Products > Test Equipment
Why do we want fast continuity detection in a multimeter?
<< < (4/11) > >>
bdunham7:

--- Quote from: Hogwild on June 04, 2023, 05:14:41 am ---Please help the newbie understand, why do we want faster speed doing this? Will a fraction of a second make a difference? If a meter responds slowly, is that a sign of other issues which might occur, or just poor build quality? Since continuity is the inverse of resistance, I wonder if it's a sign the meter will be innacurate with resistance tests.

--- End quote ---

The continuity beeper response and the resistance ranges aren't related like that and continuity ranges typically display in ohms, although some might not.  Typically people want fast continuity so they can quickly scan a row of contacts instead of slowly poking at them.  Although there are some cases where latching is a detriment, the ideal continuity feature pack (IMO) is fast, latching (with a short signal just long enough to be definitely heard), fast bargraph action and an ohms display with multiple ranges and multiple continuity thresholds. 

Not having 'good' continuity features usually doesn't say much about the meter in general or how it might perform in other ranges.  I suppose you might think that a meter that does everything slowly might also be slow with continuity, but not always.  The Fluke 289, for example, is pretty slow to autorange in ohms and to settle in the low-ohms range but has lightning fast continuity as well as all of the features I mentioned.  A lot of these issues are design choices rather than straight up good-or-bad design.
Martin72:
Continuity tests...
We do this nearly every day when checking the point to point connections of wired cabinets for example.
Each wire got it´s own number in the schematic and on itself, so we first check the connection on the schematic and then "beep out" the connection in the cabinet/circuit.
This takes time... ;)
So for our purposes it is not important how fast a tester react.
Mostly we turn off the beeper (and watching the display instead)because if you test a cabinet it could last 1..2hours or more and then the sound could be very annoying. ;)
PLUS: There is a kind of threshold when the meter will beep - Most of the meters will beep under a specified resistance value.
Not when the connection is "zero" ohms.
So if you got lower value resistance connections in the circuit and test the connection only via beep, you won´t know if this connection is right.


mwb1100:
As far as other Zotek meters, I have a ZT-301 that has a perfectly fine continuity buzzer.  It doesn't have the same kind of display as the ZT-Y, but the ZT-301 has a backlight that stays on for 15 minutes (essentially, the ZT-Y's display is backlit all the time which is one of the things that gives it a highly readable display).

Also keep in mind that many (most?) Aneng meters are Zotek rebrands, so you can get an idea of the continuity performance from the hundreds of reviews of Aneng's various meters on the web.  I believe all of the hugely popular Aneng AN8000 series are Zotek built.

Another thing to consider is keeping the ZT-Y that you like and getting a cheap second meter for times when you need/want the quick continuity (note that even though the ZT-Y doesn't seem have top-of-class continuity speed, it's not too bad in my opinion).  Plus then you have a second meter for whatever (a go bag, to be able to do current on one and voltage on another, etc.). A super cheap meter that has instantaneous continuity buzzer:

  - Mastifuyi FY77 which is less than $10 right now on Amazon US (with a coupon you have to select)

Keep in mind that I generally replace my cheap meter's probes with something better - you might need to do the same with the FY77 - I don't remember if the probes that came with it had delayed continuity

Also, don't use something like the FY77 on mains - keep it to low voltage electronics.
Brumby:
You want fast detection and only enough latching for you to hear a beep.

This is most helpful in the situations where you are testing a lot of points.

For example:

--- Quote from: HKJ on June 04, 2023, 06:06:32 am ---Fast continuity is very useful when tracing connections.
You can slide one probe across IC or connector pins and if any of them are connected to the place where the other probe is, the buzzer will sound. With a slow continuity you cannot do that, but have to check each pin individually and that is MUCH slower.

--- End quote ---
If you swipe along 20 contacts in half a second, you will want fast response so that you don't miss any hits.  It's really useless if you actually have continuity and the meter is so slow that it didn't have time to tell you before you moved on!
As for latching - you only need that to be long enough so that you hear the beep.

Certainly, when "sliding" your probe may have moved on from the target connection by the time the meter sounds and you respond (don't forget that) but once alerted, you go back and double-check the last few points to positively determine the winner.  It's at this stage you can check the actual ohms.

This is the process I use in my efforts as a hobbyist and (from my observation) so do a great many.  Nevertheless, there will be those that do continuity testing at the professional level that will have developed a finer sense and more polished processes with more specific requirements that may be necessary for particular situations, but the above is certainly adequate for common usage - IMO.


I find Dave's test for speed and latching on a meter very useful.
Fungus:

--- Quote from: Brumby on June 05, 2023, 01:42:18 am ---If you swipe along 20 contacts in half a second, you will want fast response so that you don't miss any hits.  It's really useless if you actually have continuity and the meter is so slow that it didn't have time to tell you before you moved on!

--- End quote ---

I don't recall ever doing that so it wouldn't be something I'd lose sleep over, but...  :-//


--- Quote from: Hogwild on June 04, 2023, 09:12:13 pm ---The Pomona probes I have work very quickly with my old Mastercraft meter. They work much more slowly when connected to the Zotek. That tells me it's not the probes.

--- End quote ---


--- Quote from: Hogwild on June 04, 2023, 09:12:13 pm ---The Pomona probes I have work very quickly with my old Mastercraft meter. They work much more slowly when connected to the Zotek. That tells me it's not the probes.

--- End quote ---

I don't have that exact model Zotek so I can't really comment but none of the ones I have are unusably slow.

Whatever: If you ever find yourself zipping down long rows of pins you can use your Mastercraft.

There's no such thing as a perfect meter. Everybody here owns dozens of meters and has a favorite for each job.  :)

Navigation
Message Index
Next page
Previous page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod