No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

[Jeff5]

Hey guys.

I just got a BKP Warpig and tested it with my mutimeter and something odd is going on.

When I test the Hot (Red) and Ground (Black and Bare for BKP), I get no reading at all on the multimeter. When I test the Hot (Red) and Split Wire (Green and White), I get about 10K which should be right because the pick up is about 20K.

I tested the multmeter (and my technique haha) on several other pick ups, Hot/Ground, and get readings fine.

What could possibly cause this pup to have no reading when testing Hot and Ground?

Jeff

 

[Mincer]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Possibly a break in one of the coils, or the lead wire coming from that 2nd coil, I am guessing.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Thanks Mincer, that's what I'm thinking. It is weird that it would even work at all, although it is wired with the split so maybe only one coil was working even when it was supposed to be in full humbucker mode. I got this right form BKP so maybe something happened when they were wiring it. I'll e-mail them.

Jeff

 

[Masta' C]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Not sure you have your coils right. Measure red and green together, then black and white

The reason you're getting a reading at red with green/white (I'm assuming they're soldered together?) is that you're reading the north coil. You need to check black with white (i.e. white/green) to get the south coil measurement.

My guess: nothing wrong with the pickup

 

[Jeff5]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Thanks, I'll try that tomorrow. Yes, green/white are soldered together for the coil split. I am still not sure why I get no reading when measuring full humbucking mode. That is Red (Hot) with Black (ground). I got readings many other pick ups I tried tonight doing this, but on this one I get nothing. And I wired in another pick up in the guitar and it is okay.

 

[freefrog]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Thanks Mincer, that's what I'm thinking. It is weird that it would even work at all

It's weird but it happens: if the wire breaks and stays aligned, it behaves like a capacitor. In such a case, it reads no resistance but should exhibit a capacitance (around 4nF, typically).
Somically, it works and sounds... just like a pickup in series with a capacitor.

It's easy to troubleshoot: with a "capacitive pickup", the tone control acts like a volume pot.

For the record, I've repaired such problems several times (and twice for the same pro musician in two different guitars).

 

[Jeff5]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

I did try both coils separately and they both get readings. However, there is still no reading for full humbucking mode. I e-mailed BKP and they told me to test this too, just waiting to see what they say.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

I did try both coils separately and they both get readings. However, there is still no reading for full humbucking mode. I e-mailed BKP and they told me to test this too, just waiting to see what they say.

Does the meter have a range setting? Mine has a range setting and if you haven't selected the right range you don't get a reading.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Yes it does. It is at 20K. I've used it for multiple pick ups and gotten accurate readings on that setting.

 

[jeremy]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

try the next setting up

 

[dystrust]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Yes it does. It is at 20K. I've used it for multiple pick ups and gotten accurate readings on that setting.

According to the BKP site, the Warpig bridge is 21.5K, so you need to move to a higher range to read it.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Ah boy! Lol thanks guys, I'll try that.

This is why I post here, I do boneheaded things sometimes! Well I did get a reading of 21K, but man, it still sounded weak and bad in the guitar. I checked and rechecked the wiring. Maybe I'll pop it in again and see how it goes.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

If you're getting the correct readings for each coil, then they are fine. If you are not getting the correct reading in series (i.e. full humbucking mode via Red and Black), then I would try resoldering the green/white connection and trying again

 

[Jeff5]

Re: No Multimeter Reading From Hot/Ground

Masta'C the green/white connection is what I'm thinking was the issue. I'm not ruling out any bonehead wiring problem on my part because that is totally possible! But the pick up works now in the guitar. This was really the issue, not the multi-meter, as I was getting a very weak tone, almost like only one coil was on, when I had it hooked in. The only thing I did differently was following all of yours and BKP's advice, I disconnected the green and white so that I could test each coil by itself. Then I connected the green/white back together and soldered them really well. I wonder if they weren't connected together properly in the first place and this caused only one coil to work or for the signal to be weak.