Perhaps one of the best ways to check for current flow and level of flow within a circuit is by using a clamp meter. These meters simply clamp over the current carrying wire and when turned on can show you if there is current flow and just how much flow there is in amps. This provides a very safe way to check circuits that may be carrying high voltage and or high current without ever having to actually open up the circuit and exposing the technician to these dangers. Clamp digital multimeters work by measuring the magnetic field that is created around a wire when there is current flowing through it. The stronger the magnetic flow the higher the current is.

While the majority of clamp on meters today are digital there are still several manufacturers of analog meters and they work fine for most tasks but there is nothing like a good digital meter for reading in minute increments. The traditional Clamp meters were designed strictly to measure AC/DC current in amps using a very convenient indirect tool instead of having to open up the circuit to place a measuring device in line. In many high amperage circuits this would expose the technician to deadly levels of current. Today the average clamp meter is a fully functional multimeter that has a full range of functions and ranges and is very accurate. The Clamp meters used today can also accurately measure resistance, AC and DC voltage, frequency, capacitance and in many cases serve as continuity testers.

This single piece of test equipment allows the technician to consolidate what was once several different meters into one single piece of test gear that fits easily into his tool bag or belt, freeing up space for other valuable instruments. There are three different types of Clamp meters available to most technicians today. The basic meter can show all if all three phases on feed lines are pulling the same current or not, whereas the advanced meters that have data logging abilities can help with troubleshooting intermittent breaker trips. Finally the specialized meters can be used to accurately measure the surge current in electric motors to help find problems in factory conveyer motors, air compressors and HVAC blower motors. While digital Clamp meters have certainly gained in popularity in the last few years they do have their problems.

The biggest problems faced with the new LCD display models is that they can be hard to use in very cold weather as the displays do not work very well. However modern technology has replaced the old style heavy steel jaws with smaller more lightweight copper coils resulting in a much lighter meter that can be easily carried in a tool bag or belt. If it is time to reequip your shop with the new lightweight Clamp meters or you are looking to add more versatile equipment to your shop take a look at the Clamp meters available at Tek-Inst. They carry a complete line of meters for all of your electrical testing needs and offer free ground shipping on all orders over $300.