Chosen Solution
continuous beeping even with test leads removed. checked battery and opened it up with no showing of corrosion or something shorting anything. Fuse still intact also did not work with high voltages. Was checking some dead phone batteries at the time and when got back to it it kept beeping. does not want to work in any other mode at all.
I would have to agree with Flying Dutchman it’s not worth putting any money in or time since you can buy a new for less but I strongly recommend fluke meters if you can they are roughed reliable and accurate. It sounds to me that the logic board is bad and needs to be replaced.
@cois Is there still functionality when reading the meter is it just the continuity .Is there continuity functionality , what reading are you getting with the leads not connected and connected, if all other functions are OK don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. I agree with Flying Dutchman in that you need a multi meter to test this one . I have a drawer full of cheap multi meters (family seems to think its a good fathers day gift)and I use them all I have an expensive Snap on multi meter and I tend to use the cheap ones more often.
I have a cheap Chinese multimeter UNI-T 132b and while I was unknowingly measuring currents way above 200 mA (the chosen scale) it just stopped measuring anything. The other functions worked like charm except DC small currents and diode/continuity. Similar to your situation, leads or not it kept on beeping while testing for continuity. Opened it up and found that the fuse for that circuit was gone. I temporarily ‘replaced’ it with some plain wire to test the multimeter for further damages. Beeping stopped and DC small currents measurement worked just fine. So that’s like an error beep or something. Bought a new fuse for under a dollar and my multimeter is as good as new now. Hope you have the same luck!
I had the same problem with UNI-T 132E and the cause was a blown 500ma fuse. Easy fix :)
I have an expensive Sumo DT-61 and it is having the same problem especially after i accidentally tested a charged 400 volts capacitor for dc voltage output of an electric mosquito bat/zapper which created a spark onto the lead probe but despite that all other tests are still working except for diode test, continuity test with never ending long beeping sound and ohm mode. My multimeter can accept up to 600 volts max for dc voltage test so I don’t know why it is causing this issue. The fuses are also working and I had also changed the battery. I don’t know if this is a chinese multimeter but I think that Sumo Industrial is either a british or scottish company based in Glasgow, UK and this multimeter is the most expensive one in the store since it is also an environmental multimeter that can measure noise, temperature, electromagnetic frequency and light. I think that I better RMA it.
check the fuse inside…..315mA 250V (5mm x 20mm) less than $1
Replace 200mA fuse, Your issue will be resolved
I hate it for you buddy, but I thinks it’s gone. Like you, I’m not sure what is causing it to continously indicate continuity regardless of the leads even being connected or not. I think I know what caused it in the forst place though. I probably monmentarily connected to a circuit intending to measure for voltage but failed to adjust the DMM measurement settings from ohlms to voltage. It’s an easy mistake to make. I have always heard that it is one of the worst things you can do to one. I must have been fresh out of luck this time. My advise to you is not what you would like to hear. Don’t waist your time and money and hopes on trying your troubleshooting skills on a possible fix. If you somehow did happen to isolate the problem, attempting a fix is ultimatly going to result in failure. That sounds a bit pessimistic but, really, it’s not if your goal is to minimize the negative impact of accidently frying your only DMM. Seriously though, I screwed around with mine for almost a half an hour to no avail. In that time, I basicly only was able to check out the fuses. This turned out to be just pointless and I might have realized it earlier on if only I had looked at what had happened more logically instead of mourning my lose with false hope. It’s clear that the fuses were going to be intact. The beep indicates continuity. The DMM will not indicate continuity if this fuse is open. Remove the fuse. The beeping stops, but you definatly don’t have the ability to measure continuity now though. More than likely you aren’t going to be able to read resistance in ohlms either. Mine reads dead short with or without leads . More than likely all the readings are going to be comptomised. I wouldn’t use it for anything critical. I wouldn’t just chuck it though. It could still be useful to you. Clearly lable it as defective. That way you don’t accedentally continue to use it, especally if you replace it with an identical unit. Blown DMMs are a right of passage in this trade. I promise, if you continue to delve into all things elrctronic, this will not be the last time you accidentally smoke your valued testing equipment. Being tired or over worked or trying to rush will cause you to make mistakes. Always try to work with a major emphasis on safety first and alot of useless misfortune can be avoided.
Might be something simple as an smd switching diode, 1 penny part. You require a certain amount of electronics know how to troubleshoot a circuit so if you dont know what an smd component is (and you probably dont if you have no other dmm) then put it on the shelf until you become more adept at circuit troubleshooting. I have about 300 multimeters last count but hey thats my forte
Don’t ask why this worked, but I reversed the polarity on the battery for a second or two, and mine works properly now.
It’s the fuse. Get a 5x20mm BP/GMA 500mA 250v Procedure:
- Remove battery screw and cover (PH1 Phillips)
- Remove 4 backing screws (2 under the “AAA” batteries & 2 in top back)
- Gently pull apart in half @ seam (Careful to not pull battery wires)
- Remove Fuse & Replace Fuse***
- Reassemble in reverse order. You can easily verify its the fuse by placing something conductive in the fuse socket in lue of the fuse, put batteries in and test continuity of fuse and connectors. Make sure black lead is connected into the middle socket and the red lead into the right socket.