Is It My Ohm Reader, Me, Or... ?

[NateHevens]

First, I hope this is in the right forum. But, knowing me, it probably isn't. Feel free to move if that's the case.

On to the issue.

I got my hands on a Kanger Sub-tank a little while back. I love this thing. I'll continue to use my RDAs, of course, but the convenience of a tank was too tempting to pass up, and one that's rebuildable was just the icing on the cake. I'm very happy with it.

So... I'm currently using the 0.5-ohm OCC, and I decided, just for the hell of it, to hook it up to my ohm reader... the reading came out to 0.68 ohms.

Hm. Interesting. Tank connectivity, perhaps? Mild false advertising? I'm too stupid to realize that ohm readers don't work with tanks as such?

Or maybe something's wrong with my ohm reader?

I went ahead and decided to find an answer to that last question, first. So I checked the three RDAs I currently have built: my UD Igo-W Plus, my Vulcan, and my Stillare clone.

Now, my go-to default build is 24AWG kanthal, 1/8mm diameter, 5/4 wrap, dual coil. This is, of course, the build I have on all three RDAs. My ohm reader has always shown this to be between 0.3 ohms and 0.4 ohms, although steam engine suggests a 7/6 wrap for 0.3 ohms (to be fair, I never took into consideration wire diameter [I thought that was default based on AWG?] and leg length, which I always cut short to the posts once the wires were screwed in... maybe I should start measuring those two things?).

So the Igo showed up at 0.33 ohms. So far so good? Then I tested the Vulcan. It fluctuated between 0.33 ohms and 0.34 ohms. Okay, not bad? Odd that it fluctuated, but the Stillare is next...

Now, remember that the Stillare has the exact same build as the Igo and the Vulcan.

It showed up on my ohm reader at 0.09 ohms.

What? How? Why?

And now I'm confused. Is this normal? Do I need new batteries in my reader? Do I need a new reader? Is it a problem with my Stillare build, maybe (like, is it possibly shorting?... if that's the case, I'm glad I'm not using it right now).

And why did the 0.5-ohm OCC on my Kanger sub-tank show up at 0.68 ohms?

I'm very confused as to what's going on here and if I'm missing something or if something's wrong with my reader or what...

Please help...

 

[ImThatGuy]

Replace with fresh batteries, clean ohm reader connection (q-tip wiping or whatevers); then retest.

 

[NateHevens]

Replace with fresh batteries, clean ohm reader connection (q-tip wiping or whatevers); then retest.

Will do so after I wake up, and report back here.

 

[Paul Williams]

It's not unusual for aresistance meter to be off by 0.5 better ones get more accurate but even top quality laboratory testers can have the same issue. Makes you think when some people are building at 0.15 what is the actual resistance of the build. Always test a build more than once if you get matching readings you can be fairly confident. And yes use fresh batteries.

 

[gpjoe]

What Paul Willaims said, and...

Assuming your meter is correct (and I think it is based on your readings):

- There is something wrong with your Stillare clone. Either it is shorted or your build is creating a near short.

- It is not uncommon for manufatured coils and replacement heads to vary a bit from the stated resistance. You must also consider that your ohm meter is not going to be dead accurate.

All I really use my meter for is to check a new build for a dead short.

 

[Bunnykiller]

I have seen differences of up to .5 ohms on coils that are built and not dry burned to coils that have been dry burned ( glowing hot)... unheated coils can have wrap to wrap contact that lower the ohm readings...

 

[93gc40]

FWIW, The leg length mentioned on Steam is the legs from the coil to the post.. Has nothing to do with what you leave after cutting the excess. So the extra ohms on the pre-made .5ohm coils, could just be that you have longer legs than as measured at the factory.. You have no way of knowing at what point of the wire they did the measurements. But then the factory measurement is probably done on the wire PRIOR to wrapping anyway..

 

[NateHevens]

FWIW, The leg length mentioned on Steam is the legs from the coil to the post.. Has nothing to do with what you leave after cutting the excess. So the extra ohms on the pre-made .5ohm coils, could just be that you have longer legs than as measured at the factory.. You have no way of knowing at what point of the wire they did the measurements. But then the factory measurement is probably done on the wire PRIOR to wrapping anyway..

Ah. Okay. That helps a lot.

So...

I put new batteries in my ohm reader and cleaned out the connection.

Igo came up at 0.31 ohms. Vulcan at 0.32 ohms. Stillare read at a 0.08 ohms this time. So I guess my Stillare has a short. Like I said... glad I'm not using it.

I think maybe I should invest in a somewhat more accurate ohm reader, mostly for my edification. But, for now, the one I have does seem to work... I guess.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

 

[ImThatGuy]

I would lastly suggest to rebuild on the Stillare. Build coils that you're familiar with (5/4 wraps that come out around 0.3) so when you retest it on the meter, it should show a result of close to what you were building. If not, then your stillare is a problem.

 

[gpjoe]

I would lastly suggest to rebuild on the Stillare. Build coils that you're familiar with (5/4 wraps that come out around 0.3) so when you retest it on the meter, it should show a result of close to what you were building. If not, then your stillare is a problem.

Yep. You might want to remove the coil(s) on the Stillare and check the atomizer resistance with no coil. If you get an open circuit, it may be ok. Then you can rebuild with a new coil and see what kind of resistance you get.

 

[ian-field]

First, I hope this is in the right forum. But, knowing me, it probably isn't. Feel free to move if that's the case.

On to the issue.

