Hi there, need advice on test equipment!

[Cortimi]

I've been vaping for a while and have decided I want to get into testing my stuff from a tech standpoint (like Anthony Vapes or DJLSB) and am curious what kind of equipment I would need and any methodology tips.

Do you guys use a basic 10A DC fused multimeter with a shunt? Do you use a test bench? If so which one? Stuff like that.

Thanks! Bye.

 

[Baditude]

That question is above my pay grade.

The only guy on ECF who uses a test bench that I know of is @Mooch . And he is only testing batteries for correct specifications and performance ratings. PBusardo has a test bench and used to be a member here but I doubt that he has posted in a few years. You might be able to reach him on his website: TasteYourJuice.com

Mooch's blog | E-Cigarette Forum
Battery Mooch on You Tube

 

[Cortimi]

Not looking at testing batteries, I want to test mods. The only three people that I know that do it are PBusardo, Anthony Vapes, and DJLSB. Hopefully someone knows.

 

[untar]

1. a well calibrated multimeter with high quality components (usually a Fluke, ouch, expensive)
2. an oscilloscope, doesn't need to be ultra precise for our gear so you don't need a production quality one
optional:
3. a 510 shorting pin (just a very low resistance screw with a 510 thread, M7x0.5)
4. if you want to be fancy - an infrared cam to see which parts of the board get how hot in operation

 

[Cortimi]

I was looking at the Flukes but the datasheets stated they only go up to 20A on DC. I am thinking I am probably going to need some sort of shunt after the load and recalculate resistance. I'm just trying to figure out how I would actually operate that without it throwing off atomizer resistance and/or frying the chipset on the mod.

 

[untar]

You don't directly measure high currents. You can attach a current limiting/throttling circuit and measure in there with a multimeter (I think that's the "shunt" method in English), only again need high quality resistors/components, you can measure the magnetic field caused by the current or last but not least measure with a hall effect sensor.

 

[untar]

Also, you don't really need to measure the current. If you have a high precision multimeter you can measure Voltage and/or Ohms and calculate the current from there very accurately. At 20+ Amps you probably don't care about tenth or hundredth of an Amp either.

 

[Cortimi]

So a basic multimeter in voltage test mode wouldn't pop a fuse under high current?

I mean, comparing the voltage reading and the resistance of the atty from a meter and comparing it to the output screen on the mod...it can't be THAT easy, can it?

 

[untar]

A good multimeter has a rather high resistance when in Voltage mode (in order not to disturb the rest of the circuit) so when you look at the rule for resistors in parallel you'll see that in comparison only very little current will flow through the multimeter in Voltage mode.
In current mode that's a complete other thing, then the multimeter has a very low resistance, close to 0, again in order not to disturb the circuit.

I mean, comparing the voltage reading and the resistance of the atty from a meter and comparing it to the output screen on the mod...it can't be THAT easy, can it?

Why not?

With the oscilloscope you can pick up the signal gradient (hope that's the right word) and get a rough idea of what happens over time, with the multimeter you can accurately measure the peak
Both measurements can then be used to calculate power.

The multimeter can also be used to measure the mod internal resistance with the shorting pin as well as verify the quality of parts used on the mod's board if you like.

Common multimeter sense still applies though, initially set a higher Voltage than the one you want to measure and refine your setting from there in order not to fry anything with an unexpected Voltage spike.

 

[Cortimi]

A good multimeter has a rather high resistance when in Voltage mode (in order not to disturb the rest of the circuit) so when you look at the rule for resistors in parallel you'll see that in comparison only very little current will flow through the multimeter in Voltage mode.
In current mode that's a complete other thing, then the multimeter has a very low resistance, close to 0, again in order not to disturb the circuit.

Perfect, that was exactly the explanation I was hoping for, thanks!

One last thing, is it as simple as hooking the leads up to the atty posts with a coil installed?

 

[untar]

is it as simple as hooking the leads up to the atty posts with a coil installed?

You can, but for accurate measurements I'd get some of these "......" probes

and extend the coil legs on the other side of the post just enough for them to latch on, maybe put a bend at the end of the coil leg so they don't slide off.
The needle probes make for wobbly contact and with the hook probes you're measuring hands free.

An oscilloscope usually comes with such hook probes (I'm quite sure that's not the correct English term btw )

 

[untar]

Whaddaya know I wasn't very far with my made-up word
https://www.amazon.com/MagiDeal-Grabber-Analyzer-Testing-Accessories/dp/B076QD5GYM
(of course there's higher quality ones for more $$)

 

[Mooch]

I've been vaping for a while and have decided I want to get into testing my stuff from a tech standpoint (like Anthony Vapes or DJLSB) and am curious what kind of equipment I would need and any methodology tips.

Do you guys use a basic 10A DC fused multimeter with a shunt? Do you use a test bench? If so which one? Stuff like that.

Thanks! Bye.

I’m using a test bench. For mods and my own projects. The battery test rigs are off camera to the left.

It all depends on exactly what you are testing. Shunts and a couple of voltmeters can test power to the coils, even just a single DMM if you know EXACTLY what the coil resistance actually is. Efficiency measurements need two DMM’s and two ammeters.

Mod output waveforms need a scope, 100MHz is ok for bandwidth but a fast sampling rate and deep memory helps a lot.

Big power supplies can sub for batteries and electronic loads can sub for coils.

Milliohmmeter/microhmmeter to measure PCB, wiring, connection resistances.

Logic analyzer to “spy” on chip to chip comms.

 

[BrotherBob]

Perfect, that was exactly the explanation I was hoping for, thanks!

Welcome and glad you joined.
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