Q1: What is clamp ampere meter?
A1: A clamp ammeter is a combination of a current transformer and an ammeter. The iron core of the current transformer can be opened when the wrench is tightened; the wire through which the measured current passes can pass through the gap opened by the iron core without being cut off, and the iron core is closed when the wrench is released.
Q2: How does a current clamp meter work?
A2: A clamp meter is a clothespin-shaped instrument that can be clamped around a live wire in order to measure the current it's carrying. As a measurement principle, clamp meters detect the magnetic field emitted by current flowing in a wire in order to measure the current value.
Q3: How to use a clamp ammeter?
A3: When using a clamp ammeter to detect the current, be sure to clamp a measured wire (wire). If two (parallel wires) are clamped, the current cannot be detected. In addition, when the center (core) of the clamp ammeter is used for detection, the detection error is small. When checking the power consumption of home appliances, it is more convenient to use a line splitter. Some line splitters can amplify the detection current by 10 times, so the current below 1A can be amplified before detection. Use a DC clamp ammeter to detect the DC current (DCA), if the current flows in the opposite direction, it will display a negative number. This function can be used to detect whether the car's battery is in a charging state or a discharging state.
Tips: Things to avoid when using a clamp meter
Clamp meters offer a high level of safety since they don't require the wire under measurement to be cut, but it’s important to use them at or under the maximum rated terminal-to-ground voltage.
- If you leave a clamp-on power meter connected after use, an excessively large current flowing to the clamp sensor could damage the instrument.
- Avoid clamping an instrument to a bare conductor; clamp meters should only be used to measure insulated conductors (although this depends on the specific current sensor in use).
- Finally, the instrument's barrier indicates the safety limit, so never touch anything on the jaw side of the barrier while using the instrument.