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Topic: Uses For An Ohm Meter |
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 21 Nov 2001 9:48 pm |
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In another discussion, Bob Carlson made the comment that everyone should own an ohm meter. He then proceeded to tell us how to check for various things that could go wrong with a volume pedal.
How about you tech guys giving us some simple lessons in the usage of an ohm meter. Right now, the only test "equipment" I have is a little device you plug into an electrical outlet to see if everything is wired properly. I would purchase an ohm meter if I knew what to do with it.
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Lee, from South Texas |
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Smiley Roberts
From:
Hendersonville,Tn. 37075
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Posted 22 Nov 2001 4:08 am
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I find that,the two most important things you can use a "multitester" for,is,checking guitar/speaker cords,(as opposed to "chords"),& checking batteries in "stomp-boxes". They're available in any K-Mart/Wal-Mart store for,about $20.00,& don't take up hardly anyroom in your steel seat.
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~ ~
©¿© ars longa,
mm vita brevis
-=sr€=-
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 22 Nov 2001 4:44 am
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DO NOT use an Ohmmeter on a "hot" circuit. e.g. one that has AC or DC power applied. Only use an ohmmeter when there is no power.
As "Smiles" said, you can check continuity or shorts in cords. You can check a pot, such as the volume pedal pot to see if it is smooth through it's travel or jerky. If it's jerky then is's probably bad.
However, you usually don't just have an "ohmmeter", you have a "multimeter" which can check various AC and DC voltages along with the resistance measurements.
If you're not into electronics I'd suggest only using one for checking things such as cords or batteries, etc. Avoid the other stuff because of the voltage potential. And, if you have the multimeter set wrong you could blow the meter.
You can buy cheapies that will work for continuity and battery testing for under $10. I used to carry one around that was about the size of a pack of cigarettes that I bought for under $10 (I don't have it anymore someone else needed it worse than I did).
Smiley made me do this:
Q: Do you know what an "ohmmeter" is?
A: A British termite.
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Bill Crook
From:
Goodlettsville, TN , Spending my kid's inheritance
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Posted 22 Nov 2001 7:10 am
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I,as a electronics tech,have allways carried my "ditty bag" with me when-ever I go giging. The "ditty bag" is just a cam-corder bag that I have loaded with the techs standard tools and stuff.
This has saved many a show as broken cables and batteries being low can reduce a show to a nite in hell.
For you non-techie guys,pick up a book on basic Electronics and that will get you up to speed on how to use a soldering iron,test circuits,batteries,cords,speakers and do simple repairs.
Unless the device in question is smokeing or on fire,most problems can be traced to a bad cord or being hooked up backwards. (I know this because some of the guys in my outfit cain't even check the fuses in their amps. I carry extra fuses just because of this)
Generally,in most bands,there is someone that can do simple checks and is kinda "teckie" minded. These guys are worth their weight in gold.
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Len Amaral
From:
Rehoboth,MA 02769
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Posted 23 Nov 2001 6:34 pm
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| I have a multimeter that is automatic in that you can test for ohms or current without turning a dial to the desired reading. In fact, my multimeter has no dial just an on & off switch. Cool! |
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 23 Nov 2001 9:03 pm
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Lee,
In the tests I showed, using an ohm meter to check a volume pedal, I should have refereed to it as a continuity meter. They are the same meter, except I was using it to check for continuity. That is I was checking for a complete circuit. How many ohms of resistance we had across the pot wasn't important for out test. That would be a good use for the ohm meter though. We were checking to make sure there was no open or shorted circuits.
Learning to use it as an ohm meter is a little to deep to get into here, but they come with instructions and with some experimenting, you could learn to do that also.
If you buy one, spend the few extra bucks and get the newer type that won't blow the fuse if you get it backwards. Radio shack has some good one,s and they will also show you how to use the ohm meter.
BC[This message was edited by Bob Carlson on 24 November 2001 at 10:30 AM.] |
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Steve Feldman
From:
Central MA USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 6:51 am
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| How about measuring the ohms across your PU? |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 7:47 am
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DC resistance on an AC device???   |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 10:39 am
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Steve
You set the selector switch to the ohm symbol. Run a short cord (like guitar to foot pedal) from the output jack on the guitar and place the multitester's red lead on the plug's "hot" tip and the black lead on the "ground" shaft. That should tell you the approximate resistance of the pickup.
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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 10:45 am
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As far as I know, it doesn't make any differance if it,s an AC or DC device when using an ohm meter to check for resistance. Just don,t have power on.
BC |
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Steve Schmidt
From:
Ramsey, MN, USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 11:15 am
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| I recently suspected that the band I jammed with was stringing too many monitors off of a channel of a power amp. By using my meter, I proved that they were running about a 2 ohm load on the power amp. Not good. |
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Steve Feldman
From:
Central MA USA
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 12:39 pm
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| What Herb said. |
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Jack Stoner
From:
Kansas City, MO
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Posted 24 Nov 2001 5:54 pm
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My comment was meant as a "snide" joke.
Yes you can measure an "AC" device (with the power off). But it will not give you a true measurement of the device, whether it's a pickup or some other "AC" device.
Electronically all you are doing when you measure the "DC" resistance of a pickup is measuring how much resistance is in the wire that is wound on the pickup. I realize many use that as a reference measurement of a pickup, but you can have two pickups with identical DC resistance and have totally different AC parameters and have a different sound.
If you have lots of time, call Bill Lawrence and ask him about it. |
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Joseph Barcus
From:
Volga West Virginia
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Posted 25 Nov 2001 3:01 pm
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if you know the voltage and the ohms it will tell you the amps ohms devided in voltage gives you amps,but you will never be using it that way if your just checking chords.
just my two cents joe
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carter single 10
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 25 Nov 2001 9:12 pm
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Now that's what I meant when I said, learning to use an ohm meter was a little to deep to get into here.
But for the most part an ohm meter is used as a conintuity meter.
BC |
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Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 26 Nov 2001 11:14 am
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Reading this topic reminded me of an engineer I worked with at Tandy Electronics. He designed multi-testers for Radio Shack and was typically in court as a technical witness for the defense on about 2 to 3 injury lawsuits a year.
You wouldn't believe some of the stupid things people try to do with a meter, and then blame the meter manufacturer.
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