Checking DC Resistance.

[Aka Nameless]

Hello Everyone, first post here.

I'm winding my own pickups, and halfway through I attempted to check the DC Resistance with my Multimeter, but the multimeter wouldn't give me a read.

You pretty much set the multimeter on Ohm, and touch the beginning of the coil and end of coil, right? I'm using the 43 guage wire from Stew Mac, maybe i'm not sanding off enough of the insulation before testing? Is the insulation really thick on this coil wire?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Zhangliqun]

Hello Everyone, first post here.

I'm winding my own pickups, and halfway through I attempted to check the DC Resistance with my Multimeter, but the multimeter wouldn't give me a read.

You pretty much set the multimeter on Ohm, and touch the beginning of the coil and end of coil, right? I'm using the 43 guage wire from Stew Mac, maybe i'm not sanding off enough of the insulation before testing? Is the insulation really thick on this coil wire?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

It's not very thick at all. I use 400 grit sand paper and just a second or two of rubbing is enough to remove the insulation. #43 is thinner than #42 (used on most pickups) so it requires a delicate touch to avoid breaking it when sanding, but it's doable.

The problem might also be at the other end. Check to make sure the coil wire is solidly soldered onto the lead -- and I recommend sanding that end of the wire before soldering to remove the insulation and ensure solid contact.

[Aka Nameless]

Maybe it's this cheap Radio Shack Multimeter i'm using.

When you solder the beginning and end of the coil to the brass eyelets, do you sand off the insulation first? I was told that the heat from soldering burns off the insulation and allows an electrical bond, but i'm not so sure.

I'm sitting here with an almost fully wound pickup and have no turn count or DC Resistance, I don't like this feeling.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Aka Nameless]

Thanks for the response, you posted as I was typing out another reply.

I'm very new to the whole electronics thing.. when testing the DC Resistance, I can test it while the coil is still connected to the spool right? A multimeter only tests the resistance of the wire inbetween the test prongs, correct?

Maybe I should have used 42 ga. wire for my first pickup, thicker wire would be nice right about now.

[Zhangliqun]

Maybe it's this cheap Radio Shack Multimeter i'm using.

When you solder the beginning and end of the coil to the brass eyelets, do you sand off the insulation first? I was told that the heat from soldering burns off the insulation and allows an electrical bond, but i'm not so sure.

It will burn off the insulation but it takes longer and in rare cases it takes long enough that you overheat the eyelet or the wire. And in any event, it saves time to sand it off first. If you're sure you're sanding the insulation off well at the other end, try reheating that solder joint again until you get a read. You might not have melted the insulation.

[Zhangliqun]

Thanks for the response, you posted as I was typing out another reply.

I'm very new to the whole electronics thing.. when testing the DC Resistance, I can test it while the coil is still connected to the spool right? A multimeter only tests the resistance of the wire inbetween the test prongs, correct?

Right, it measures only what stretch of wire you have between the two probes.

Maybe I should have used 42 ga. wire for my first pickup, thicker wire would be nice right about now.

It depends on what kind of pickup you're making. If you're going for vintage to overwound vintage, use 42. If you're going for high output, 43.

[Aka Nameless]

I'm making a set of pickups for the 6 string fretless bass that i'm making. First attempt at making both.

The pickups are just your standard singlecoil with alcino V magnets and 43 ga. wire. and i'm planning to wind to around 7k resistance each, wiring the bass up like a jazz bass, but pickups in series.

[Zhangliqun]

I'm making a set of pickups for the 6 string fretless bass that i'm making. First attempt at making both.

The pickups are just your standard singlecoil with alcino V magnets and 43 ga. wire. and i'm planning to wind to around 7k resistance each, wiring the bass up like a jazz bass, but pickups in series.

Bass pickups? In that case, Dave Schwab is the resident bass pu expert in here. Dave...?

[Aka Nameless]

Hmm, I just can't seem to get a read. The wire is so thin that the little connection that I can make, this cheap multimeter can't pick up.

Hmm.. when I set the multimeter, to Ohm, should I put it on the 200, 2k, 20k, 200k, or 2m setting? I've had it on the 2k setting cause it gives 3 numbers after the decimal point.

I'm such a newbie.

[Aka Nameless]

Ok, I just wasn't sanding enough of the insulation down, finally got some readings.

When I have sanded off the insulation but want to continue winding.. what should I do to reinsulate the wire before proceeding?

Thanks for the help, Zhangliqun.

[Stan H]

I use clear fingernail polish. Nice looking bass, by the way.

[Aka Nameless]

Clearn nail polish, why didn't I think of that, was about to start dripping krazy glue as insulation, nail polish sounds more.. consistant.

Glad you like the bass, I CAN'T WAIT to play her. 2 more coats of polyurethane... Then 2 weeks of curing..

[Aka Nameless]

So when i'm checking the Resistance, on the 2k setting of my multimeter, a 1.884 reading would be exactly that? 1.884k ohms of resistance? Seems like I have at least a couple thousand winds, I thought it would be higher resistance by now.

[Aka Nameless]

Man, I am so frustrated right now, wind thousands of turns only to find out that the wire snapped somewhere, it's really not worth it to wind to resistance, having to stop winding to check it, then when you start winding again the wire gets a little fold in it that goes unnoticed and all that work is for nothing.

[David Schwab]

Hmm, I just can't seem to get a read. The wire is so thin that the little connection that I can make, this cheap multimeter can't pick up.

Back when I wound my first pickups, I used to read the DC resistance. What I did was to quickly pass the flame from a butane lighter past the wire to burn off the insulation... you have to be quick and careful. Then I took a small piece of foil and folded it over the wire and clamped the meter leads to the foil. I use leads with "test clips" on them. Without the foil I couldn't get a reading.

I still burn off my insulation when I solder, and I still use the test clips, but I never stop to read the DC resistance while I'm winding. I just wind to a certain number of turns. When I'm done winding, I take a reading.

I've used a lot of cheap Radio Shack multi-meters. They work fine for things like taking DC resistance readings. I started out with an analog meter kit. Their digital meters work OK... I've used one for years now.