Measuring atty resistance

[Switched]

Hi folks,

I seem to be reading everywhere folks measuring resistance across their attys @ X, that's nice how does one do this? and more important what does the reading mean?

 

[tunabubblegum]

Hi folks,

I seem to be reading everywhere folks measuring resistance across their attys @ X, that's nice how does one do this? and more important what does the reading mean?

You need a volt/ohm meter that will measure resistence in ohms.

Switch your meter to resistence, put the red + probe in the hole
of the atty (turn it up-side down, it's the hole where the threads are)
and put the black - probe on the threads (ground) and hold it still
while the reading stabilizes.
The normal attys are 2.?? ohms and the HV ones are 4.?? ohms

P.S. since 4 ohms has more "resistance" to the current, it does not get as hot or produce
as much vapor as a 2 ohm atty.
Actually, for a 5V PV, I prefer a normal 2 ohm atty, just be extra careful to alow it to
cool a bit between drags.
For a 6V PV, I do think you need a HV atty.

 

[Metstoo]

What exactly IS resistance and how does it affect vaping??

 

[dirtdocktor]

I have always been curious about this? Please do explain

 

[Switched]

You need a volt/ohm meter that will measure resistence in ohms.

Switch your meter to resistence, put the red + probe in the hole
of the atty (turn it up-side down, it's the hole where the threads are)
and put the black - probe on the threads (ground) and hold it still
while the reading stabilizes.
The normal attys are 2.?? ohms and the HV ones are 4.?? ohms

P.S. since 4 ohms has more "resistance" to the current, it does not get as hot or produce
as much vapor as a 2 ohm atty.
Actually, for a 5V PV, I prefer a normal 2 ohm atty, just be extra careful to alow it to
cool a bit between drags.
For a 6V PV, I do think you need a HV atty.

so i guess a multi-tester set on ohms doesn't work I gather. Because my reading is zero, just like if I touch both leads together.

 

[Richie G]

so i guess a multi-tester set on ohms doesn't work I gather. Because my reading is zero, just like if I touch both leads together.

If you are testing a known working atty and you have the multimeter properly set-up and working correctly, there is no way you can get a "zero" reading or what is referred to as a "dead short".

It's possible that your probes are touching one another (in that small space) or your finger tips are getting into the circuit giving a false reading.

 

[Hoosier]

so i guess a multi-tester set on ohms doesn't work I gather. Because my reading is zero, just like if I touch both leads together.

Might want to do a battery check on that meter. If your meter does not have a battery check, well, I doubt it is able to test low resistances accurately.

If there is a fixed resistance, the atty, and a fixed voltage, the battery, then there will be a fixed current, or the amperage flowing through the atty. Since power is what determines vapor production and power is voltage x current, the higher the voltage, the more vapor and the more current the more vapor. (This is assuming identical juice.)

Your equations to remember are P=IE (Power in watts equals Current in amps multiplied by Energy in Volts.) and V=IR (Voltage equals Current in amps multiplied by Resistance in ohms.) With a little subbing you get P=IIR, so you can see that since the resistance if fixed and the current is squared, that current is the fast track to more vapor. (It is also the fast track to burning out an atty, so a fine line has to be walked here.) To get more current, V=IR -> I=V/R, the voltage has to go up or the resistance has to go down, or possibly both. Thus, the reason the batteries we use are under such a strain. They have to put out quite a bit of current with each use.

Darn, got caught up in my own geekness and forgot my point. Anyway do the math and measurements and compare for yourself. You should be able to get to the point that a new atty, after measuring it, you will know if it will be a favorite or an only-when-I-have-to type atty.

I really need to get back into electrical stuff and stop playing civil engineer sometime...

 

[Switched]

Hoosier, thanks for the electrical refresher but all you accomplished was confused me more

I do not have a battery check on my multi-meter. Checking an electrical circuit I'm reading 110V. Checking a AA niCad battery at 1.2V I'm reading 1.1V, so I guess all is well there.

When I place it on the ohms setting and touch the two leads I get zero. I do have an adjustment, and that was off a tad set I did set it to zero. Is that correct? When checking for continuity, you want it to read zero, correct (e.g checking) a blown fuse?

