Re: Onto a new learning curve…CD ignition

[frankr]

As far as I can understand, a DVA is another name for a peak-hold voltmeter. Accumulates the short voltage peaks and stores it in a capacitor to give you time to obtain a reading. More technical explanation is that electrons will flow into the capacitor until the voltage across the capacitor equals the highest (peak) source voltage. The diode is a one-way door to keep the electrons from flowing back out. The system is compromised a bit by the escape path as already discussed (parallel resistor, meter load, etc.)

Unless somebody can explain to me why it isn’t.

BTW, a cheap analog multimeter would present a large escape path for those stored electrons. In other words, you have to have a suitable multimeter as generally used for electronics work.