Do you guys have any suggestions for brands and models of multimeters? Preferably the most reliable and accurate around $20.
Multimeter Suggestions
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For the said amount, you can go to eBay and choose one that suits you.
I purchased an inexpensive unit on eBay and use it in my vaping travel kit.
I purchased an inexpensive unit on eBay and use it in my vaping travel kit.
I bought one from Walmart in the auto parts section for $20. An ohmmeter is nice to have also and can be used as a base for holding your atomizer head for rebuilding
The one Daleron linked can be used as a building base. A regular DMM can't, but is more versatile.
If you get a DMM, when you use it to check resistance, put it on the lowest Ω setting (typically 200) and then touch the probe tips to each other and note the reading. That's the resistance of the leads and probes, and needs to be subtracted from the final coil reading.
If you get a DMM, when you use it to check resistance, put it on the lowest Ω setting (typically 200) and then touch the probe tips to each other and note the reading. That's the resistance of the leads and probes, and needs to be subtracted from the final coil reading.
If you don't want to spring the bucks for a genuine Fluke then a good quality DMM in the $20-40 range will work just fine for vaping purposes. A cheaper meter will work too, but stronger build quality and durability costs money. Besides, a good DMM is useful for a lot more than vaping.
Specifically, I would not buy an affordable DMM that doesn't use the old fashioned 9V battery with snap terminals. The mini DMM batteries don't last very long and require frequent replacement.
Specifically, I would not buy an affordable DMM that doesn't use the old fashioned 9V battery with snap terminals. The mini DMM batteries don't last very long and require frequent replacement.
Extech MN35 Digital Mini MultiMeter I've heard that Extech has a good reputation.
I bought an INNOVA 3320. It's very accurate and I really like the auto-ranging and auto-power off features.
Be very sure to touch the leads together and verify you get a 0 ohms reading. Otherwise the meter is not calibrates correctly.
I just bought a cheapo meter and out of the package it reads .9 ohms. Junk!
I just bought a cheapo meter and out of the package it reads .9 ohms. Junk!
I already have a couple of Fluke DMMs, but I've got this in a box on it's way to me now!
Vici Vc480c Milli-Ohm Meter
Vici Vc480c Milli-Ohm Meter
That Innova 3320 looks to be a decent meter for vaping and general use. Uses ordinary AA alkaline batteries.
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That's normal for non-auto-ranging meters.
I miss my Fluke 87. I had to turn it in at early retirement, but I got to keep the Simpson digital.
.4 ohms is what I read on most of my cheap meters. It's the resistance of the wire in the average set of meter leads. Resistive plug connections can make it read higher. Auto-ranging digital meters will take that into account and re-zero themselves. The old manual meters had a knob to turn to zero the meter with the leads shorted.
Harbor Freight has one I've been looking at for a more functional auto-ranging meter. Before you say Chinese junk, read the reviews. It's feature packed and gets good reviews for home use and small business use from people who sometimes use high end Flukes and don't want to pay $250+ for a Fluke around the house.
http://www.harborfreight.com/5-in-1-digital-multimeter-98674.html
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If you have an old inexpensive DMM lurking around or even a mechanical meter type multimeter it can still be good for vaping purposes if all you need is to check coil resistance and battery voltage. The meter I use most often is this old Equus 4320 that I purchased from an auto parts store about 20 years ago. I have used this meter a lot over 20 years. Like DaveP wrote, many of these inexpensive meters will show probe resistance when the test leads are crossed. This is normal and doesn't necessarily mean the meter is shot. Crossing the probes and noting the probe resistance is standard procedure before making a resistance measurement. At the 200 ohm setting this meter always shows .4 ohm which I subtract from the testing value for the measured value.
The accuracy of an old meter can be easily tested. Resistance values can be checked against 1% accuracy resistors.
The accuracy of an old meter can be easily tested. Resistance values can be checked against 1% accuracy resistors.
One of the things I worry about is new vapers who wind a coil on a mech and don't know about subtracting lead resistance. A .5 ohm coil could really be a .1 ohm coil. Let's hope they have a fuse installed.
I think most people who use meters understand that cheap meters require checking lead resistance and subtracting that from the total resistance read on the coil. I'd rather see people use a 510 ohm meter base as a holder for winding the coil in place. Then, all you have to do is flip the switch and check it for resistance. It's like a 3rd hand for winding and it auto zeroes.
I think most people who use meters understand that cheap meters require checking lead resistance and subtracting that from the total resistance read on the coil. I'd rather see people use a 510 ohm meter base as a holder for winding the coil in place. Then, all you have to do is flip the switch and check it for resistance. It's like a 3rd hand for winding and it auto zeroes.
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I really like mine. It's a great inexpensive ohm meter for vaping use. I also like that it zeros the ohms so that I don't have to subtract the lead resistance. I like to keep my vaping as simple as possible.
I'm learning electronics so I have a Fluke 87V. There are many decent cheap DMM's but most don't have very good resolution and I wouldn't depend on them. If you are an average vaper and not pushing batteries to their max Amps, then a cheap DMM may be fine. If you are going to use mech's then I would recommend getting a good quality DMM. There are some good ones for $50 - $100.
Would I be using mech's or mod's pushing high Amps using a cheap $20 DMM? Not a chance!
If you are going to get a cheap DMM, get 2 of them. That way you can compare the readings of both, and if one drifts out of specs, hopefully you'll catch it with the other one.
Would I be using mech's or mod's pushing high Amps using a cheap $20 DMM? Not a chance!
If you are going to get a cheap DMM, get 2 of them. That way you can compare the readings of both, and if one drifts out of specs, hopefully you'll catch it with the other one.
hmm, yeah, wouldn't recommend getting into the habit of building on the ohm meter, especially the cheap plastic ones, the added stress while building can lead to an untimely death of your meter. Build on an rba stand, much easier to build on, and nothing can be damaged that way.
Use an ohmmeter for what it was intended and one won't have to buy another to soon. Also may want to get something more accurate when going down low. Make sure to check the degree of accuracy stated, and if not shown, move on till you find one that does. Have two different ohm meters, which vary by 0.04 ohms, for most, this won't be a problem, but for me, if a build is actually 0.04 ohms lower than what the value states, it can be the difference between a damn fine vape, and an over stressed battery. Tis why I like a huge amp buffer when selecting a battery.
This is exactly why I spent the money on the Vici that I'm waiting for... ~$100 for a 4-wire milli-ohm meter is a decent price for peace of mind when I start super sub-ohm builds... I've been staying around .3 to .4 ohm using my Flukes and Simpson... with the Vici I'll be able to more accurately "ride the line" and trust that I actually KNOW what my builds are measuring at.
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