Infrared testing of 2 cycle temps?

[bgsengine]

how does a pet 304 compare to pet 1000 . I see now from my supplier the 304 is 1/2 the price of the 1000 which I have been tempted to order.

PET-304 is smaller - credit card sized (but considerably thicker than one) and specialized towards 2-strokes only (fires every revolution) - You would only need a 4-stroke setting on engines that do not have wasted spark ignition (fires every other revolution - such as Kohler K series point ignition, certain twin cylinder engines, or others with ignition driven off the camshaft) But with the PET-304 you can get a good RPM reading even on those by simply doubling the RPM value you see..

Like the PET-1000 it has a 0.5 second refresh rate. Besides the price, the major difference with the PET-304 vs the PET-1000 is the PET-1000 can handle 4-cylinder engines (outboards, etc) So I'd only get a PET-1000 if we were doing work on anything other than your average single and V-Twin engines (which we don't)

[Arkie]

how does a pet 304 compare to pet 1000 . I see now from my supplier the 304 is 1/2 the price of the 1000 which I have been tempted to order.

and another question:
Is the battery replaceable and if not what is the expected life?
(reason I ask is I see some of these little digital units are sealed up and no easy access to the battery)

[bgsengine]

how does a pet 304 compare to pet 1000 . I see now from my supplier the 304 is 1/2 the price of the 1000 which I have been tempted to order.

and another question:
Is the battery replaceable and if not what is the expected life?
(reason I ask is I see some of these little digital units are sealed up and no easy access to the battery)

Pretty sure it is, but ours has over 500 hours use and going strong, haven't had to replace a battery yet. - back cover is fastened with small screws so I imagine battery can be replaced if it ever needs it.

[JonCraig]

Here's a guy on another forum (hope it's okay to post a link to another forum… if not, please feel free to edit) with the same problem:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/stihl-028av-siezed-up-then-later-spins-ok.290338/

--JC

[KE4AVB]

That's is Arkie's username on Arboristsite. Until he posted his link here I was thinking he was our Okie (Travis) here. It was kinda confusing to me.

Of course I go by "AVB" over there myself.

[Arkie]

Here's a guy on another forum (hope it's okay to post a link to another forum… if not, please feel free to edit) with the same problem:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/stihl-028av-siezed-up-then-later-spins-ok.290338/

--JC

Good eye!

That's me trying to get some pro's to respond! Their site is not as user friendly as this site, the threads just keep getting further down on the list with time and don't go back to the top as they get replies and next thing you know you can't hardly even find your own thread unless you do some deep searching.Thought I mentioned such earlier in this thread.

I thought I mentioned this one also! (I'm thinking too much, smell wood burning)
2 cycle tachometer! pet-304
I reviewed the Echo pet-304 and ordered one from trukfixer1 on fleabay.
After reviewing the 304 it appears that the battery can be replaced and other good reviews such as fast refresh rate. Most of the others are a sealed unit, such as a $100 plus Stihl and see some bad reviews on some $18 China clones that look like the pet-304.
Don't like to throw stuff out bacause of a possible measley little bad battery!

[38racing]

I bought a so called sealed one on eBay and when I had trouble with it seller told me to open it to reseat battery. Just a crnn32 coin battery in it.

[38racing]

We eBay one says to wrap lead around plug wire which I hold with a clothes peg. I wonder if it would work if I attach lead to an alligator clip and clipped it to plug wire.

[bgsengine]

We eBay one says to wrap lead around plug wire which I hold with a clothes peg. I wonder if it would work if I attach lead to an alligator clip and clipped it to plug wire.

Depends on the clip and the wire. the PET-304 has it already assembled that way - just a big clip you clip on plug wire and works fine.. as long as the wire and the clip are metal and make good contact it should work.

[Arkie]

We eBay one says to wrap lead around plug wire which I hold with a clothes peg. I wonder if it would work if I attach lead to an alligator clip and clipped it to plug wire.

You probably know this!
You do not want direct contact with the plug wire, ie the HV spark. Some alligator clips are strong enough to pierce the spark plug insulation or weaken it and possibly get a arc jump to the pickup lead and suspect this would immediately zap the unit. I know a zap would permanently damage one that belonged to me. Some people get a second chance, but not me.
I see some units that looks like 3 or 4 wraps of the insulated pickup lead around the plug wire. Think of it as a inductive pickup or antenna without direct contact similar to whats use3d on inductive pickup to trigger timing lights. The ones that have more than one wrap around the plug wire were shown or indicated permanent mount to equipment for both hour meter and rpm.