checking ground using multimeter?

[HolyDirt Toneologist Find all posts View Profile Close HolyDirt]

how do you check grounds and other solder joints using a multimeter(yo DO use a multimeter, right?) how do you check pot to ground connections and wire to wire connections? thanks

[garublador Ultimate Tone Slacker Find all posts View Profile Close garublador]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

Just set the meter to measure resistance, put one probe on each side of the connection and make sure you get zero (or very, very low) value.

[HolyDirt Toneologist Find all posts View Profile Close HolyDirt]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

Just set the meter to measure resistance, put one probe on each side of the connection and make sure you get zero (or very, very low) value.

so with a puddle of solder i just put the 2 probes on each side of the puddle? how would this work when testing a joint from a pot chassis to a wire?

[garublador Ultimate Tone Slacker Find all posts View Profile Close garublador]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

so with a puddle of solder i just put the 2 probes on each side of the puddle? how would this work when testing a joint from a pot chassis to a wire?

Checking a puddle of solder itself won't really help much.

If you want to see that one side of a wire is connected right you can put on probe on the end of the wire you aren't checking and the other on whatever it is the end you are checking is supposed to be soldered to. If the end you aren't checking isn't accessible, you might have to go another level back and check through a component. For example, if you want to see if the ground wire of a pickup is soldered to a pot well, you can put one probe on whatever it is you're soldering the wire to (I wouldn't touch the solder joint itself) and put the other probe on the end of another wire of the pickup (the hot wire, for exmample). If it's soldered well, you should get some sort of resistance measurement that isn't super high (you can touch the end of the wire you are checking to see what the value should be). If it isn't soldered well you'll get a value much higher than that or it will just show whatever it shows when the probes aren't touching anything.

[HolyDirt Toneologist Find all posts View Profile Close HolyDirt]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

Checking a puddle of solder itself won't really help much.

If you want to see that one side of a wire is connected right you can put on probe on the end of the wire you aren't checking and the other on whatever it is the end you are checking is supposed to be soldered to. If the end you aren't checking isn't accessible, you might have to go another level back and check through a component. For example, if you want to see if the ground wire of a pickup is soldered to a pot well, you can put one probe on whatever it is you're soldering the wire to (I wouldn't touch the solder joint itself) and put the other probe on the end of another wire of the pickup (the hot wire, for exmample). If it's soldered well, you should get some sort of resistance measurement that isn't super high (you can touch the end of the wire you are checking to see what the value should be). If it isn't soldered well you'll get a value much higher than that or it will just show whatever it shows when the probes aren't touching anything.

alright, i get it, thanks man

[Kent S. Volume Enhanceologist Find all posts View Profile Close Kent S.]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

alright, i get it, thanks man

Sorry if this seems a bit redundant, but checking ground connections is easy if you clip one probe to the sleeve connection of the output jack, then touch the other probe anywhere there is supposed to be a ground point ... if a ground wire is soldered to the back of a pot, touch that ...if the connection is good then you'll get a very low resistance (like G. said), for pups with grounded covers (metallic paf style) touch the cover, if not touch the pup base plate.

[WARRENLEELYNCH Tone Member Find all posts View Profile Close WARRENLEELYNCH]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

I use the continuity setting

[Kent S. Volume Enhanceologist Find all posts View Profile Close Kent S.]

Re: checking ground using multimeter?

I use the continuity setting

Yeah, same basic deal works well because most will beep at ya, if your meter doesn't have one though, then the resistance mode will work ... I think one of my meters defines continuity as 50ohms or lower, above that it won't beep, but shows you the actual resistance measured instead.