Are you folks powering up the atty to check this or straight out of the box?

What I am doing is placing the red probe (+) in the hole and the black (-) against the threads. The results I am getting is the same as touching both leads together or zero. Even when I switch probes etc, same results, to include but not limited to placing one an the bridge???

 

[Richie G]

1) When I place it on the ohms setting and touch the two leads I get zero. I do have an adjustment, and that was off a tad set I did set it to zero. Is that correct? When checking for continuity, you want it to read zero, correct (e.g checking) a blown fuse?

2) Are you folks powering up the atty to check this or straight out of the box?

1) Correct

2) The atty is tested for resistance out of the ckt.

Again, is this a known working atomizer?

Is there a range scale on the ohms portion of your meter? You want to stay out of the range of K ohms and M ohms. I haven't used an analog meter in years, nor a non-auto range, but there should be a setting for under 200 ohms.

I'm confused where you talk about the bridge of the atty. You should be placing one probe (doesnt matter which one), on the battery connection point of the atty in the center (+) and the other probe to the outer shell threads (-) -- making sure not to short the probes together.

After you tested for 110 V and saw it, did you then plug the probes into correct ports on the meter before checking for ohms? On the old analogs you have to swap meter ports...

 

[Metstoo]

I think I get it! Thanks Hoosier!

 

[Switched]

Is there a range scale on the ohms portion of your meter? You want to stay out of the range of K ohms and M ohms. I haven't used an analog meter in years, nor a non-auto range, but there should be a setting for under 200 ohms

No only K Ohms, is that why it's not working. I don't have a choice. My other meter is the same as well K Ohms

 

[tunabubblegum]

Sounds like your meter will not work for low resistance.
1 K ohm is 1000 ohms, so that setting will only read if resistance
is 1 K ohm or higher.

 

[Switched]

Sounds like your meter will not work for low resistance.
1 K ohm is 1000 ohms, so that setting will only read if resistance
is 1 K ohm or higher.

... at least now I have an answer I can work from e.g. I need a meter that will read 200 Ohms or less. That isnot a problem. It was just that I tested mine and couldn't figure out what everybody was talking about let alone the fuss. All my attys with the exception of one, work great (from the first batch) the second batch they all work on my PT but are fussy which battery works with them, and that has to do with fit more than anything elses.

 

[sjohnson]

What exactly IS resistance and how does it affect vaping??

Resistance is a measure of how easily electricity passes through a substance - the coil wire in our case.

An analogy is a pipe. At the same feed pressure, a tiny pipe will pass less water than a large pipe. The tiny pipe has a higher resistance to water flow. In order to pass the same amount of water through the tiny pipe as the large pipe, either the pressure acting on the water in the tiny pipe has to be increased, or the pressure acting on the water in the large pipe has to be decreased.

Each atomizer type has a design resistance, or "pipe size" built into it. Each is designed to "flow" a certain amount of electricity. This resistance to electrical flow creates heat, which atomizes (vaporizes) the e-juice. So, if the resistance of your coil isn't within design spec, you get a poor vape.

 

[Switched]

Well now I know what a good atty looks like. I got my order in today from e-cig supply and they are not the clones. Measured resistance between 2.1 and 2.4 Ohms

compared to my others at 3 - 3.3 Ohms.

It's amazing once you get the right tool for the job e.g a meter that could select < 1K Ohms, how much simpler things are.

 

[Kelemvor]

what make you think a clone can not have 2.1-2.4 ohms ? it only shows its not ECIS or SLB

 

[Switched]

These Pictures[/b] are worth 1K Ohms

 

[Switched]

These Pictures are worth 1K Ohms

 

[justincredible]

i checked a couple of my attys and theyre showing at about 2.7

 

[Lightgeoduck]

These Pictures are worth 1K Ohms

not sure why you linked to a forum to link to a forum to get a pic?

you could have either posted the image via pic url OR
do a one minute search on this forum and make the same analogy

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/forum/general-e-smoking-discussion/54747-l2-atty-vs-joye-atty.html

there are more... but I am only proving a point that's all... also giving room for more info that is already provided here on ECF