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?
How to see if your atomizer is truly dead with a Voltmeter
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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
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
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).
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).
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.
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?
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.
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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.
OK - The ohms selector is in the green area. You select the lowest number. In your case, it's 10ohms. Remember the 'k' stands for 1000. 1k=1000. If the lowest is 10, set it on 10. Black probe on the threads, and red probe on the center. See what it says. It wont work without a battery in the meter.
Just give it a try, and let's see what it says. You'll read the needle by what looks to be the top scale.
When I tested a dead atty it didn't move. Then I tested a good one and it moved to 8.
OK now we're getting somewhere. It's been a very long time since I worked with that type of meter. Mine are all digital now.
Anyway;
8 ohms would probably be good since the meter isn't calibrated, and that type of meter isn't as accurate as the digital's, but it's OK for what you want to use it for.
If you have the selector on 10ohms, and touch the two probes together, that would register a dead short.
If it does nothing when you test the atty, it shows that the circuit is open, which would mean a broken coil. (Nothing is connecting the circuit.)
The good atty is probably not 8 ohms, but I would imagine closer to 4. That would be how accurate the meter is. If you have the book that came with the meter, it should tell you how to calibrate it. (Like making sure a scale has to be set to zero before you step on it.)
You're almost there.
Anyway;
8 ohms would probably be good since the meter isn't calibrated, and that type of meter isn't as accurate as the digital's, but it's OK for what you want to use it for.
If you have the selector on 10ohms, and touch the two probes together, that would register a dead short.
If it does nothing when you test the atty, it shows that the circuit is open, which would mean a broken coil. (Nothing is connecting the circuit.)
The good atty is probably not 8 ohms, but I would imagine closer to 4. That would be how accurate the meter is. If you have the book that came with the meter, it should tell you how to calibrate it. (Like making sure a scale has to be set to zero before you step on it.)
You're almost there.
This is an excellent thread spelling out the "how to" of testing atomizers to make sure they are in fact dead. Whenever I get an order in, I do this to all of them to make sure I did not get any DOA's. Thread Stuck.
Sun
Sun
Thank you Jim for your help. I still have so much to learn but I am a lot better off now thanks to you and the others that took the time to help. I always loved Red Skelton.
My RN4081 and M401 attys register roughly between 3.5 to 4 ohms when good. The higher the reading, the more resistance, which is not good. When a heating coil breaks, you'll get no reading, as the circuit is broken. In the case of atomizers, when the coil breaks, the burnt crap touching the coils have resistance. that's where you get the 5k 20k 30k readings. The crap is completing the electrical circuit, but is useless for anything.
If you get a decent meter, and take the probes in each hand, press your thumbs into the probe ends, the meter will measure the resistance going through your body.
If you get a decent meter, and take the probes in each hand, press your thumbs into the probe ends, the meter will measure the resistance going through your body.
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