Earth leakage clamp meter

[John Beardmore]

I recently borrowed one of these to diagnose an earth leakage problem, and it was very useful: 560 60A Digital Earth Leakage Clamp Meter - https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/4131796-60a-earth-leakage-clamp-meter

Before I go out and buy one for us, I wondered if anybody can recommend anything better ? Don't mind spending more if it gets us a better tool, but in an ideal world, cheaper would be nice.

Cheers, J/.

 

[nicebutdim]

I find this one reliable.

 

[John Beardmore]

I find this one reliable.

Thank you ! That's spectacularly cheap too. Does it read zero at zero ?

(The only reason I ask is that some cheap clamp meters I've bought over the years don't, and it can be quite irritating.)

Cheers, J/.

 

[DPG]

I find this one reliable.

If that's accurate at low mA figures then that is a real bargain.

 

[nicebutdim]

Thank you ! That's spectacularly cheap too. Does it read zero at zero ?

(The only reason I ask is that some cheap clamp meters I've bought over the years don't, and it can be quite irritating.)

Cheers, J/.

My experience is that it does.

 

[nicebutdim]

If that's accurate at low mA figures then that is a real bargain.

It's the same meter that @pc1966 regularly links.

When I've compared it against the TEK775 and Megger DCM305E, readings have been the same or very close on every occasion.

 

[DPG]

It's the same meter that @pc1966 regularly links.

When I've compared it against the TEK775 and Megger DCM305E, readings have been the same or very close on every occasion.

Ah yes I remember now. Thanks.

 

[Lister1987]

It's the same meter that @pc1966 regularly links.

When I've compared it against the TEK775 and Megger DCM305E, readings have been the same or very close on every occasion.

Having both I can agree with that, it surprised me if I'm honest. Saying that most are rebadges of other models so it was nice to see thr Megger was different.

I'll admit I was a big thick when I got the Megger as I thought "oh this must be how tht IClamp/VClamp features work on the 1700 series....no, no they aren't, tht actual IClamp and VClamp are much more stupidly priced

 

[TJ Anderson]

I find this one reliable.

That is a really great price! The AmeCal one on ebay which I already thought was a bargain is a rebrand of that and is more money.

 

[nicebutdim]

Having both I can agree with that, it surprised me if I'm honest. Saying that most are rebadges of other models so it was nice to see thr Megger was different.

I'll admit I was a big thick when I got the Megger as I thought "oh this must be how tht IClamp/VClamp features work on the 1700 series....no, no they aren't, tht actual IClamp and VClamp are much more stupidly priced

I'd like to have the Megger, but needed one for a specific task at the time and it seemed to be worth a punt. Turned out to be well worth taking a chance on. I'd like a meter that also measures DC leakage, but haven't yet been able to justify the additional cost.

 

[nicebutdim]

That is a really great price! The AmeCal one on ebay which I already thought was a bargain is a rebrand of that and is more money.

Got a TEK775 free with an MFT (also uses the same style of housing) but sold it as performance was identical and it was the more expensive of the two.

 

[LastManOnline]

I'd like a meter that also measures DC leakage, but haven't yet been able to justify the additional cost.

Can I ask how much "additional cost" comes to in euro, s and what particular brand caught your eye.? I also want to get one with the capacity for measuring DC leakage

 

[nicebutdim]

Can I ask how much "additional cost" comes to in euro, s and what particular brand caught your eye.? I also want to get one with the capacity for measuring DC leakage

I can't remember the exact cost, but do recall being taken aback by the vast difference in price between an AC earth leakage clamp meter and one that also measured DC leakage.

I do, however, remember someone recently mentioning a more reasonably priced meter with DC capability.

 

[pirate]

Why does the technical doc for that farnell item state 60Hz?

 

[nicebutdim]

Why does the technical doc for that farnell item state 60Hz?

That's not a question I'd be qualified to answer - I can record results, but not necessarily explain how a particular device obtains them.

As Multicomp are unlikely to see your question and answer it, perhaps the best we can hope for is that @Lucien Nunes, @marconi or @pc1966 might answer in their stead.

 

[pirate]

Thanks, @nicebutdim
I don't know either!
But I have to think it might matter...but my technical knowledge is not great!

 

[nicebutdim]

Thanks, @nicebutdim
I don't know either!
But I have to think it might matter...but my technical knowledge is not great!

It may and it may not. I note the Megger DCM305E data sheet mentions both 50 & 60Hz.

Perhaps there is relevance or perhaps the datasheet was initially written with another market in mind. I was simply happy with the figures this displayed and their veracity when compared with two other meters.

 

[pc1966]

Small variations in frequency, say 50Hz versus 60Hz should not make much difference to the accuracy. Very low and the magnetic circuit is unlikely to couple as much current in to the measurement coil, very high and probably the meter's noise filtering is going to also cause it to under-read.

That CPC meter also looks identical to this much more costly branded one:

Di-log DL6518 | Earth Leakage Current Clamp | Earth Leakage

Di-log DL6518 is an AC Earth Leakage Clampmeter providing an accurate measurement of earth leakage down to a resolution of 100 uA (0.1mA)

www.dilog.co.uk

 

[Lister1987]

It may and it may not. I note the Megger DCM305E data sheet mentions both 50 & 60Hz.

