Need help with VOM or instruction manual in English

[gary350]

I set selector switch on inductance but don't know where the red and black wires go. Instructions are in chinese writing. Online instructions tells how to use the meter but does not tell which of the 3 holes the red wire goes in? I have tried all 3 combinations and all 5 switch locations for L nothing is working. Does anyone know where to find instruction for the meter where red & black goes when checking L ?

 

[cowboybob]

This site:

Go to 4.6. (approx. 1:46 minutes into the video).

Wire color shouldn't matter.

 

[gary350]

This site:

Go to 4.6. (approx. 1:46 minutes into the video).

Wire color shouldn't matter.

I already saw that video it is not telling me anything I don't already know. Testing a choke coil is like checking an open circuit. Red & black wires are in the wrong holes or switches are set wrong. Both leads are good i tested them.

 

[ronsimpson]

Measure a choke:
The manual said the wires are in "mA" and "common". That is strange because many meters use "common" and "V,ohm,Hz".

 

[DrG]

The manual is here (PDF), as linked from here . Basically says the same as has already been mentioned. [edit: the English manual, that is]

 

[gophert]

I think gary350 is a chatbot.

 

[ChrisP58]

If you have and Android phone, you can use the phones camera in Google translate to translate Chinese characters it sees. It's not perfect, but it is useful.

I'm guessing that there is a similar tool on Apple phones.

 

[gophert]

If you have and Android phone, you can use the phones camera in Google translate to translate Chinese characters it sees. It's not perfect, but it is useful.

I'm guessing that there is a similar tool on Apple phones.

There is a similar app for Apple phones. Google Translate for iOS. It is much faster when the language packs are downloaded instead of interpreted online.

But I'm betting $5 that Gary has an excuse why your solution won't work for him (or he "already tried that and it didn't work").

 

[cowboybob]

... Testing a choke coil is like checking an open circuit. ...

What kind of nonsense is that, Gary?

Surely you know better than that...

 

[gary350]

Measure a choke:
The manual said the wires are in "mA" and "common". That is strange because many meters use "common" and "V,ohm,Hz".

Looks like my VOM has a problem. I used VOM in the past about 4 years ago to check coils I made and got good readings but now the meter says .046h for every thing I check. A few days ago nothing was testing correct that was driving me nuts, now with test leads in correct location it give me readings that are wrong. Even if i short the test leads together it reads .046h. That is why I needed to know where do test leads plug in I could not figure it out trial & error like before. It is 29 degrees F in the workshop I don't think that will cause VOM to read wrong. I brought VOM in the house tested it after it warmed up 1 hour still reads .046h on any coil I test. Only other options on VOM is Hold & AC/DC button & light on/off button it still reads .046h. I used the VOM 6 months ago to make some coils and had good readings. Looks like I need to buy another VOM to test choke coils anyone have suggestions?

 

[JimB]

Looks like I need to buy another VOM to test choke coils anyone have suggestions?

My first suggestion is that you should not buy another DMM/VOM but that you should buy a dedicated LCR meter.

I have no direct experience, but my gut feel tells me that there are too many compromises in a DMM which also measures L and C.

JimB

 

[gary350]

My first suggestion is that you should not buy another DMM/VOM but that you should buy a dedicated LCR meter.

I have no direct experience, but my gut feel tells me that there are too many compromises in a DMM which also measures L and C.

JimB

That sounds like a good idea, it cost less, the best thing is it comes from CA should be here in 4 days.

 

[JimB]

That sounds like a good idea, it cost less, the best thing is it comes from CA should be here in 4 days.

I am glad that I could crystallise your thinking.

JimB

 

[gary350]

The LCR meter arrived 2 days ago. It works good.

 

[gophert]

Well.

 

[Ian Rogers]

Going back to the OP..... It is clearly marked TEMP / CxLx across two middle outlets. Cx and Lx are caps and inductors...

 

[gophert]

I dont remember ever seeing a digital meter with a " zero adjust" knob.

 

[JimB]

I dont remember ever seeing a digital meter with a " zero adjust" knob.

What a sheltered existence you have had.

How many times have you tried to measure a low resistance, touched the meter probes together and read something like 1.2 Ohms which you have had to mentally subtract from the reading that you want?

Similarly with low values of capacitance, depending on how the test leads are arranged, there is probably a good 20pF between them.

How nice it would be to be able to zero out the strays due to the test leads.

JimB

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

I dont remember ever seeing a digital meter with a " zero adjust" knob.

Neither have I, but as it's marked in orange, presumably it's for zeroing just the ranges marked in orange?.

And of course it's NOT a multimeter, and most of what we see are multimeters.

 

[gophert]

What a sheltered existence you have had.

How many times have you tried to measure a low resistance, touched the meter probes together and read something like 1.2 Ohms which you have had to mentally subtract from the reading that you want?

Similarly with low values of capacitance, depending on how the test leads are arranged, there is probably a good 20pF between them.

How nice it would be to be able to zero out the strays due to the test leads.

JimB

I fact, it is nice to cancel out resistance from the test leads but, since it is a digital device, it would be cheaper to build in volume (and even easier for the end-user to operate) if the designer would have added a "delta" button (single momentary tactile switch and some code) rather than a more expensive pot (like my Fluke 87 for reference).

PS - I would hate to have to manually zero each time I use my meter.

PPS. Also, knowing that zero drifts, I would always be wondering if slope drifts, too.

PPS Finally, I did a search and could not find another digital meter with a zero knob so I don't feel so sheltered. . Do you have some references for other models with such an odd " feature"?