Using a Harbor Freight Meter to Check Doorbell Wire Continuity

[Rene T]

I have a voltmeter I purchased at Harbor Freight. I lost the manual/instructions. I want to check continuity on some bell wire in my house. The problem is I don’t know what position to set the dial on. HELP!!!! On the below mixture the dial is pointing to 2000K. Is that the position?

 

[LarsMac]

use the Ohm meter settings. the 200 at the bottom should work.

 

[Larry N.]

Your picture shows that it's set on 2000K Ohms. While most of the ohms settings will work to some degree, Lars suggestion of changing to the 200 Ohms setting would be best.

 

[Rene T]

The setting right above the on/off switch. Right? When I turn it on, the digital readout is 1. When I touch the probes to each other, it goes to 2.8. Does that sound right?

 

[DonTom]

When I touch the probes to each other, it goes to 2.8. Does that sound right?

Yes, the 2.8 ohms is the resistance of the test leads and other stuff inside the meter. With better meters it can be zeroed. It cannot be zeroed on that cheapest HFT VOM that you have there. I have many of those as HFT used to give them away free just for coming in, but IMO, they are junk meters, but usually do work well enough for most things, which is all that counts.

The "1" means very high or near infinite resistance such as "1" trillion ohms, but how high depends on the ohms scale you're on. For testing wires, which are close to zero ohms, you want the meter set as low as it will go on the ohms scale.

Zero ohms which will read as 2.8 ohms with your meter, means a dead short. Such as testing a wire or shorting your test leads together, as your 2.8 is showing the resistance of the meter leans and other stuff inside the meter.

The "1" on your meter is NOT showing one ohm, but shows infinite resistance. At least your meter cannot go to one ohm to avoid any possible confusion between the two.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[gwinger]

Here's the manual.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/59000-59999/59434-193175470928.pdf

 

[Rene T]

Here's the manual.

https://manuals.harborfreight.com/manuals/59000-59999/59434-193175470928.pdf

It’s funny but they don’t mention continuity. Thanks for the manual.

 

[DonTom]

It’s funny but they don’t mention continuity. Thanks for the manual.

They are calling it "resistance" in the HFT manual. Zero ohms is perfect continuity (2.8 ohms in your case). Infinite ohms (shown as a "1" on your meter)is NO continuity, not even a slight trace.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Rene T]

Thanks Don

 

[triplethreat]

Your picture shows that it's set on 2000K Ohms. While most of the ohms settings will work to some degree, Lars suggestion of changing to the 200 Ohms setting would be best.

Look a little closer at the pic. The "200" setting you are referring to is not 200.........it's 200K. It's still a better choice than the other setting on the dial (the 2000K).

 

[gwinger]

Look a little closer at the pic. The "200" setting you are referring to is not 200.........it's 200K. It's still a better choice than the other setting on the dial (the 2000K).

The lowest setting on that meter is 200 ohms. Not shown on his picture.
This is what the manual shows.

 

[Larry N.]

Look a little closer at the pic. The "200" setting you are referring to is not 200.........it's 200K. It's still a better choice than the other setting on the dial (the 2000K).

You are only looking to two of the 5 positions for ohms. The 200 ohms is immediately adjacent to the on/off switch.

The lowest setting on that meter is 200 ohms. Not shown on his picture.
This is what the manual shows.
View attachment 2464408

It actually IS shown on the picture, but not on the thumbnail that is shown with the text. If you left click on the picture it will fill the screen (at least on a PC) and show more of the actual meter, including the portion shown in the drawing you posted.

 

[Rene T]

I have 200 in my picture. It is right above the on/off switch.
So do I use the 200K setting or the 200 setting. I am so confused. I’m a mechanical type guy

 

[Larry N.]

Use the 200 setting. The others might do something, but not as well. Wires have low resistance, so you need the low scale. Reread Don's post #5 for a more complete explanation.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I have 200 in my picture. It is right above the on/off switch.
So do I use the 200K setting or the 200 setting. I am so confused. I’m a mechanical type guy

Don't overthink it, Rene. For testing continuity for things like wires, switches and fuses, for best results use the lowest ohms scale the meter has (in this case 200). The higher scales You are looking for either a zero (no ohms = no resistance) or infinite resistance (an open circuit). A cheap meter is entirely adequate for that sort of thing.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

I'm curious about 'bell wire'. Is it door bell wire you are tracing?

 

[DonTom]

When I touch the probes to each other, it goes to 2.8. Does that sound right?

That seemed a little on the high side to me, but I wasn't sure on such a cheap meter.

I now have the same model in my hand. It has a new 9V battery.

I go to the 200 ohm scale (pointer straight down, the dot pointing at the yellow off /on switch) and I short out my test leads, tight together, for ten seconds to let the reading settle.

The reading I get is "00.4" which seems much more reasonable that your 2.8 ohms. When I remove the leads, it shows as "1 ." .

The "00.4" is the resistance of the test leads, 0.4 ohm.

Anyway, try again, short the leads tightly together for at least ten seconds on the 200 ohm scale and see what your readng is.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Rene T]

I'm curious about 'bell wire'. Is it door bell wire you are tracing?

Yes

 

[triplethreat]

You are only looking to two of the 5 positions for ohms. The 200 ohms is immediately adjacent to the on/off switch.

It actually IS shown on the picture, but not on the thumbnail that is shown with the text. If you left click on the picture it will fill the screen (at least on a PC) and show more of the actual meter, including the portion shown in the drawing you posted.

LOL.......I did like someone else, just looked at the thumbnail and didn't click the pic. Sorry, my bad!

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Amazon.com

I installed this doorbell several months ago in my house and it works great. For less than $20 it seems like a good deal.