Perhaps there is relevance or perhaps the datasheet was initially written with another market in mind. I was simply happy with the figures this displayed and their veracity when compared with two other meters.

My money is simply at it being on thr global market and 50/60Hz being the most common global frequencies, as such advertising it works on both frequencies means it targets a larger audience and not much more fancier reason than that.

 

[Timbo]

I find this one reliable.

Also available at CPC for £33.56 + vat.

https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp-pro/mp780050/mini-leakage-current-tester/dp/IN08364

 

[nicebutdim]

Also available at CPC for £33.56 + vat.

https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp-pro/mp780050/mini-leakage-current-tester/dp/IN08364

That's the price it's been at for several years - didn't realise I'd linked a different Farnell site and thought the price had increased.

 

[pc1966]

That's the price it's been at for several years - didn't realise I'd linked a different Farnell site and thought the price had increased.

The pricing, and even availability (or not) between the two brands of the same business has always perplexed me.

Usually CPC is cheaper than Farnell, but not always. Shipping costs can come in here as well.

And sometimes RS is cheaper (who traditionally were better for speed/availability than price), or occasionally I find RapidOnline has stuff at a better price (or even has it in the first place) but the web site is not great.

 

[Sadsyndrome]

I find this one reliable.

Hi. I appreciate this is an old post. I bought one 2 years ago to investigate tripping but issue resolved before I used it much. Now error has returned so I dusted it off and it’s giving really strange results. I have two 16mm tails in clamp and depending how I hold it the figures vary wildly.. do you use it with tails or on smaller cables? Have you seen large variations dependent upon cable positions in the loop? Thanks for any advice you can give

 

[nicebutdim]

Hi. I appreciate this is an old post. I bought one 2 years ago to investigate tripping but issue resolved before I used it much. Now error has returned so I dusted it off and it’s giving really strange results. I have two 16mm tails in clamp and depending how I hold it the figures vary wildly.. do you use it with tails or on smaller cables? Have you seen large variations dependent upon cable positions in the loop? Thanks for any advice you can give

Spotted your thread earlier, but saw no merit in stating that I've had no problems. It's been several months since I last had reason to use the meter, so clamped my own tails a couple of hours ago (could have worded that better) and was relieved to read the sort of low leakage current expected.

I'm not sure there's much of use I can tell you - perhaps it's cheap for a reason or perhaps you and another person have just been unlucky, but I'd also noted the similarities between this and the DiLog version.

What I can state is that I've only ever used it to clamp tails and a cores on a couple of largish cables - I did make up a flex for testing leakage from individual appliances, but can't remember ever having use it.


Edit: Not sure if I posted a particular exercise in this thread or somewhere else, but I briefly owned a TEK775 (free with an MFT) and found results between the two were close enough to make no difference. The same was found when compared with a colleague's meter, which may or may not have been the Megger DCM305, and again recorded leakage was almost identical. Let's hope I haven't posted too soon!

 

[Sadsyndrome]

Spotted your thread earlier, but saw no merit in stating that I've had no problems. It's been several months since I last had reason to use the meter, so clamped my own tails a couple of hours ago (could have worded that better) and was relieved to read the sort of low leakage current expected.

I'm not sure there's much of use I can tell you - perhaps it's cheap for a reason or perhaps you and another person have just been unlucky, but I'd also noted the similarities between this and the DiLog version.

What I can state is that I've only ever used it to clamp tails and a cores on a couple of largish cables - I did make up a flex for testing leakage from individual appliances, but can't remember ever having use it.


Edit: Not sure if I posted a particular exercise in this thread or somewhere else, but I briefly owned a TEK775 (free with an MFT) and found results between the two were close enough to make no difference. The same was found when compared with a colleague's meter, which may or may not have been the Megger DCM305, and again recorded leakage was almost identical. Let's hope I haven't posted too soon!

thanks for taking time to reply

 

[SparkySy]

I bought one off the back of this thread and have used it a good few times with no issues at all. It's actually helped me find some real pains of faults!
I would give it a test round the live tail only on amps and see if that is about what you expect your drawing, make a note of it and go and turn the kettle on see if the reading increases at least that will prove its ability to read current.
It may well have a fault they were really cheap compared to some on the market like megger!
Also when the 16mm tails were in the jaws were they shut together properly, I've had that cause wild readings in the past too.
Sy

 

[Sadsyndrome]

I bought one off the back of this thread and have used it a good few times with no issues at all. It's actually helped me find some real pains of faults!
I would give it a test round the live tail only on amps and see if that is about what you expect your drawing, make a note of it and go and turn the kettle on see if the reading increases at least that will prove its ability to read current.
It may well have a fault they were really cheap compared to some on the market like megger!
Also when the 16mm tails were in the jaws were they shut together properly, I've had that cause wild readings in the past too.
Sy

Thx. Yeah I did that and the single conductor seemed ok either on main earth 10mA or live tail 8.1A. It’s just the dual conductors I’m struggling with. I’ll give another go and ensure jaws are .shut properly. Shame really as you say it’s a handy thing for narrowing down faults.