what do you guys think of clamp testers?

[Mike Blair]

i have never used a clamp tester. but they look very useful and im thinking about getting one. is there anyone out where who have reviews on them? here's 2 links of random ones

Megger DCM310 Digital Clamp Meter | eBay

NEW FLUKE T5-1000 1000 Voltage Current Electrical Tester | eBay

 

[Pete999]

Hi Mike, depends on what type of current measurements you want to take, I have several but to be honest it's a personal choice, why not start off with what you can afford. Megger used to do one that you could use on multi-core cables you know twin, flex, singles etc, I think I may have a spare one in my garage, its your's if you can arrange to pay the postage, I'm on a pension now so every penny counts, good luck

 

[snowhead]

Everyone working on Electrical circuits or appliances should have at least 1 clamp ammeter.

Every Electrician working with RCD /RCBO should have an Earth leakage Clamp Ammeter.

 

[telectrix]

mike. take up that offer of pete's. it will do you for a start.

 

[shanky887614]

the kewtech kt200 is a good one for measuring max demand.

goes down to 10ma and upto 400amps

 

[Marvo]

A clamp meter is an essential tool for any electrician. You don't need to spend a fortune on a Fluke or a Megger, [URL="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Uni-Trend-UT202A-Auto-ranging-AC-600-Amp-Clamp-Meter-/261551579675?]try one of these[/URL] if you're on a budget.

 

[Mike Blair]

thanks dude. at the movement im just looking but soon as i get some money together il give you a message mate. btw any idea on the model?

 

[Pete999]

mike. take up that offer of pete's. it will do you for a start.

Don't think he want's it Tel

 

[Marvo]

Maybe he thinks there's a catch...

 

[Pete999]

Maybe he thinks there's a catch...

There is a catch, on the meter

 

[Mike Blair]

A clamp meter is an essential tool for any electrician. You don't need to spend a fortune on a Fluke or a Megger, try one of these if you're on a budget.

noo catch just comparing models the one you linked looked pritty cool for the price like i said im new to clamp testers my college didnt really tell us anything about them and guy i worked with just didnt have one but they look really good

 

[telectrix]

they have their uses. basically a non contact means of measuring current flow without disconnecting anything. useful to ensure there's no load on an installation before you pull the main fuse. the mA resolution ones are useful to find if there's any earth leakage when fault finding tripping RCDs.

 

[Former Sponsor TM]

Hi Mike, depends on what type of current measurements you want to take, I have several but to be honest it's a personal choice, why not start off with what you can afford. Megger used to do one that you could use on multi-core cables you know twin, flex, singles etc, I think I may have a spare one in my garage, its your's if you can arrange to pay the postage, I'm on a pension now so every penny counts, good luck

Megger MMC850 - they killed this clamp a year or so ago and nobody has a similar one, anywhere. We have calls for them weekly so there's a market for it! You'd get a lot more than postage if you tried

 

[Pete999]

Megger MMC850 - they killed this clamp a year or so ago and nobody has a similar one, anywhere. We have calls for them weekly so there's a market for it! You'd get a lot more than postage if you tried

The one I have offered is an AVO FLEXICLAMP 200 no where near as good as the item you are talking about

 

[telectrix]

The one I have offered is an AVO FLEXICLAMP 200 no where near as good as the item you are talking about

if it says AVO on it. it's got to be good. mike is a fool if he don't take up your generous offer. afaik, it will measure up to 40A round a twin or 3 core witout separating the cores.

 

[KWCFC]

I can take it off your hands if Mike doesnt Pete. More than happy to pay the postage

 

[Pete999]

I can take it off your hands if Mike doesnt Pete. More than happy to pay the postage

Mike's going to send me the postage

 

[Besoeker]

I've used a Fluke 1000 for many years. It was designed to be plugged into a Fluke multimeter current input. But I use it with a 10 ohm burden resistor that I can look across with a scope.

That gives me an isolated current waveform which is pretty handy for variable speed drives. And I can download the waveform from the scope for later number crunching. The scope I use gives me a good few measurement options. Average, RMS, peak, period, frequency.........all manner of jolly good stuff. If you need that kind of thing.

Which I do from time to time for power quality analysis. But it does the basics too. What I particularly like is the aperture.
It can get round more conductor sizes than you can shake a stick at.

