems.

All information, illustrations, and specifications contained in this
technical manual are based on the latest information available at the
time of publication. The right is reserved to make changes at any
time without notice.

Introduction

About

This

Manual

Chapter Description

introduction Table of Contents

Safety Warnings

Getting Started

Meter Basics

Meter Functions

Maintenance

Basic Diagnostic Testing

Battery Testing

Voltage Drop Testing

Starter Motor Testing
Charging System Testing

Ignition System Testing

Basic Component Testing

Computer Controlled Systems

Component Tests (Input)

Component Tests (Output)

Specifications

General Specifications
Electrical Specifications

Introduction

Safety

Cont'd..

.

Danger

Avoid electrical shock: Do not

touch the test leads, tips or the
circuit being tested.

Do not try a voltage measure-

ment with the test leads in the
20A or the

mA terminal.

When testing for the presence of voltage or current, make sure the

meter is functioning correctly. Take a reading of a known voltage
or current before accepting a zero reading.

Choose the proper range and function for the measurement. Do not

try voltage or current measurements that may exceed the ratings

marked on the

FunctionIRange switch or terminal.
When measuring current, connect the meter in series with the load.
Never connect more than one set of test leads to the meter.

Disconnect the live test lead before disconnecting the common test

lead.

The mA and the 20A terminals are protected by fuses. To avoid

possible injury or damage, use only

in

circuits limited to 400mA or

10A continuous 120A for 30 seconds.

See

also..

.

Fuse Replacement

r

Introduction

Safety

Cont'd.

..

IMPORTANT

To maintain accuracy of the meter, replace the discharged battery

immediately when the battery symbol

appears on the meter

display.
Avoid measuring error from outside interference: keep the meter

away from spark plug or coil wires.

Avoid damaging the meter when testing voltage: Disconnect the test

leads from the test points before changing functions.
Do not exceed the limits shown in the table below:

*

10 Amp measurement continuous or 20Amp measurement for

30 seconds maximun.

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I

Ohms can not be measured

if

voltage is present, ohms can be
measured only in a non-powered circuit. However, the meter is
protected to 500 volts.

Getting Started

This chapter will help you get started.

It

describes the basic functions

of the Meter.

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Getting Started

Meter

Basics

Meter

Boot

The meter boot is designed to
protect the meter during acciden-

tal falls. Additionally,

it

provides a
convenient method of storage for
the meter probes. It also serves
as a probe holder that allows the
operator to hold the meter and
probe in one hand and have the
other hand free for operating the
remaining test probe.

Meter

Stand

The meter stand swings out and
positions the meter at a conve­nient viewing angle.

\

Meter

Stand

Probe Storage

A

Getting Started

I

Getting Started

Meter

Basics

Con

t

'd.

.

.

1.

Digital and Analog display

Dispaly features:

a. Four character digital dispaly
b. Symbols to identify function
c. Analog bar graph

The 'digital display is best for
stable input. The bar graph is best
for rapidly changing input.

2.

Function buttons
Press the button to select a func­tion. A symbol will display to
verify your choice.

3.

Rotary Selector Switch
Turn this switch to select a

func-

AUTO

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m

tion or turn the meter OFF.

4.

Temperature Terminal
Insert the temperature probe in
this terminal.

5.

Test Lead Terminals
The Black test lead is used in the

5.

Black

(-1

Common (COM) terminal for all
tests. The Red test lead is used to
measure Amps or Volts.

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5.

Red

(+

1

De-activation Features

Automatic Power

Off

after 30 minutes of no activity.

Automatic Power

Off

Disable must be set when the meter is to
record data over a period of time longer than 30 minutes. To disable
the "power off" mode, hold the yellow

"PWR

RST" button down while

switching the meter ON.

Meter

Basics

Con

t

'd..

.

Digital and Analog dispaly

Press

HOLD

to hold data Press

MAXIMIN

to read each

display or resume testing.

recording. Minimum or

Maxi-

mum reading recorded.

Press

ZERO

A

stores
the reading and dis­plays

the difference

Diode or Conti-

between stored and nuity test
present reading.

lected with the rotary switch.

I

Meter automatically Analog barGraph dis- Press OCl°F to

selects best Range play with polarity. alternate

De­grees Celsius
(OC) or degress

Negative Polarity Indicator

Fahrenheit

(OF).

\

Press

Alt

Function to select

Alternating Current (AC) Direct

Current

(DC)

\

Press

TRIG

f

to select Positive

(

+)

or Negative

(-)

Trigger Slope

'

Low Battery
Replace the meter battery when

this symbol displays.

Units of measure:
dwell degrees

(O)

milli (m

=

111,000)

seconds (s)
percent

(%I

volts

(V)

amps (A)
mega (M

=

1,000,000)

kilo

(k

=

1.000)

ohms

(Q)

Hertz (Hz)
nano (n)
micro

(/I)

farads (F)
multiplied by

10

(x10)

Revolutions per minute (RPM)

Getting Started Getting Started

Meter

Basics

Con

t

'd..

.

Push-button Functions

Function and Range Select

Turn the rotary swich in either
direction to select a function.

ZEROA

MeXfYIN

RANGE

HOLD

PWTf-RST

The Range is automatically se-

-O0F

DCl

lected by the meter. But, you can

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also select a range within a func­tion by pressing the range button.