I got my hands on a Kanger Sub-Tank a little while back. I love this thing. I'll continue to use my RDAs, of course, but the convenience of a tank was too tempting to pass up, and one that's rebuildable was just the icing on the cake. I'm very happy with it.

So... I'm currently using the 0.5-ohm OCC, and I decided, just for the hell of it, to hook it up to my ohm reader... the reading came out to 0.68 ohms.

Hm. Interesting. Tank connectivity, perhaps? Mild false advertising? I'm too stupid to realize that ohm readers don't work with tanks as such?

Or maybe something's wrong with my ohm reader?

I went ahead and decided to find an answer to that last question, first. So I checked the three RDAs I currently have built: my UD Igo-W Plus, my Vulcan, and my Stillare clone.

Now, my go-to default build is 24AWG kanthal, 1/8mm diameter, 5/4 wrap, dual coil. This is, of course, the build I have on all three RDAs. My ohm reader has always shown this to be between 0.3 ohms and 0.4 ohms, although steam engine suggests a 7/6 wrap for 0.3 ohms (to be fair, I never took into consideration wire diameter [I thought that was default based on AWG?] and leg length, which I always cut short to the posts once the wires were screwed in... maybe I should start measuring those two things?).

So the Igo showed up at 0.33 ohms. So far so good? Then I tested the Vulcan. It fluctuated between 0.33 ohms and 0.34 ohms. Okay, not bad? Odd that it fluctuated, but the Stillare is next...

Now, remember that the Stillare has the exact same build as the Igo and the Vulcan.

It showed up on my ohm reader at 0.09 ohms.

What? How? Why?

And now I'm confused. Is this normal? Do I need new batteries in my reader? Do I need a new reader? Is it a problem with my Stillare build, maybe (like, is it possibly shorting?... if that's the case, I'm glad I'm not using it right now).

And why did the 0.5-ohm OCC on my Kanger sub-tank show up at 0.68 ohms?

I'm very confused as to what's going on here and if I'm missing something or if something's wrong with my reader or what...

Please help...

The DMM is probably give or take one increment of the least significant digit - The test leads on my DMM add about 0.2 Ohm to the reading, it fluctuates a bit too because the shiny plating has worn off the tips of the prods, the brass metal underneath tends to tarnish.

 

[NateHevens]

I would lastly suggest to rebuild on the Stillare. Build coils that you're familiar with (5/4 wraps that come out around 0.3) so when you retest it on the meter, it should show a result of close to what you were building. If not, then your stillare is a problem.

Will do.

Yep. You might want to remove the coil(s) on the Stillare and check the atomizer resistance with no coil. If you get an open circuit, it may be ok. Then you can rebuild with a new coil and see what kind of resistance you get.

Open circuit shows up as 1 ohm, right? I'll go ahead and work on that.

The DMM is probably give or take one increment of the least significant digit - The test leads on my DMM add about 0.2 Ohm to the reading, it fluctuates a bit too because the shiny plating has worn off the tips of the prods, the brass metal underneath tends to tarnish.

Yup, I'm going to betray my stupidity once again. DMM?

(Sorry. )

 

[bullet08]

double check the contact between the coil and the negative/positive posts.

 

[plehem12]

Double check everything, sure. But it's normal for coils to be a bit off from what's advertised. My jug of gain laundry soap says up to a bajillion loads. But I'll never get that.

 

[gpjoe]

If you're using a little black box I believe an open circuit will read as a 1 followed by two blank places. It's what ever the meter normally reads with no atty attached to it.

 

[Train2]

Fluctuation of .01 is just cuz it's in the middle...
Stillare - might have a problem there...check for short, loose wire, etc.

Kanger - that's Kanger.
Their resistance has always been a very rough approximation, and usually way high out of the box - even back with ProTank coils, you'd buy a box of 2.0 ohm coils, and they'd all be 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4.

That'd be my guess, anyway...

 

[NateHevens]

Fluctuation of .01 is just cuz it's in the middle...

Ah. I see. Okay.

Stillare - might have a problem there...check for short, loose wire, etc.

I'm actually about to get started on rebuilding it, now.

Kanger - that's Kanger.
Their resistance has always been a very rough approximation, and usually way high out of the box - even back with ProTank coils, you'd buy a box of 2.0 ohm coils, and they'd all be 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4.

That'd be my guess, anyway...

I see. Okay. That makes sense. I guess a rough estimate is probably the best that can be done given the accuracy of ohm reading in the first place.

--------------------------------------------------------
So here's a general question...

When I do my usual build (dual coil, 24 AWG Kanthal A1, ¹/₈mm diameter, 5/4 wrap), it shows up between 0.3 ohms and 0.4 ohms on my reader, yet Steam Engine tells me I need a 7/6 wrap to get 0.3 ohms. How come?

 

[Susan~S]

Yup, I'm going to betray my stupidity once again. DMM?

Digital Multimeter

 

[NateHevens]

Digital Multimeter

Ah. Thank you.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Update on the Stillare.

Took out the old coils. I forgot to test it unbuilt initially, so I rebuilt it first with my usual build... 0.08 ohms. So I remembered I was supposed to test it unbuilt and took out the coils... 0.09 ohms.

What happened to my Stillare? I looked inside the post and there aren't any random wire pieces hiding in there. All an RDA is is a platform with positive and negative posts, right? No wires until you actually build on it? So what caused this?

I will say this... the center post is very discolored... could that be it?

 

[NateHevens]

I wanted to add some picks of my Stillare on my ohm reader.