How to see if your atomizer is truly dead with a Voltmeter

**Stormynights** · 07-12-2009, 06:43 PM

How do you check an atomizer. I have a voltmeter that is a black plastic box with red and black wires. There are several settings. Where do I put the probes and what do I set it on?

**happily** · 07-12-2009, 06:47 PM

unscrew the atty, place the voltmeter on the lowest ohms setting (or upside down horseshoe) one probe in the center post and one on outer post(battery connection)

Should be close to 3 ohms(on 510) Warning do not use ohms on a battery, volts only and do not cross inner post to outer post

**breakfastchef** · 07-12-2009, 06:48 PM

Continuity is the most basic diagnostic you can do with the voltmeter. There is a setting for that on the dial. Often, the device will have an audible sound when you touch the red and black probes and/or the needle will move showing you have continuity. Touch the black probe to the threads of the atomizer connector and the red probe to the center conductor. If you hear a sound or the needle moves. the heating coil is most likely intact.

A resistance measurement is done similarly with the meter set to read ohms. If you have a meter with a needle, you often must zero adjust the meter. Touch the red and black probes together and use the zero adjust to make the needle rest at zero. Then test the atty like you did for the continuity test. Read the appropriate scale on the meter for the result. Most 801-style attys read around 3.3-3.7 ohms. If the reading is very high, the atty is FTD (fixin' to die).

**Stormynights** · 07-12-2009, 06:58 PM

Mine doesn't do a thing. I can test batteries with it but I don't know how to do anything else with it. It isn't very old. Maybe it just doesn't work. I don't think it has any batteries in it. There doesn't seem to be a place to put any though.

**breakfastchef** · 07-12-2009, 08:22 PM

Your device can test batteries because the batteries have power. You probably just need to take off the back cover an put some fresh batteries inside. Then you will be able to test continutiy and resistance, assuming there is nothing wrong with the meter.

**Stormynights** · 07-12-2009, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by breakfastchef

Your device can test batteries because the batteries have power. You probably just need to take off the back cover an put some fresh batteries inside. Then you will be able to test continutiy and resistance, assuming there is nothing wrong with the meter.

I am such an idiot. I didn't know that you was supposed to put a battery in there. There is 2 settings for OHMS x10 and x1k. I don't know how to set it to O. I guess it already is. How do you tell?

**breakfastchef** · 07-12-2009, 09:28 PM

x10 is probably the right setting for resistance. If there is a zero adjustment, it will be marked on the front of the meter. If there is one, set the meter to x10, touch the two probes and adjust the screw (possible near the base of the needle) until it lines up with zero.

**Richie G** · 07-12-2009, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by breakfastchef

x10 is probably the right setting for resistance. If there is a zero adjustment, it will be marked on the front of the meter. If there is one, set the meter to x10, touch the two probes and adjust the screw (possible near the base of the needle) until it lines up with zero.

>

Hold on. Before we confuse the OP, let's find out what type of meter he has. He said it is relatively new so there may be no need to speak of adjusting an analog meter to zero.

How about it Stormynights? Does your meter have a digital readout or does it have a needle that swings left to right? If it's a digital, set the ohms to x10 as Breakfast detailed. There is no manual zero calibration if your meter is digital. Then place one lead to the copper outer shell threads and the other to the center post as others have described.

**Stormynights** · 07-12-2009, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by Richie G

>

Hold on. Before we confuse the OP, let's find out what type of meter he has. He said it is relatively new so there may be no need to speak of adjusting an analog meter to zero.

How about it Stormynights? Does your meter have a digital readout or does it have a needle that swings left to right? If it's a digital, set the ohms to x10 as Breakfast detailed. There is no manual zero calibration if your meter is digital. Then place one lead to the copper outer shell threads and the other to the center post as others have described.

It is not digital. It says actron. There are so many zero's on the dial I am really confused.