 

[GMES]

Got 4 in total 2 x 200amp 1 x 400amp and 1 x 2000amp for the big boy stuff 1 x earth leakage.

 

[Engineer54]

As a starter, i would definitely go for an earth leakage clamp tester, especially if all you do is domestic and light commercial work. Most will go up to a 100A, but will have the now essential facility of measuring earth leakage mA currents, that you will be using far more often than the straight amp clamp side of things. Go check out the Test-Meter site that has a very good budget clamp meter, and get the forum discount to boot!! ...lol!!

 

[Guest111]

Dont go for the fork type,they're garbage.I ran comparison tests with 3 different types and got 3 vastly different readings on the same cable at the same time.

 

[shanky887614]

Dont go for the fork type,they're garbage.I ran comparison tests with 3 different types and got 3 vastly different readings on the same cable at the same time.

i was moving my clamp around cable and depending on where it was in the clamp slightly varied reading

 

[Guest111]

i was moving my clamp around cable and depending on where it was in the clamp slightly varied reading

In the tests I did the reading could vary by around half an amp depending on where in the jaw the cable sat,also there was about the same difference between the 3 meters,yet testing closed jaw types they were all near enough the same.

 

[northstar]

Dont go for the fork type,they're garbage.I ran comparison tests with 3 different types and got 3 vastly different readings on the same cable at the same time.

would you put the fluke t5 1000 on the garbage list ?

 

[Guest111]

would you put the fluke t5 1000 on the garbage list ?

Any fork ended meter is no match for a proper clamp.

 

[northstar]

Any fork ended meter is no match for a proper clamp.

what do you think about a fluke 322 clamp meter ? thanks

 

[shanky887614]

what do you think about a fluke 322 clamp meter ? thanks

you would be better off getting an earth leakage clamp meter.

the only thing that will tell you is how much power is being drawn and wont really help finding earth leakage cause it doesnt go low enough

 

[lnrelectrical]

I think it ok instrument for everyday use

 

[Guest111]

what do you think about a fluke 322 clamp meter ? thanks

as I said earlier ANY nomal clamp is better than a fork ended,if you are not sure how much use you'll give it or just want to try one then have a look at cpc farnell,they do some tenma for about £20 now they're not bad they do a good selection.In fact I have a tenma that does AC and DC current and it was only about £100 never let me down.

 

[shanky887614]

as I said earlier ANY nomal clamp is better than a fork ended,if you are not sure how much use you'll give it or just want to try one then have a look at cpc farnell,they do some tenma for about £20 now they're not bad they do a good selection.In fact I have a tenma that does AC and DC current and it was only about £100 never let me down.

if you want a cheap one getcthe handyman one from test meter.

there a sponser and it reads low enough to be useful to fault find nuisance tripping

(earth leakage clamp meter)

or there is a better alternative

buy a good multimeter and then a separate clamp when you need one

 

[Guest111]

if you want a cheap one getcthe handyman one from test meter.

there a sponser and it reads low enough to be useful to fault find nuisance tripping

(earth leakage clamp meter)

or there is a better alternative

buy a good multimeter and then a separate clamp when you need one

I bought the handyman fork ended and didn't like it,it's sat in my cupboard upstairs,if he wants one of them he can have it for 20 quid as new.

 

[shanky887614]

I bought the handyman fork ended and didn't like it,it's sat in my cupboard upstairs,if he wants one of them he can have it for 20 quid as new.

not fork type clossed jaw, why didnt you like it?

 

[Guest111]

not fork type clossed jaw, why didnt you like it?

didn't think it was as accurate as a closed jaw type.

 

[shanky887614]

didn't think it was as accurate as a closed jaw type.

the handyman one on test meter is clossed jaw mate

 

[lnrelectrical]

just buy the instrument that works best for you

 

[lnrelectrical]

Thanks trev understand

 

[shanky887614]

WTF has the cost of a RFC got to do with clamp meters?????????????????????

he might have wanted a radial mate

 

[Pete999]

he might have wanted a radial mate

OK WTF has a socket circuit got to do with clamp meters?????? lol

 

[trev]

OK WTF has a socket circuit got to do with clamp meters?????? lol

Well you could use a clampy on one.

 

[Pete999]

:leaving::leaving::leaving: