A solenoid consists of the coil, the tube, and the armature. The solenoid coil is working in the circuit and can be worn out. As the main part of a solenoid, solenoid coil is replaceable when it’s not working. But how can we determine it is good or bad?
Here is the way to check solenoid coils with a digital multimeter. A typical digital multimeter is used to measure voltage (volts), current (amps) and resistance (ohms). It is a tool easy to use for diagnosis in the electrical industries.
- Step 1. Set your multimeter on ohms. If the multimeter is not automatic, set it on 2k ohms.
set multimeter on ohms
- Step 2. Place the probes of multimeter across the pins of a solenoid coil. If you find 3 pins there, one of them is a flat pin which is connected to the ground. What you need to do is connect the other two pins with the multimeter.
solenoid coil
- Step 3. Read the number on the multimeter. A functional solenoid coil normally has its resistance within a certain range. This range varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but definitely not zero. If you have 0 ohms, it means the coil is shorted. While the infinity read indicates the coil is open, the wire is broken inside.
multimeter read
Particular cases. Sometimes you find a normal read on the digital multimeter but the coil is actually not functioning. At this time, you can use a screwdriver and put it near the armature then energize the solenoids. If there is a magnet in the presence, the coil is good. Otherwise, it is bad, and you need to change a new one.
You will find it’s easy to test a solenoid coil follow the rules above. If you do have a bad solenoid coil, replace it with a new one. It’s very easy to change a solenoid coil.