Help! Mistakes were made...Assembly of Crack Amp Kit [resolved]

[zaramon]

Do you recommend at this point that I attempt to remove all of the connections to start over? I'm not sure what to do next and I very much appreciate your help.

[Paul Birkeland]

What you're describing is an impossible set of circumstances.  If you have 0 ohms between both flat blades of the power cord and a corresponding terminal on the IEC power entry module, then your AC line voltage will make it through.

[Doc B.]

You should switch your meter to ohms when looking for the zero reading, not DC. DCV measures voltage. You want to measure resistance.

[zaramon]

Ok, my apologies for being new to using a digital multimeter, but I have a bachelor's degree in computer science with over 24 years of industry experience so I know I can follow directions well so please don't give up on me. Here's what I have this time, when clipping on one flat blade of the power cord and touching terminal L, the meter reads ~ 7.8 and when touching terminal N it reads ~0.1. Switching to the other flat plug of the power cord I get 0L when touching terminal L and 0L when touching terminal N. Please let me know if I'm making any additional mistakes. I have uploaded 4 more pictures to show these results with a clear view of the DMM in case my settings are incorrect. Thank you again for your patience and help. Again, the photos can be accessed by replacing the two '++' characters with 'tt' in the URL h++ps://photos.app.goo.gl/KsWtm6FV6TRumb2y9 to have a working URL to get around the forum blocking external URL's (sorry if I'm breaking any rules here).

[Thermioniclife]

Do you have your meter set to AC volts?

[zaramon]

Do you have your meter set to AC volts?

Can you view the images hosted at the URL I defined in the previous post and tell met? I believe it is set correctly to Ohms, but admit I'm new at this particular endeavor. Let me know if you have trouble viewing the pics. It would be the last 4 most recent pics and I named the images appropriately to the PowerCordFlat#Terminal.

[Paul Birkeland]

Your neutral looks like it's coming through, but the 8 ohms on the hot side is likely an issue. 

I think once some years ago we had a situation where the little pressed in nub that went to the hot pin on the IEC power entry module wasn't making good contact with the metal bar that carries that connection up to where the fuse holder is.  Perhaps it's worth checking resistance to that pressed pin to see if that gives you a better reading.  If that is the issue, it's likely correctable on your end pretty easily. 

[Natural Sound]

I just looked at the manual for your meter. It is a bit unconventional in its operation but I think I can help.

The large selector when in the voltage position "V" defaults to the AC range. Pressing the "Sel" button will toggle the meter between AC and DC modes. The AC or DC icon on the digital display will indicate the mode you are in.

NOTE: NEVER MAKE RESISTANCE READINGS WITH THE AMPLIFIER PLUGGED IN
Resistive measurements are made by moving the selector to the continuity/resistance position. This is the one with the ohm symbol/speaker. Pressing the "Sel" button will toggle between ohms and Audible continuity. The meter defaults to Audible continuity so you must press the "Sel" button to enter the ohms mode. (I'm pretty sure this is where you were having problems.)

Take your time, review the instructions in the manual and make sure your meter is set up correctly. Your meter display will tell you which mode you are in. Refer to your meter's manual if necessary.

https://data.kleintools.com/sites/all/product_assets/documents/instructions/klein/MM420%20Instructions_web.pdf

[zaramon]

I just looked at the manual for your meter. It is a bit unconventional in its operation but I think I can help.

The large selector when in the voltage position "V" defaults to the AC range. Pressing the "Sel" button will toggle the meter between AC and DC modes. The AC or DC icon on the digital display will indicate the mode you are in.

NOTE: NEVER MAKE RESISTANCE READINGS WITH THE AMPLIFIER PLUGGED IN
Resistive measurements are made by moving the selector to the continuity/resistance position. This is the one with the ohm symbol/speaker. Pressing the "Sel" button will toggle between ohms and Audible continuity. The meter defaults to Audible continuity so you must press the "Sel" button to enter the ohms mode. (I'm pretty sure this is where you were having problems.)

Take your time, review the instructions in the manual and make sure your meter is set up correctly. Your meter display will tell you which mode you are in. Refer to your meter's manual if necessary.

Thank you for responding Natural Sound, In my previous (I think erroneous readings) I switched the "sel" switch over to "DC", but I could be wrong, but I don't think that was measuring the resistance in Ohms that I was instructed to do. Instead I switched the selector over to one selection past voltage to Ohms and  took those readings. I admit that there was no option to select "DC" that I could find. I'm continuing to provide as much information as possible and thank you for your assistance.

https://data.kleintools.com/sites/all/product_assets/documents/instructions/klein/MM420%20Instructions_web.pdf

[zaramon]

Your neutral looks like it's coming through, but the 8 ohms on the hot side is likely an issue. 

I think once some years ago we had a situation where the little pressed in nub that went to the hot pin on the IEC power entry module wasn't making good contact with the metal bar that carries that connection up to where the fuse holder is.  Perhaps it's worth checking resistance to that pressed pin to see if that gives you a better reading.  If that is the issue, it's likely correctable on your end pretty easily.

You sound exactly like myself telling someone new what to do, there are some things lost in translation with newer folk. Can you elaborate on precisely which little pressed in nub this could be in regards to and which one is the hot pin on the IEC power entry module? Many apologies as i need the low level instructions of how to make a peanut butter sandwich lol.

[Thermioniclife]

Sorry I tried to help with your low voltage reading. Will not make that mistake again.

[zaramon]

I hope I didn't come across the wrong way, text messages are hard to discern tone. Let me start over, I am humble and thankful for any of yours or other instruction. I am happy to try anything you ask because you and everyone else on here knows better than me. If I came across the wrong way, I'm really sorry, that wasn't my intention. If there is anything I can do to mend this relationship, I'm all ears for you. I respect you and everyone else that is trying to help me and the very last thing I want to do insult you by any means. I hate this came across this way, I'm sorry I can't get my true feelings across in text messages. I'll work on that.

[zaramon]

Not that it matters, but to attempt to clarify what I meant was that I, myself sometimes can leave out small details when instructing others on a subject that I have years of experience dealing with unintentionally because my brain makes some assumptions. And I was genuinely asking if you could take a look at the pictures and tell me if it looked like my meter was on the wrong setting. That was all I meant.

[zaramon]

Your neutral looks like it's coming through, but the 8 ohms on the hot side is likely an issue. 

I think once some years ago we had a situation where the little pressed in nub that went to the hot pin on the IEC power entry module wasn't making good contact with the metal bar that carries that connection up to where the fuse holder is.  Perhaps it's worth checking resistance to that pressed pin to see if that gives you a better reading.  If that is the issue, it's likely correctable on your end pretty easily.

Ok, I would like to explore this option. Can you describe the little pressed in nub a bit more so I can locate it?

[Paul Birkeland]

These.