quick question about stainless steel mesh oxidation

[Cyrus Vap]

If you have successfully oxidized your mesh/wick, and you run an audible continuity test on it with the multimeter, it should NOT conduct (no beep), correct?

Similarly, what will the resistance reading be if its properly oxidized?

Or can I not go by this?

 

[Robert T]

No beep, 0 ohms.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

well that explains it lol. I've never had so much trouble as I've had with this particular strand, its reading ohms all over the place and beeping like a squealing pig

did they clean up my tap water or what? HAHA I even roasted VG on this thing!

thank you robert

 

[Cyrus Vap]

what if I get a beep but it reads zero for audible continuity? I actually don't know what the numbers mean on the audible continuity test...

 

[asdaq]

A beep is a short, but to make sense of the numbers, set the multimeter to 200 Ω, as this corresponds to the highest number displayed. You want zero as this shows that no current is flowing through those two points. Anywhere the coil will be you want zero. Check a bunch of spots, and if you get zeros all around, then the likelihood of the coil finding a way through is less, but never guaranteed.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

I kind of follow you asdaq...but I don't understand what you were getting at with 200 ohms?

(I get the part about no beep means no current and successful oxidation)

if you're testing ohms, doesn't zero mean there is NO resistance and that current is having a holiday through the circuit?

and I still don't get what the numbers mean on the audible continuity test. as an example, when I recoil my cartos, after all is set up and soldered I check for continuity. On the continuity setting I hear a beep, and a 2ish ohm carto will read something like 0.02...is it giving me the resistance?

 

[Robert T]

He's saying to set your meter to the lowest ohm setting if it has one. My Fluke for instance doesn't, I just set it to ohms.

 

[asdaq]

Yes, the lowest setting. That 0.02 reading means it is set too high. Since there aren't enough digits available it would to be able to show you 1.8Ω or 2.4Ω as that is too fine for that setting.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

I think I'm mis speaking

when I have it set to audible continuity, it beeps, and reads a number

in the case of a coil around 2 ohms on a silica or cotton wick, it reads .02

in the case of the stainless steel mesh that didn't oxidize well, it reads ALL over

my question is, what does THAT number mean, the one that shows on the audible continuity setting?


EDIT: I understand that the beep means a current is flowing

 

[Robert T]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say the reading doesn't mean anything. When my meter makes the tone the display zeros out in about a second. Yours could be set up differently. iDK

 

[Str8V8ping]

It doesnt really matter .If it beeps theres a short and not ok to use. Iv had a problem getting it not to conduct when using butane but when i switched to using a map torch it was easy to get it non conductive. Im guessing it has to do with the cleaner flame.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

fair enough fellas!

gonna look into MAP torches. its funny as I've used a number of stainless wicks that I thought were oxidized and never gave me a problem, but then I started checking them on the meter after a new one fried a battery, and they are ALL conducting LOL

I am using a butane torch str8, you're right

 

[Cyrus Vap]

PRODUCTS

been using that fuel in a harbor freight torch/soldering iron

so can i just use this one instead? (assuming I can find it at home depot/lowes)

PRODUCTS

 

[Str8V8ping]

propane works too. For some reason the butane doest work for me . I think because all the carbon build up. I torch it with the propane or map til its glowing then dip in water and repeat twice and it doesnt concduct at all . It also doesnt turn it black.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

that's interesting

is there any potential harm in putting propane in a torch that's sold as a 'butane' torch?

 

[asdaq]

Try quenching with drops of e-liquid and the butane torch, that will get deposits up.

Butane torch and water works fine for me, but I prefer burning drops of liquid with a lighter, it's less involved.

Cyrus, which meter do you have (link or pic maybe)?

 

[Cyrus Vap]

Shop IDEAL Resi-Pro Digital Multimeter at Lowes.com

that's the one asdaq

I have used VG and just lit it on fire essentially, then dunked in water. I'll try just quenching in the VG and burning a few times, leave the water out. Maybe I'll lick the acrolein off when I'm done so I don't inhale it LOL

The propane seems like its a POUR spout, so I guess that's not going to go into my butane torch LOL

 

[asdaq]

Ha, Not one image that shows close detail, but if you set it to 200 ohms (six o-clock) it will show usable readings and not just beep at you. As for the acrolein, it goes past that point and leaves essentially charred carbon. Acrolein smells bad and you can enjoy when dry burning a gunked coil. To clean SS wicks and coils I pull them out and take the lighter to the coil portion a few times till it glows for awhile, turns to whitish ash and falls off easily, and this burning process gets into acrolein territory.

 

[Cyrus Vap]

Yeah I'm pretty sure I can smell it when I dry burn, yuck

I'm guessing the torches get so hot that they 'go past that point' as you say, but the lighters don't ? Not that I care so much anyway, probably get more acrolein in my system pan frying burgers LOL