Always select a range higher than

,

you expect the current or voltage

,,

to be. Then select a lower range

if better accuracy is needed.

If the range is too high, the
readings are less accurate.

If the range is too low, the meter

shows

OL

(over limit).

Alternate Function

The Alternate Function button is
Blue in color. Press

it

to toggle to

the alternate function

(AC, au­dible and capacitance) shown in
Blue on the meter face.

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Zero A Function

Press the Zero A Function button
to zero the display and store the
reading as a reference value. Press
and hold the button for two

(2)

seconds to exit this mode.

present reading. For example, if
the reference value is

24.00V

and

the present reading is

12.50V,

the display will indicate

-1

1.50V.

If the new reading is the same as
the reference value, the display
will be zero.

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In the Zero A mode the value
displayed is always the difference

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between the stored value and the

Getting Started

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Getting Started

Push-button Functions Cont'd..

.

Data Record (MAXIMIN)

The Data Record feature stores
the highest or lowest reading in

memory.

First, connect the meter probes

to the test points. Then, press
the MAXIMIN button once to
start MIN recording. The mini­mum reading will be displayed.

Press the MAXIMIN button twice

to start the MAX recording. The

maximum reading will be dis­played.

Press the HOLD button to stop

the recording, press again to

restart the recording.

Range Select

The range is automatically se­lected by the meter. But, you can
also manually select a range within
a function by pressing the RANGE

button.

Range Exit

To exit the RANGE mode and
return to autoranging, press and
hold the RANGE button for

2

seconds.

Note:

If the range is too high, the

readings are less accurate.

If the range is too low, the meter

shows

OL

(over limit).

Push-button Functions Cont 'd..

.

Data Hold

-

The Data Hold Feature stores the

(

ffr

3%)

\

last reading in memory.

Press the Data Hold button once

to hold the present reading.

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Press the Data Hold button again

to exit and resume readings.

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Minimum Reading

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Power Reset (PWR RST)

The PWR RST button turns the
meter back on when the meter
automatically powers off.

Power Off Disable
To disable the automatic Power
Off function, hold down the PWR
RST button while turning the
meter switch from OFF to ON.

Temperature (OCI0F)

The Temperature feature will dis­play the data in degrees Celsius

(OC) or Fahrenheit (OF).

Press the OCI°F button to toggle

back or forward to display de­grees Celsius

(OC) or Fahren-

heit

(OF).

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Getting Started

Meter Functions - Resistance

(0)

IMPORTANT:

If

you are testing

an application that has capacitors

in

the circuit, be sure to turn the

power

OFF

on the test circuit and
discharge all capacitors. Accu­rate measurement is not possible

if

external or residual voltage is

present.

3

Seiect the resistance

(R)

set-

ting with the rotary switch.

-

Select the resistance

(R)

range

with the button labeled

"RANGEn

if

a more accurate

measurement is desired.

Insert:

Black lead in COM terminal.
Red lead in VIWRPM terminal.

Note:

The resistance in the test leads

can effect accuracy at the

400Q

range. Short the leads together
andpress the

"ZERO

Anbutton to
automatically subtract the lead
resistance from the resistance
measurements.

Touch the test lead probes across
the resistor to be tested.

Black

Getting Started

Meter Functions - Audible Continuity

I(]))

IMPORTANT: Tum the power OFF
on the test circuit

3

Select the Audible Continuity

(

I(I))

range with the rotary

switch.

Press the Blue Alternate Func-

tion button to select Audible
Continuity.

Insert:

Black lead in COM terminal.
Red lead in VIWRPM terminal.

Connect one test probe to each

end of the circuit to be tested.

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Circuit complete, the meter will

"beep".

Circuit open, there is no "beep"

and the display shows

400a.

Clrcult complete

-

beep

sounds

Gettina Started

Meter Functions - Diode Check

U

IMPORTANT: Turn the power OFF

to the test circuit

a

Select the Diode Check

(+t)

setting with the rotary switch.

Insert:

Black lead in COM terminal.
Red lead in VIWRPM terminal.

Touch the Black test probe to the

negative

(-1

side of the diode.

Touch the Red test probe to the
positive

( + )

side of the diode.

Reverse the probes: Black to the
positive

(+)

side and Red to the

negative

(-1

side.

Note:

A

"good" diode will read low in one

direction and high in the other direc-

tion when the probes are reversed (or
vice

versa).

A

defective diode will have the same

reading

in

both directions or read

between

1.0

to

3.6

V

in both direc-

tions.

Reverse

Probes

1

.O

to

3.OV 13.0

to

3.6V

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Bad

1

0.4

to

0.9~ 10.4

to

0.9VI

Getting Started

Meter Functions - Capacitance

{t

IMPORTANT: Turn the power OFF
to the vehicle circuit to be tested.
Discharge the capacitor by short­ing the capacitor leads together.

Use the DC Volts function to
confirm that the capacitor is dis­charge.

*

Select the

it

range with the

rotary switch.

*

Press the Alternate Function
button to select Capacitance
Measurement

(it).

Insert:

Black lead in COM terminal.
Red lead in VIWRPM terminal.

Attach the test probes to the

capacitor as illustrated.

Note:

Holding the probes with your

hands may charge the capaci-

tance in circuit and generate a
false reading.

Residual voltage charges on the

capacitor, poor insulation resis-

tance or poor dielectric absorp­tion may cause measurement

errors.

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