Welcome to Snap-on Training Solutions. This module is designed to help you get the most out of your TRITON-D8 diagnostic tool, and covers the use of the graphing multimeter and lab scope.
Graphing Multimeter
The graphing multimeter and lab scope are powerful diagnostic tools that give you the ability to directly test vehicle components to verify faulty components before replacement.
To avoid damaging the meter, never attempt to measure more than the meter’s rated capacity.
To get started, select the Scope Multimeter icon from the Home Screen.
Select Graphing Multimeter to measure or monitor a signal to see how it’s a value changes over time.
You can select from eighteen graphing meter tests and display options, including 4 channel Graphing Meter, Volts DC, Volts AC, Frequency, Pulse width, Duty cycle and Dwell.
Before performing a resistance or current measurement, calibrate the meter to insure accurate results. See the TRITON-D8 User Manual for the calibration procedure.
Most of these tests can be made with the standard leads included with the tool.
Here are some optional probes available for specialized tests to detect glitches in pressure, vacuum and temperature in automotive applications.
Current measurements require the optional precision low amp probe. This is especially useful for finding parasitic loads, faulty injectors, pumps and relays. Contact your Snap-on representative to learn more.
Let’s select Volts DC to graph voltage change over time.
Here a constant voltage signal appears as a flat line, with no variation or glitches over time.
We can capture glitches and dropouts to detect wiring issues, failing components and intermittent problems. The meter continuously records up to 262 screens of data for review. This makes it easy to perform a road test or a wiggle test without having to watch the meter.
Pressing the pause/stop icon freezes the data recording so you can review it.
Use the double arrow icons to scroll one screen at a time.
Use the single arrow icons to scroll one data point at a time.
Or slide this scroll bar forward and back to quickly access all recorded data.
Setup Tools
Customize the meter display with these setup tools. The profile icons choose which channels to display.
Touch once to display a channel. And again to hide it.
To move a channel up or down the scale, touch and drag the channel marker up or down.
With more than one channel activated, the graphing meter or the scope can show relationships between component functions like these two Wheel Speed Sensors signals. Or compare two similar components to detect one that is failing.
The probe menu gives you control over the type of test used on each channel, such as volts, dwell, pulse width, frequency, duty cycle, pressure vacuum and amps.
Scope Functions
6 Million Data Samples per Second
At six million data samples per second, the Snap-on scope function can capture many more samples than displayed on most standard display screens.
To sample at the maximum rate, select the peak detect function to capture extremely fast peaks and glitches, like this missing ignition spike.
Activating Coupling AC subtracts the average value of a signal so that small variations display prominently on the waveform.
This amplifies the signal without driving the waveform off of the screen.
Select the Scope Trigger icon to set a threshold value that initiates the waveform display. When the voltage passes the threshold value, a new waveform begins. This produces a very stable waveform that does not flicker or drift.
The trigger point appears as a plus sign on the display. Touch and drag the plus sign to reposition it. Or touch Setup Trigger for a more precise setting.
Select Sweep to set the total time it takes for the data to fill the screen, anywhere from 1 to 20 seconds in meter mode and as short as fifty microseconds in lab scope mode.
Touch the scale value to change it with this popup menu. After making a menu selection simply touch Back to hide the drop down menu.
Both the graphing meter and lab scope track the minimum and maximum recorded values.
Select the refresh icon to clear these values.
To see more detail at any time, touch the Shrink Expand Icon to hide the control settings and expand the graphing display.
Touch it again to show the control settings.
To learn more about Graphing Multimeter and Lab Scope functions and settings refer to the TRITON-D8 user manual.