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Disclaimer: Newbe
A multimeter tutorial on Youtube said that to test my washing machine inlet valve solenoid for continuity I can use either the lowest ohms setting (200 on my DT830B) or the continuity setting. If I try the ohms setting the digital readout does not move from 1. If I try the continuity setting it goes to 12.2 on my original part but 12.02 on my new replacement part.
Why doesn't using the ohms setting work when the continuity setting does?
Why doesn't using the ohms setting work when the continuity setting does?
You can confirm that your ohm-meter is working by shorting the leads together. It should read 0.0 Ω to perhaps 0.3 Ω (the lead resistance).
If it reads overrange '1---' on this test or on measurement then the resistance is higher than 200 Ω and you need to switch to the next range, probably 2 kΩ. Keep going until you get a valid reading.
If by "continuity checker" you mean the diode test function then that applies a different current through the terminals and reports the voltage drop across the device. It works well with diodes but isn't of much use with resistors.
Just speculation, but assuming you mean the overrange '1' indication, it's possible your multimeter has experienced some trauma in the past such as seeing mains voltage on the ohms range and that has blown a fuse or fried its innards.
You can check by shorting the leads, it should read close to zero.
