I would like to know the fastest and most convenient way to measure the "average DC current consumption" on low current (0.1mA ~ 500mA), low voltage (1v ~ 14Vdc) devices. For example, let's consider a 2-way remote for a car alarm system. The RF components in such a remote use power cycling to increase battery life, so if you hook up an Ammeter in series with the battery terminal, the Ammeter display readout varies so wildly it is impossible to get an accurate indication of how much "average current" the remote is drawing.
Yes, I am aware that I can put a high-wattage 1-ohm shunt resistor in series with the ground line and then measure the voltage variance across the shunt with a scope, but that involves a lot of troublesome manual calculation.
Is there a quality Fluke meter or other device that can measure "average DC current" in applications such as mine? If not, what's the best way for me to get an accurate measurement of "average current"?
Thank you.
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