Clamp Meter

[topquark]

Well I've given up looking for my clamp meter and ordered a new one. Of course you know what that means, the old one will now turn up, anyone know of a deserving case for one if it does?

 

[T&Earth]

Hi Topquark

I would keep it in case you lose the new one, which one are you getting? I keep meaning to get one, but work at the moment a bit slack!
T&E

 

[topquark]

I've ordered a Metrel MD 9270 (from test-meter of course ). The old one was an Alphatek/Metrel Tek 633. The new one doesn't do DC though

 

[telectrix]

but how often do you need to measure DC? i've just bought a metrel 633. not used in anger yet though.

 

[topquark]

but how often do you need to measure DC? i've just bought a metrel 633. not used in anger yet though.

I was contemplating doing a solar course sometime this year/next and was thinking it would be useful for that. Thought it might involve laying on a nice beach somewhere

Comes in useful for car electrics. Could be useful for circuit board diagnostics as well, but I tend to use a scope for that (if I really have to). Most stuff on these days is board level replacement.

 

[jenions]

need to ge a clamp meter was looking at the metrel 633, but ent sure what it needs to do. is it best to get just a reasonably priced 1 for every day and then save up and get 1 that measures earth leakage or just buy an earth leakage 1 and use it everyday? hope that makes sense

 

[topquark]

need to ge a clamp meter was looking at the metrel 633, but ent sure what it needs to do. is it best to get just a reasonably priced 1 for every day and then save up and get 1 that measures earth leakage or just buy an earth leakage 1 and use it everyday? hope that makes sense

The 633 will do earth leakage, but it's not being made anymore. You may be lucky to find someone with one in stock.

 

[HandySparks]

Hi topquark,
What do you think of your Metrel MD 9270?

I want to get a current clamp meter for checking out earth leakage prior to installing RCDs and for fault finding tripping RCDs, as well as occasional use for checking load current. Do you use any of the other features (power, power factor, etc)? What's it like in a crowded board (is it affected by nearby conductors)?

The alternative for me is the Dilog DL6507 which is cheaper, a little less accurate, without the fancy features and with a 60A max rather than the 150A of the Metrel.

Anyone else have any good or bad reports on either of these?

 

[i=p/u]

whatever happened to t5 being th best??? does the t5 do earth leakage#???

 

[MarkieSparkie]

whatever happened to t5 being th best??? does the t5 do earth leakage#???

No mate, The Fluke T5, being a fork meter, doesn't have the resolution or accuracy at mA levels, it also has a relatively wide frequency bandwidth which limits precision when measuring earth leakage current.
The Metrel MD9270 however is the dog's nuts for earth leakage analysis. I've had mine for nearly 3 years and it's by far the best I've used.

 

[topquark]

It's only been used for minor fault finding so far, so not really been put through it's paces as yet, so far it does what it says on the tin. The max and hold functions are useful.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

It's only been used for minor fault finding so far, so not really been put through it's paces as yet, so far it does what it says on the tin. The max and hold functions are useful.

I am surprised you haven't moved on a bought another tester by now, seeing as you appear to be in the TA (Tools Anonymous).

 

[topquark]

I am surprised you haven't moved on a bought another tester by now, seeing as you appear to be in the TA (Tools Anonymous).

Give it time Mark, give it time