Need advice on problem measuring Ohms.

[Redcrown]

6 year vaper, but just started building coils with Kanthal. I have a Mastech Multimeter and a Smoktech Ohm/Voltage meter. Both meters give me inconsistent results.

The Mastech Multimeter never "settles". No matter how long and how steady I hold the leads, the readout jumps around and varies by .5 to 1.5 ohms.

The Smoktech meter settles solid, but varies a lot depending on how tight I screw down the coil. For example, if I screw on the naked coil lightly to where it first gives a readout I get 3.3. When I give it another quarter turn, the readout drops to 2.5. Another quarter turn, it drops to 2.2. Keep turning until it's very "finger tight" and the readout bottoms out at 1.8. And a 1.8 reading on the Smoktech equals a 2.8 averaged reading on the Mastech.

All this on simple Kanger Evod coils. An online calculator says I should be at 1.8 ohms given the guage, wraps, and leg length of my Kanthal.

So, looking for advice on how to get the best, most accurate Ohm reading. Willing to buy a new meter if that would improve things.

 

[VictorViper]

You definitely want to be screwing down the atty all the way on your ohm reader. And it does sound like you're getting an expected, stable result when tightened down, so that's good. I'm not familiar with your multimeter, but they can be finicky for this purpose and some only read in 0.5ohm increments.

Does your mod do wattage (with a coil read display)? It can be helpful as a cross reference to see what kind of deviance your readings may or may not have. I use a DNA 75 device with a Coilmaster tab when I build.

 

[AzPlumber]

All metals quickly develop a thin oxidation layer on the surface. This layer may or may not be visible but will impede your ability to get an accurate ohm reading with multi-meter leads. It is possible to get an accurate (only as accurate as your meter) reading if both the metal and the leads are cleaned of this layer. This is why using an ohm reader is a better option because the screw connection disrupts the oxidation.

 

[bwh79]

You definitely want to be screwing down the atty all the way on your ohm reader. And it does sound like you're getting an expected, stable result when tightened down, so that's good.

Word.

 

[Firestorm]

I've always had problems trying to get an accurate and consistent reading with my inexpensive multimeter and I'm not willing to spend hundreds of dollars for a more accurate one. I would trust the SmokTech ohmmeter with a good solid connection to your atomizer. I have cheapo ohmmeters, a 521 TAB, and regulated mods that I use to measure the resistance of my coils instead.

 

[entropy1049]

After A LOT of research into this very subject, the short version of my story for you is to grab the most inexpensive Kelvin Bridge Milliohm meter you can find. Mine ran about 90 USD.

 

[gpjoe]

Yeah - a standard, cheap multimeter is NOT suited for vaping and is not calibrated to read accurately in the sub-ohm area. You are better off getting a Coilmaster Tab or other vape-specific meter or, at a minimum, using a regulated mod to measure the resistance of your coils.