Good Multimeter for sub-1 ohm coils?

[dhomes]

Hi guys, don't know if this is the proper sub-forum to ask, but I know we the rba people use this all the time.

I'm looking for a decent & cheap multimeter that lets me measure sub-1 ohm resistances

If it's available on Amazon all the better -> just because I have a gift card right next to me

Most of what I see start at 200 ohm?

Any help is appreciated

david

 

[Sovran]

Fluke is one of the best current brands out right now, some can be had without breaking the bank. 200 ohm setting means that is the max it will read on that setting, not the minimum. What you need to know is tolerance. The lower the tolerance the better. you can easily use a cheap meter, touch the leads together and note the reading. Then when using the meter, subtract that reading from the what the meter is reading.

Note: the leads that come with most cheap meters are crap and can cause wild fluctuations in your readings. IMO a quality set of leads is just as important if not more important than the meter itself.

 

[dhomes]

Thanks a lot Sovran! I was mixed up with the maximun / minimun (I'm an engineer with no electrical background!)

 

[jasl90]

Unless you you are looking at some crazy high end bench meter... There isn't one.
I have 3 Fluke 87V multimeters and all three give slightly different readings when measuring low ohms.
I did come across this...
http://www.robotroom.com/Measuring-Low-Resistances.html
I'll be giving this a try myself.

 

[MikeA5]

This is a good one:http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202521270?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=multimeter&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202521270

or
This is the one I use it comes with good leads and clips and has True RMS that I use but you won't need that function for measuring low ohms:http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202521275?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=multimeter&storeId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202521275

Both multi-meters have self adjusting 0 ohm readings when shorting the leads together.

 

[markfm]

If you're feeling like a bit of electronics DIY, build a little constant current source so you can then measure voltage to determine resistance, check this article: http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/LowOhmsAdapter_3.pdf

 

[jasl90]

If you're feeling like a bit of electronics DIY, build a little constant current source so you can then measure voltage to determine resistance, check this article: http://www.aeroelectric.com/articles/LowOhmsAdapter_3.pdf

I've actually tried building that twice. Either my LM317s were crap or you need a smack on precision 12.5 ohm resistor.

I built mine using the recommended 12 ohm resistor... My flukes ohm readings were closer to being accurate all on their own.

 

[markfm]

The theory sounds right, I might try it as a rainy-day item.

 

[jasl90]

The idea is awesome. Run a 100 milliamps through the resistor and measure the voltage. Because it's 100 miliamps constant, the ohms law conversion is as easy as moving the decimal point one place.

I just wish I could make it work...

 

[pdib]

I had checked my VAMO down to .5 ohms against a multimeter. It was right on. Obviously, that's rounded to .1 ohm; but, when the multimeter jiggled between numbers, the vamo always read the lowest number. Safety-wise, I rely on it.

 

[jasl90]

Guess 3rd time really is the charm!


Measuring a 1% 12ohm resistor...


What my Provari thinks is a 1.4 ohm atty...


And... 1 ohm... Dead on the money!

 

[markfm]

Good job!...

 

[jasl90]

Thank you sir!
And thank you sticking the idea back in my noggin.

 

[Nanooks]

I just got the Walmart special and ot works great for my needs. I like the digital readouts for that little bit o accuracy. Just set to ohms and touch the leads before to get internal resistance then subtract that from the device readings.

 

[markfm]

The little project box is if you need high accuracy for low ohms, better than the little multimeters will provide

 

[shortyjacobs]

I got this one from Amazon: Extech MN35 Digital Mini MultiMeter - Amazon.com

Works great for my needs, reads to 0.1 ohms, comes with a thermocouple in case you want to measure the temp of things, and I've always found it to be in agreement with other methods.

 

[dhomes]

THANK YOU shorty! this is what i was looking for!

 

[niczgreat]

I got this one from Amazon: Extech MN35 Digital Mini MultiMeter - Amazon.com

Works great for my needs, reads to 0.1 ohms, comes with a thermocouple in case you want to measure the temp of things, and I've always found it to be in agreement with other methods.

Thank you shorty this is exactly what I'm looking for my current Multimeter just won't read below .7Ohm this one is reasonable price and your confirmation that it's accurate is golden.

 

[Kemosabe]

welp, this would explain why my $5 multimeter was.......five dollars

 

[niczgreat]

I got this one from Amazon: Extech MN35 Digital Mini MultiMeter - Amazon.com

Works great for my needs, reads to 0.1 ohms, comes with a thermocouple in case you want to measure the temp of things, and I've always found it to be in agreement with other methods.

Just got this one in and it was spot on with the Provari for a 1.2 Ohm Atomizer.
It was sensitive enough to pick up a .5 Ohm Atomizer

I'm going to have some fun because I ordered a Pre-Wired 510 connection and Banana Clips [For Multimeter to grip wires].

Going to strip the wires and see if I'll have a easy way of reading my atomizers with a multimeter. Will have to compensate for the Resistance from the 510 Housing

It's too tedious for me to push in on the bottom pin and push in on the side.

We'll see if I found a better way!