TA397 Pico BNC+ Secondary Ignition Pickup Lead

Pico Secondary ignition pickup lead - capacitive with BNC+ connection. Automatically detected by Pico software.

Due to the high voltages involved in secondary ignition systems, it is not possible to make measurements by direct connection. Attempting to make a direct connection will almost certainly damage the measuring instrument.

The TA397 is a capacitive pickup that simply connects around the insulation of an ignition circuit component such as a plug wire. This avoids the need for direct connection.

The TA397 comes with a shielded 1.8 m (6 foot) lead. It is suitable for use with conventional ignition systems and most HEI and DIS systems. 

Although ideal for use with a PicoScope automotive oscilloscope, the TA397 pickup can also be used with most other makes of oscilloscope provided they have a waveform invert option.

How to use the TA397 Secondary Ignition Pickup

Safety precautions before use:

• Keep the lead away from pulleys and other moving parts
• Keep the lead away from heat
• Never let the pickup come in direct connection with primary or secondary voltage (otherwise the PicoScope may be damaged)
• Always use the ground clip
• Do not let the metal portion of the pickup contact a ground

Connecting the TA397:

• Connect the TA397 to the automotive oscilloscope before connecting to the vehicle
• Connect the ground clip to a good ground on the vehicle
• Connect to vehicle

For...

• Standard Ignition: clip the pickup around the coil wire (or one plug wire at a time)
• Integrated coil: clip the pickup around the central location on the distributor cap
• DIS: clip the pickup around one plug wire at a time