OK here it is in living color. One picture is worth how many words?

Yep.....

Wow, doesn't anybody read . . .
 

What do you think is displayed in Steve's picture?

How do I get into these messes??
 

So, frequency and duty cycle..... are/are not the same? An instrument that measures frequency will/will not/might measure duty cycle??:confused:

Cap't - frequency and "duty cycle" are NOT the same. Think of turning a light switch on/off. Duty cycle is the percentage of time the light is on versus off and frequency would be the time from when you first turned it on, then turned if off and then on again. The second time you turned it on would be the end of the first "frequency" cycle. If you did the complete "cycle" in one second with 40% of the time the light is on and 60% of the time it is off that is 40% duty cycle. That's a good explanation for a mechanical engineer isn't it. Just go get a high quality Fluke with duty cycle capabilities and you will not go wrong.

At the risk of oversimplification....
 

Whatever meter I buy had better say "duty cycle" on the face somewhere?;)

Re: At the risk of oversimplification....
 

It may just say "Pulse" or "Pulse Width"
If so, it does measure Duty Cycle

Flukes don't get into Duty cycle until you get into their 80 Series meters....

*DUTY RATIO
The ratio of pulse width to repetition period. Also known as Duty Cycle.

Bingo!!
 

Now I can go to the store and shop with a clear idea of what I need!

A big ol THANKS to all!!

duty cycle
 

I was an electronic technician a long time ago, I don't know what your measuring, but here is a typical real-life duty-cycle reading: A cheap welder will say it has a 20% duty cycle. This means it will operate one fifth of the time without overheating, lets say 5 minutes on, and cool down for 25 minutes. A higher quality welder will have a 100% duty cycle, you could use it continuously without it getting too hot. Lorenzo in Great Falls.......

Sorry Lorenzo but . . .
 

the duty cycle you described is 16% not 20%.

The formula is ON/ (ON + OFF): so 5 / (5 + 25) = 0.16 = 16%

Sorry about that but couldn't let it go. This thread has been a nightmare! :( So might as well add to it!

Cap'n may end up buying a Lexus!! :D

I may get confused.... but....
 

If I were going to buy a Lexus, I'd just buy a Toyota and save the extra money. IMHO that apple didn't fall far from the tree!!;)

Thought provoking
 

With the number of reads and replies this post has had, apparently those salespeople I was dealing with were not the only people that didn't have a clear understanding of the term!;) Of course I knew all along.....:p :p :p :p :p