how to measure AC Amps on devices? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: administr4tor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2022, 07:20:14 pm
content: hello,I have this steamer, it claims to work at120V and at Power 1700Wwhich comes to 15AmperesI bought clamp meter to verify the claimed power at 110V, how can I use this clamp meter to measure this machine while running?WIll clamp meter work on cable wire which has 3 wires in it, hot, neutral and ground or the clamp meter needs only one wire to measure amps? if it needs only one wire then how am I supposed to get one wire out of this machine cable?I have other devices to measures AC current consumption but I am running into same problem about how to measure Amps on cable running 3 wires ( hot neutral ground )MACHINECLAMP METER i have with me

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2022, 07:24:37 pm
content: You need one of these:https://www.google.com/search?q=current+clamp+cable+splitter

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2022, 07:32:29 pm
content: Quote from: IanB on December 14, 2022, 07:24:37 pmOr you can build one yourself with either:1) a plug, an in-line socket and some separate insulated wirers joining them.2) stripping the jacket off a short extension cable (but not striping the insulation off the internal wires).Then put the clamp around either the line or the neutral (not the ground).

author: administr4tor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2022, 01:31:12 am
content: Quote from: IanB on December 14, 2022, 07:24:37 pmthey are limited to 10A-15A, I just checkeddo you know any brand or model which supports more than 10A splitter

author: administr4tor
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2022, 01:33:50 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on December 14, 2022, 07:32:29 pmI see what you mean, I will do this instead of buying onebut wont the wires will be too close if I strip off of jacket and try to take out one wire out?the other wire wont interfere with measurement?

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2022, 02:24:36 am
content: As long as only one current carrying wire is within the clamp it will not really matter how close the other wires are.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2022, 02:58:33 am
content: Quote from: administr4tor on December 15, 2022, 01:31:12 amBoth Extech and Klein Tools models say 15 A. Anything which says 15 A will do 20 A for short periods, which is probably all you need to take a measurement. If you exceed 20 A your power circuit will be overloaded anyway.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2022, 05:39:22 am
content: Quote from: administr4tor on December 15, 2022, 01:31:12 am15A is the maximum that is allowed for that plug style, so no device you will find that works in that socket is going to claim a current capability of more than that. Any of those line splitters will work fine for what you need.I have the Klein version and that has ONLY the 10X function, so you'd need a clamp meter that can read at least 150A. The Extech and similar ones with two loops have 1X and 10X measurement points.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 15, 2022, 07:16:56 am
content: Alternative to a clamp meter, get one of these :https://www.amazon.com/KETOTEK-Electricity-Kilowatt-Consumption-Protection/dp/B0B2K2HNDY/The model in the link can show both AC voltage and Current at the same time, and can probably also show the power factor if you switch to other mode.Other models may have simpler LCD screens where you would have to press a button to switch between seeing ac voltage, power factor, current, kwh etcThey should be fairly accurate from around 2w and up... probably just as accurate or more accurate than clamp meters (as you'll probably get only 1 or 2 decimals at 10+ amps and the value the clampmeter reads will vary depending on where the cable will be inside the clamp)