Building safety basics

[One2iidedcoiin]

Hey there, im new to the building game but know something about electronics. Im just wondering if there is a purpose to using a multimeter beyond checking the resistance of your coils to ensure that through ohms law (I^2=p/r) the current will not excede the max discharge rating of your batteries, as well as knowing consequently which wattages are safe on variable mods?

 

[Topwater Elvis]

If you're using mechanical power devices they can come in handy for a few things more than measuring coil resistance.

If you're using regulated power devices a ohms checker that you can also built, check/measure & test fire comes in a little more handy than a dvom/mm.

Using regulated power devices battery amp demand is calculated differently than when using mechs.
---> Calculating battery current draw for a regulated mod | E-Cigarette Forum

Battery selection & basic battery saftey along with knowing your gear & what you're doing & why would be a first step.

Know the actual CDR of the cells you use, if saftey is a concern always leave headroom, just in case.
---> List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum

 

[Lessifer]

If you're using mechanical power devices they can come in handy for a few things more than measuring coil resistance.

If you're using regulated power devices a ohms checker that you can also built, check/measure & test fire comes in a little more handy than a dvom/mm.

Using regulated power devices battery amp demand is calculated differently than when using mechs.
---> Calculating battery current draw for a regulated mod | E-Cigarette Forum

Battery selection & basic battery saftey along with knowing your gear & what you're doing & why would be a first step.

Know the actual CDR of the cells you use, if saftey is a concern always leave headroom, just in case.
---> List of Battery Tests | E-Cigarette Forum

Yup, all that ^^

If you're using a mech, you can use a mm to check continuity in the mod, battery voltage, as well as the resistance of your build

 

[Continuity]

Batteries will *try* and output current beyond their maximum safe rating - you can't just rely on any particular cell having a CDR of, say, 20A and rely on it to only output those 20A maximum.

Even in a regulated mod, if you use batteries that have to low of a CDR for the builds you're trying to fire, it *will* overtax those batteries, leading them to possibly overheat or even vent.

And yes - multimeters are handy for checking coil resistance values against the display of regulated mods, and for building coils for mechs - they also come in handy for occasional jobs like checking for continuity.

Maybe look into getting something like one of those Coil Master 521 Tab -type devices - they make handy build stations, allow you to pulse/clean/measure & test your coils.

 

[One2iidedcoiin]

Batteries will *try* and output current beyond their maximum safe rating - you can't just rely on any particular cell having a CDR of, say, 20A and rely on it to only output those 20A maximum.

Even in a regulated mod, if you use batteries that have to low of a CDR for the builds you're trying to fire, it *will* overtax those batteries, leading them to possibly overheat or even vent.

And yes - multimeters are handy for checking coil resistance values against the display of regulated mods, and for building coils for mechs - they also come in handy for occasional jobs like checking for continuity.

Maybe look into getting something like one of those Coil Master 521 Tab -type devices - they make handy build stations, allow you to pulse/clean/measure & test your coils.

I am unfamilliar with continuity, does this mean equivalent current in each of your coils?

 

[BrotherBob]

Hey there, im new to the building game but know something about electronics. Im just wondering if there is a purpose to using a multimeter?

Welcome and glad you joined. I do not use a multi-meter because I make it a point not to push the outer envelope. Some folks can vape on the edge safely, If you can, It would not be a bad idea to have one.

 

[speedy_r6]

I am unfamilliar with continuity, does this mean equivalent current in each of your coils?

Continuity means that the circuit is closed and complete so power flows from properly. In the case of the coils, it means a complete circuit from the positive connection, through the atomizer, and all the way to the negative.

 

[Lessifer]

I am unfamilliar with continuity, does this mean equivalent current in each of your coils?

Continuity means a complete circuit in the mod, no interruptions or impediments to the circuit. In a mech mod, basically checking that when you press the button your atty will get power.

 

[petrotech]

I mainly use mechs. I use my DMM to check resistance, test continuity, check battery voltage, check voltage drop, etc....they're pretty handy to have.

i also use one everyday for work, and they bought me a pretty fancy one.

 

[Lessifer]

Welcome and glad you joined. I do not use a multi-meter because I make it a point not to push the outer envelope. Some folks can vape on the edge safely, If you can, It would not be a bad idea to have one.

If you use mechs it's a good idea to check for shorts whether your coils are 2.0ohms or .2ohms.

 

[Phil Lee]

In addition to all the aformentioned, they provide a "sanity check" on the total build. Is the resistance higher or lower than expected? If so, you can start probing for a reason which could be anything from an improperly tightened down clamp screw to a loosely fitted deck post, a short part way along the coil will still have resistance (so even a regulated mod will attempt to drive it), but lower than expected, so that portion of the coil which is in circuit will get too hot, and the rest won't contribute at all. I'm sure others with more experience can come up with other horror stories of broken build decks or 510 connectors which would be fairly easily found with a decent ohm meter and/or voltmeter, but these are ones I've seen, even as a newbie.

 

[Phil Lee]

I can now add to that the positive pin of a Velocity V2 clone, which on removing the plug to use it (with working build) on a dripbox, started swinging wildly in resistance. It turned out the plug was all that was holding it together (well, there was a tiny sliver of metal from the thread - just enough to stop my being alerted by the pin dropping out), and replacement parts are now in the mail. I don't like to think what might have happened if I'd dropped that into some mechanical squonker, and had the bottom of the pin drop into the works on first firing. I think I'd have counted myself lucky to have got away with only a vented cell.