Ohm Meter Basics for Atty Testing?

[creekside]

Hi, all:

I've been lurking here for almost 2 years, when I quit analogs and found e-cigs. I've been using a Reo Mini with Cisco 1.5 ohm LR 510 bridgeless atty. My priority is big throat hit.

I bought an OHM tester because my next purchases will be a Reo VV Grand and an ERA rebuildable atty. Also, I wanted to be able to test old attys to see if they could still be used.

The ohm meter came today and I checked a bunch of used attys on it. The problem is I don't know what the readings mean. I assumed that the attys should read 1.5 ohms, but I'm getting readings from 2.15 to 1.1 ohms. None of these attys are functioning well, not even the one that tested at 1.45, so I think I'm missing something.

Can anybody explain to me in very simple terms what the output should be for an atty? I'searched the forums but am still mystified.

Thanks!
Creekside

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

Before you test the atty, you touch the 2 leads together to test the resistance of the leads. You have to subtract that value from the result when you test the resistance. Some expensive or newer meters do that for you, but most don't.

The value may be way different from what you thought. Most people never tested the resistance and just assumed the value on the package was exactly what they had. Even when they say + or - 0.2 or whatever, few actually delivered within that tolerance. Also, things like the Star Dust, first few generations, had long resistance wire and they were not soldered connections. They often read much higher when they were new and came into range once the connection wore in.

 

[creekside]

Thanks for that fast response! I bought this ohm meter:

Portable Ohm Meter - Avid Vaper

So there are no leads to test.

If I understand correctly, I need to test some new attys to see what their resistance is before I can judge whether these old ones are functioning well. I just tested a bunch of new attys and they came in at 1.44-1.47 so I guess that's the range I'm looking for.

Thanks!
Jay

 

[X P3 Flight Engineer]

Thanks for that fast response! I bought this ohm meter:

Portable Ohm Meter - Avid Vaper

So there are no leads to test.

If I understand correctly, I need to test some new attys to see what their resistance is before I can judge whether these old ones are functioning well. I just tested a bunch of new attys and they came in at 1.44-1.47 so I guess that's the range I'm looking for.

Thanks!
Jay

WOW! You're a century ahead of me, well 12 years anyway! It doesn't get more high tech than that for $21.99. Lol

Enjoy!

 

[creekside]

WOW! You're a century ahead of me, well 12 years anyway! It doesn't get more high tech than that for $21.99. Lol

Enjoy!

LOL! I have this message board to thank. I never would have been able to switch from cigs to PVs without all the info I found here.

Jay

 

[kamasu]

I have a zmax and a provari and they have a built in ohm checker but when you start making a dual coil on some of the rba it would read it and through and error could would this portable ohm meter read it?

 

[edking66]

You can figure out resistance in parallel (which is how dual coils are wired) by the following formula

1/r1 + 1/r2 = 1/rt (rt being the parallel resistance). You can use the reciprocal function (1/x) on the Windows calculator in scientific mode, just enter the first coil resistance, then hit 1/x, then +, then the second coil resistance, then 1/x, then =, then 1/x one more time. This is what you should read across the dual coil atty.

 

[JUDGMENT AFFIRMED]

WOW! You're a century ahead of me, well 12 years anyway! It doesn't get more high tech than that for $21.99. Lol

Enjoy!

I was thinking the same thing.

 

[JUDGMENT AFFIRMED]

I'm not the expert on this, but if i remember correctly, at 1 ohm is reason to start being concerned and your high reading is no concern. The coil readings ,resistance, changes over time. And when i said your high reading im refering to the 2.15, because there is concern there also, but its much greater.

 

[Bradart]

You can figure out resistance in parallel (which is how dual coils are wired) by the following formula

1/r1 + 1/r2 = 1/rt (rt being the parallel resistance). You can use the reciprocal function (1/x) on the Windows calculator in scientific mode, just enter the first coil resistance, then hit 1/x, then +, then the second coil resistance, then 1/x, then =, then 1/x one more time. This is what you should read across the dual coil atty.

This was incredibly useful. Thank you.