Multimeter continuity fail

[Thomasthetankengine]

Hey guys. Don?t use this much but I used to be able test continuity. I get a steady beeeeeeep before touching contacts and no change when I do. Whats up with that? Something inside causing it? Iinept operator? Other functions work, fuses and batteries are good. Thanks.... Tom

 

[Janicholson]

The button under the display with a sound icon, and a diode icon may need to be pushed a few dozen times, it might be the issue. Or dont use that setting. Jim

 

[Tony in SD]

Some times the test probes are broke (open) from use. Pull the test probes from the meter, then use a piece of wire to short where you pulled the probes from the meter. If it beeps or shows a very low resistance then the probes are bad. If the meter shows high resistance or infinity then it is internal to the meter.

 

[tech4]

The readout shows 5.5 ohms which is almost a short circuit. I can't see the ends of the test leads but I am assuming that the leads are not touching. Does the meter read correctly on the voltage scales? If so I am guessing that there is an internal problem with the ohms/continuity scales. My best guess is someone tried to check 115 VAC with the meter in the ohms position and popped a couple of resistors or burned the circuit board.

 

[kcm.MN]

If you touch your leads together, they should read steady on or near 0.0

If your tone is intermittent, then watch the display. Is the display constant? If so, problem is your tone generator/speaker (if it has a speaker). If the display wavers, then there is a broken wire or the wire has come loose from inside the lead ends and is intermittently touching.

When working for Compaq, it was a common thing for the engineers in Test Engineering to build their own leads, as they could make them for far less than buying, and they could make them much better. Most multi-meters these days come with very cheap leads. Even with cheap meters, the leads are likely to cause the vast majority of any problems.

Only other possibility might be your battery. When checking continuity, power must come from the onboard battery. If that battery is low, then you will have problems.

 

[gregww]

I notice you have a "Data H" button on meter, or "Data Hold". Is it possible this button got pushed inadvertently on your meter, and now, for what ever reason, it does not want to clear? I would try removing battery and fuse overnight, just to see what happens. You have nothing to lose at this point.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Testing voltage with the meter set on Ohms tends to let the magic smoke out.

It's even more fun when you're a clueless 10 year old kid and try to test a fencer with a meter set on Ohms. Boy howdy is there a lot of magic smoke in those little meters...

That meter is an overpriced Sears version of the Harbor Freight one they give away with coupons, and only costs ~$7 to buy.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Use a finger and push on the outer edge of the dial try it all the way around the dial if the read out hunts its in the dial... I have taken the dial apart cleaned, stretched the spring and the contacts and fix them...

 

[Texasmark1]

The good thing about today's digital meters is that there is enough input impedance that you can connect to anything (within reason) and it won't blow the meter, like the old analog meters.

The bad thing is that you no longer have an ohms zero function. You are reading the resistance of the meter leads. The beeping is probably the diode scale beeping. I'm deaf so I don't have to put up with that. Just read the leads and add that resistance to whatever you measure....when it matters, like looking for a short ckt.

I never used an autoranging meter. What I said applies to regular select the scale meters.

Don't forget to check your battery ever so often.

 

[pete black]

Multimeters are cheap, life is not. Destroy it and buy a new one.

 

[jake2]

Let's do the easiest thing first.

1. turn off meter
2. release DH button and any others that are IN
3. press the DIODE check button and hold til the little speaker lights

4. If that don't work...do this:

1. trash it
2. go to Harborfreight and buy something and they'll give you one for FREE


Hope it works out....keep everyone posted

 

[Thomasthetankengine]

Tried all suggestions, ohm function is toast. Other functions still work so this is going on the shelf. Time for a HF visit. Thanks everyone for the input. Tom

 

[jeffcat]

Look on the HF web site. With a smart phone you even get a 20% coupon. The first picture is around $24.oo and they have had it for years. Have one at work and it works just fine. The next picture must be their new line of stuff. I notice it even has a Hz reading. That is frequency so you can adjust a generator to the correct engine speed. That one is more expensive at around A $70.oo but it does So much more. That would be what an electrician would want. I have a Fluke 179 that was purchased years ago to a tune of over $300. Even they have dropped to the $175.oo range. A good meter will serve you a long time so make your choice. That 24 harbor freight unit is a good choice.

 

[Thomasthetankengine]

I picked this one up $23. Should be all I need. Thanks

 

[Texasmark1]

That's the "expensive" one I bought from them years ago for my shop. Works great. But still use their yellow 5 buck ones I keep handy around the place (shop, hobby area and office in the house).

 

[john *.?-!.* cub owner]

Most digital multi meters have a protection device across the leads to prevent damage if they are connected to voltage while on ohms. Assuming your leads are not touching, the protection circuit in yours is bad. Probably cheaper to replace than to get repaired. That is from an electronics technician that has been using meters, scopes, etc for over 50 years, and also burned up a few from not watching what he was doing.

 

[buickanddeere]

When choosing bargain multimeters. Make certain the top range of the AC voltage is at least 750 Volts and that is stated in RMS values.
I have seen some cheapo meters in Princess Auto that topped out at 300 volts on the AC range.

 

[kevinthefixer]

For myself, it makes no sense whatsoever to buy an expensive DVOM no matter how good. I go through them at the rate of about one a year. I lose them, run them over, they get battery acid spilled on them, you name it. I buy them about three at a time from Amazon, five to ten bucks a crack.

 

[Texasmark1]

The $4.95 yellow ones I get from HF have a 200 and 750 range. On Root-Means-Square voltage measurement (equivalent in heating effect
of the same voltage in DC), what else would they measure? Peak Riding, Effective? Surely not Average being that's zero for AC.

 

[kevinthefixer]

(quoted from post at 04:51:45 04/19/18) The $4.95 yellow ones I get from HF have a 200 and 750 range. On Root-Means-Square voltage measurement (equivalent in heating effect
of the same voltage in DC), what else would they measure? Peak Riding, Effective? Surely not Average being that's zero for AC.

Usually peak. RMS requires a slightly more expensive chip.