Clamp-On Meters

This one?

I bought a cheap one at Harbor Freight, I've used it twice. It is fine for my use.Fluke is one of the better ones, but everyone has a favorite.

PS. I entered "clamp on meter" into the EE category Search this Forum box. There are more.

Thanks lyn. It wasn't that particular thread but you've helped me track it down.

The thread is

Thread: Outboard Starter Meter

and it's the meter Rixter suggested in #9 I was trying to remember. I'll save the details now!

Don't buy any of the open fork type if you want anything near accurate. The conductor position and orientation throws them way off.

Note that not all clamp-on meters measure both DC and AC. The lower cost ones are basically a transformer with the clamp being the core and the secondary connected to the meter circuit. These only measure AC.

Meters that measure both AC and DC have a Hall effect device that measures the magnetic field to determine the current. These are a bit more expensive, but necessary to measure DC, such as car battery current, for example.

That's not necessarily the case.

Moving iron clamp meters will measure both AC and DC

Below is a pic of an old one of mine with replaceable meters for different scales and functions

That picture brings back some memories, have you still got the wooden case?

Long gone I'm afraid.

mmm...

No EMC, software or "mean scaled to rms??" problems with that!

Hey, interesting. I was thinking digital. I never saw an analog one. I can see how a moving iron could work. Thanks.

That's right, but the MS2108A Auto Range Digital Clamp Meter 400 AC DC Current Hz Tester you posted I'm pretty sure does DC current, that's what the spec says. I hope so as I've ordered one now!

Thanks for the help, and everybody else who commented.

For future reference I normally use Google to find stuff on CR4.

e.g. enter <site:http://cr4.globalspec.com clamp meter> in the Google search field:-

https://www.google.co.uk/#q=site:http://cr4.globalspec.com+clamp+meter&start=10

I think the thread you were looking for is about half way down the second page of results. But results may vary because I can't force Google away from my default ".co.uk" starting position.

You have not given your current or accuracy requirements or features such as auto-ranging, DC, or long term connection in substations.

Not having any shunts for over 10 amp and breaking connections always to be avoided, but needing to make measurements, sometimes 3 phase, down to below 1 amp (lighting), I have.....

UNI-T type UT201 ranges 2/20/200/400 amp AC Accuracy from 4% on 2 amp to 1.5% 400 amp.

Voltcraft VC510 ranges 4/40/400 amp AC This is just a clamp CT with volt plug output to your usual AC voltmeter [100 mV/A to 1 mV/A according range] so costs less than one with built-in meter. It can also connect to an oscilloscope (even Zelscope PC softwares using microphone/sound input with resistive attenuator) or data logger.

Magnelab SCT-0750-050 which is a "split-able" CT with 0.333V +/- 1% output for 50 Amp, but usable to 200 amp continuous and 400 Hz.

I have found these did what I wanted. Now the VC510 is out of warranty, I can tap into its CT output for 3 phase log with the other two.

It's for auto-electric and house use. Not worried about great accuracy.

You sometimes find with the cheaper ones when reading DC that they will give differing results dependent on the direction in which the cable passes through the tongs.

OK thanks I'll bear that in mind.

I have a meter, 25 years old. When I got it I had a job convincing the electrical guys where I worked that it was good for DC current! It started to give erratic readings which I may have cured with a few shots of contact cleaner. Also when measuring DC current it has to be zeroed each time by turning a little knob, which is fiddly. I'm hoping the new one will be an improvement. It's a lot cheaper than the old one, 25 years down the line. The quality looks at least as good from the pic, but we'll see!

If you have a digital VOM most vendors offer a low-cost clamp-on attachment that will measure current.

clamp on meters are available online in different sites. but you have to choose meter related to your purpose. Like the range of current, voltage, resistance, price and service available or not. You can buy clamp on meters on website: www.electrikals.com where you can find the range of meters

I recommend you Fluke clamp meter.

It is a little bit expensive but you may feel satisfaction with it.

I've bought the MS2108A Auto Range Digital Clamp Meter and it works fine. The push-on connection of the leads to the meter seemed loose, and when I used it for resistance the readings were erratic. I thought I'd bought a duff meter and I was about to try to open up the contacts in the connector with a screwdriver, to grip better, when I found if I pushed the connectors firmly they went on another 5mm and it was fine. D'oh!

I had a quick look at the Fluke site and you're right, more expensive than I want to pay for my needs. I didn't see anything for DC amps (other than low amps through the meter) but perhaps I missed it, I'd be surprised if Fluke don't make one. Also I didn't see a traditional clamp meter, only open-jaw types, and according to TonyS's #2, that's not a good idea.