Recommend me a Clamp meter plz

[Piero]

Hi Guys

do you mind recommending me your favourite relatively in expensive clamp meter for occasional use !

would like to measure a range from DC and AC inc 3 phase at a higher voltage than 230v

just to add, I already own a Fluke multimeter

thanks

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I have a screwfix one for a quick test.
But my Fluke is the one I use for detail and commisioning work.

 

[J1nx]

I have had a Tenma for years, been pretty good, got a fluke issued last year, it’s alright, not much better considering twice the price. Both DC versions.

 

[daleyd]

Don’t know about the clamp meter but last year I bought an Amazon commercial multimeter - and it’s absolutely bang on, both feature wise and accuracy.

I didn’t want to take out a £500 fluke 87v meter out to turkey on a job with me, so picked up this one for not much more than £30 - they’ve gone up a little bit since then.

They are made by a third party company, RS sell them as their own RS pro brand, for about 3 x the price for the exact same meter.

They do an ac/dc true 600 amp rms clamp meter for about £50 (true rms is good if you want to measure non standard waveforms, eg off a vfd or a power supply). They do cheaper ones that are ac only, but I’d certainly have a look at that brand, my fluke multimeter hasn’t been touched since I got this one.

 

[julianf]

If you want low current DC then your options are slim.

I have one of the uni-t ones and, iirc, it was about the only option (again for low ampage DC)

 

[zzr1200]

AC/DC clamp meter. I've used this make for 15 years, the only time I had a problem was when I dropped and smashed it so purchased another one....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UNI-T-UT21...t=&hvlocphy=9046384&hvtargid=pla-450742515090

 

[MetalMonkey]

The Uni-t 2XX series are supposed to be quite reasonable, there are half a dozen revisions/models with substantial differences between them which I can't recall off the top of my head but you need to do your homework to work out which one to go for.

Mine is a brymen 079, which is excellent, there are a few different models in the range, all good.

Then there are the fluke, T5, 323 etc.

A lot will depend on what range of current you want to measure

 

[julianf]

AC/DC clamp meter. I've used this make for 15 years, the only time I had a problem was when I dropped and smashed it so purchased another one....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UNI-T-UT21...t=&hvlocphy=9046384&hvtargid=pla-450742515090

If that isn't the one I have, it's very very similar.

My only issue with it was when I operated it with wet hands next to the electrolysis tank, and one of the buttons stopped working.

It eventually worked again and I've been more careful after seeing the replacement cost. (I'm sure they used to be about £28 before various things stuffed the UK pound)

 

[tigdlo]

I have a Uni-T UT210-E, appears to work fine, when reading sub 1A DC the clamp meter reads within tolerance to my cheap bench supply and multimeter.

 

[julianf]

Just looked, mine is a UNI-T UT210E

Was £25 inc shipping, 2019

 

[Seadog]

AC/DC clamp meter. I've used this make for 15 years, the only time I had a problem was when I dropped and smashed it so purchased another one....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UNI-T-UT21...t=&hvlocphy=9046384&hvtargid=pla-450742515090

I bought the same one a couple of years ago. It was £37 then.

 

[brightspark]

a one that does inrush current is about the best if your messing on with motors its a big help on fault finding i also have a milliamp clamp meter good for testing earth leakage

 

[zzr1200]

I bought the same one a couple of years ago. It was £37 then.

Tis on Amazon, so you could knock a tenner off by shopping around, but it's next day prime delivery..

 

[Piero]

a one that does inrush current is about the best if your messing on with motors its a big help on fault finding i also have a milliamp clamp meter good for testing earth leakage

Yes, I'd definitely like one that can do inrush currents

Any recommendation??

 

[tom2207]

Ive a Megger and its great ,,, mainly because it works like you want a clamp meter to work ,,, turn the dial on the front to say 3 cor and it reads 3 core cable ,,, no splitting lives etc ,,, rest of my meters are fluke they do some very handy probe type meters too ,,, but both Fluke and Megger get a bit spendy.

 

[Piero]

Ive a Megger and its great ,,, mainly because it works like you want a clamp meter to work ,,, turn the dial on the front to say 3 cor and it reads 3 core cable ,,, no splitting lives etc ,,, rest of my meters are fluke they do some very handy probe type meters too ,,, but both Fluke and Megger get a bit spendy.

What's the model off your Megger

 

[J1nx]

Here’s my Tenma, next to the Flukes, like I said decent little meter for the money, not sure if that exact models still available but proves it’s lasted me long enough, only thing older there is the classic 70 dmm

 

[tom2207]

What's the model off your Megger

its in the garage ,, ill get a look in the morning ,,, its mighty handy ,, sort of like a very delux volt stick , great forr gigs etc where you need to know whos sucking all the current

 

[MetalMonkey]

MMC850 or the flexiclamp are the only Megger multi conductor clamps I can think of. Discontinued now I believe. They are AC only and limited to 50hz IIRC, so no good for vfds or DC.

 

[Turbo]

a one that does inrush current is about the best if your messing on with motors its a big help on fault finding i also have a milliamp clamp meter good for testing earth leakage

That's where an old school one with a needle is useful to see start up current.