School me on Clamp meter

[Derek420]

Hello I bought an Ideal brand (clamp meter) and would like to know more about this device as I'm only use to a cheapo multi meter from HF. Is it same tool it has different selections and not sure if you can use them for small electronics and car diagnosising. It's rated at 600v and has nice test leads on it but stuck them in wall outlet and didn't say anything and it's a digital one, maybe wrong setting? Don't even know how to use clamp part. When you turn it on it beeps and let's you know it's ready. I didn't get it new but it's not in bad shape. Please explain settings and what tool is for.

 

[unslow1]

You tube videos will probably explain that better than anyone could in text.

 

[Tim37]

Did you have it on ac volts when you tested the outlet? The clamp part is fairly simple just select amperes and then put the clamp around a wire it will tell you how many aps is going through the wire.

 

[kd3pc]

RTFM??

some clamps only read AC or DC, some read both, some are directional, etc...

RTFM? In their absence, as slow says....youtube.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Tim37 should have also said individual wire not a pair. The clamp meter reads the amp flowing one direction through the wire. If you have two wires in there it reads zero as the same current is flowing one way in black and other way in white wire. Clamp part is only to measure the amp load being pulled by the motor/lights/pump or whatever you are reading. A circuit that is on but has no load would not show any amp pull. The voltage setting should be "V" with a crooked line under it for AC voltage and two lines under the "V" for DC voltage. Most company websites have manuals that can be downloaded for general usage instruction but not for electrical tutorial.

 

[DFB]

Is it any one of these?

http://www.idealindustries.ca/products/test_measurement/clamp_meters/

 

[Infinia]

. It's rated at 600v and has nice test leads on it but stuck them in wall outlet and didn't say anything and it's a digital one, maybe wrong setting?

ok set it on AC Voltage & 200V
Then make sure the probes are contacting the metal parts. The smaller slot hole is the hot lead, use the ground or the larger slot for the other probe. New players might put one hand in yer pocket when probing high voltage.

 

[DSLTRK]

Hello I bought an Ideal brand (clamp meter) and would like to know more about this device as I'm only use to a cheapo multi meter from HF. Is it same tool it has different selections and not sure if you can use them for small electronics and car diagnosising. It's rated at 600v and has nice test leads on it but stuck them in wall outlet and didn't say anything and it's a digital one, maybe wrong setting? Don't even know how to use clamp part. When you turn it on it beeps and let's you know it's ready. I didn't get it new but it's not in bad shape. Please explain settings and what tool is for.

most cheap clamp meters only measure AC current. You need a changing mag field to measure, and DC doesn't allow that. Ideal makes tools for high voltage work.

 

[Derek420]

Tim37 should have also said individual wire not a pair. The clamp meter reads the amp flowing one direction through the wire. If you have two wires in there it reads zero as the same current is flowing one way in black and other way in white wire. Clamp part is only to measure the amp load being pulled by the motor/lights/pump or whatever you are reading. A circuit that is on but has no load would not show any amp pull. The voltage setting should be "V" with a crooked line under it for AC voltage and two lines under the V" for DC voltage. Most company websites have manuals that can be downloaded for general usage instruction but not for electrical tutorial.

Thanks you answered one thing I wanted to know most, with what the v with lines are. I didn't under stand all the electrical symbolisms are and one guy said that ideal only makes stuff for high voltage and by the way this thing is made I definitely can tell it's made for that as it's heavy duty even the test leads are heavy duty. I only paid 2 bucks for it lol as I'm a regular at my pawn shop and get deals they even threw in a fit bit bracelet for free lol that was 130$ new. It was just in the tool bin.. Now would like to know if it is something i can use on small electronics like battery chargers and batteries also cars. If it's only heavy duty could be why it didnt work in outlet or had wrong setting. Like I said I only got 2 bucks in it and just wanted to replace the free harbor freight one I got because it's garbage when set to ac it reads 4.5 when stuck in wall outlet. I gotta say I know nothing about electrical test meters and just now trying tolearn to use one. Im use to just doing regular shade tree mechanical work but want to learn the electrical diagnosing for autos now.

 

[Derek420]

Is it any one of these?

http://www.idealindustries.ca/products/test_measurement/clamp_meters/

Looks a lot like the 740 series one but maybe older I'm not sure haven't seen it since day I bought it as it been in my tool bag.
I checked out the instruction Manuel on the site and it's set up just like mine and has all the features. I realized last time I used it I had it on wrong setting is probably why it read 0000. If it turns out to be wrong tool for me oh well it was 2 bucks and who knows might need it in future. I got a lot of electrician tools for just in case and all top quality stuff for dirt cheap I love the wiha screwdrivers...