Earth leakage clamp meter

[pirate]

Thanks, @nicebutdim
I don't know either!
But I have to think it might matter...but my technical knowledge is not great!

 

[nicebutdim]

Thanks, @nicebutdim
I don't know either!
But I have to think it might matter...but my technical knowledge is not great!

It may and it may not. I note the Megger DCM305E data sheet mentions both 50 & 60Hz.

Perhaps there is relevance or perhaps the datasheet was initially written with another market in mind. I was simply happy with the figures this displayed and their veracity when compared with two other meters.

 

[pc1966]

Small variations in frequency, say 50Hz versus 60Hz should not make much difference to the accuracy. Very low and the magnetic circuit is unlikely to couple as much current in to the measurement coil, very high and probably the meter's noise filtering is going to also cause it to under-read.

That CPC meter also looks identical to this much more costly branded one:

Di-log DL6518 | Earth Leakage Current Clamp | Earth Leakage

Di-log DL6518 is an AC Earth Leakage Clampmeter providing an accurate measurement of earth leakage down to a resolution of 100 uA (0.1mA)

www.dilog.co.uk

 

[Lister1987]

It may and it may not. I note the Megger DCM305E data sheet mentions both 50 & 60Hz.

Perhaps there is relevance or perhaps the datasheet was initially written with another market in mind. I was simply happy with the figures this displayed and their veracity when compared with two other meters.

My money is simply at it being on thr global market and 50/60Hz being the most common global frequencies, as such advertising it works on both frequencies means it targets a larger audience and not much more fancier reason than that.

 

[Timbo]

I find this one reliable.

Also available at CPC for £33.56 + vat.

https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp-pro/mp780050/mini-leakage-current-tester/dp/IN08364

 

[nicebutdim]

Also available at CPC for £33.56 + vat.

https://cpc.farnell.com/multicomp-pro/mp780050/mini-leakage-current-tester/dp/IN08364

That's the price it's been at for several years - didn't realise I'd linked a different Farnell site and thought the price had increased.

 

[pc1966]

That's the price it's been at for several years - didn't realise I'd linked a different Farnell site and thought the price had increased.

The pricing, and even availability (or not) between the two brands of the same business has always perplexed me.

Usually CPC is cheaper than Farnell, but not always. Shipping costs can come in here as well.

And sometimes RS is cheaper (who traditionally were better for speed/availability than price), or occasionally I find RapidOnline has stuff at a better price (or even has it in the first place) but the web site is not great.

 

[Sadsyndrome]

I find this one reliable.

Hi. I appreciate this is an old post. I bought one 2 years ago to investigate tripping but issue resolved before I used it much. Now error has returned so I dusted it off and it’s giving really strange results. I have two 16mm tails in clamp and depending how I hold it the figures vary wildly.. do you use it with tails or on smaller cables? Have you seen large variations dependent upon cable positions in the loop? Thanks for any advice you can give

 

[nicebutdim]

Hi. I appreciate this is an old post. I bought one 2 years ago to investigate tripping but issue resolved before I used it much. Now error has returned so I dusted it off and it’s giving really strange results. I have two 16mm tails in clamp and depending how I hold it the figures vary wildly.. do you use it with tails or on smaller cables? Have you seen large variations dependent upon cable positions in the loop? Thanks for any advice you can give

Spotted your thread earlier, but saw no merit in stating that I've had no problems. It's been several months since I last had reason to use the meter, so clamped my own tails a couple of hours ago (could have worded that better) and was relieved to read the sort of low leakage current expected.

I'm not sure there's much of use I can tell you - perhaps it's cheap for a reason or perhaps you and another person have just been unlucky, but I'd also noted the similarities between this and the DiLog version.

What I can state is that I've only ever used it to clamp tails and a cores on a couple of largish cables - I did make up a flex for testing leakage from individual appliances, but can't remember ever having use it.


Edit: Not sure if I posted a particular exercise in this thread or somewhere else, but I briefly owned a TEK775 (free with an MFT) and found results between the two were close enough to make no difference. The same was found when compared with a colleague's meter, which may or may not have been the Megger DCM305, and again recorded leakage was almost identical. Let's hope I haven't posted too soon!

 

[Sadsyndrome]

Spotted your thread earlier, but saw no merit in stating that I've had no problems. It's been several months since I last had reason to use the meter, so clamped my own tails a couple of hours ago (could have worded that better) and was relieved to read the sort of low leakage current expected.

I'm not sure there's much of use I can tell you - perhaps it's cheap for a reason or perhaps you and another person have just been unlucky, but I'd also noted the similarities between this and the DiLog version.

What I can state is that I've only ever used it to clamp tails and a cores on a couple of largish cables - I did make up a flex for testing leakage from individual appliances, but can't remember ever having use it.


Edit: Not sure if I posted a particular exercise in this thread or somewhere else, but I briefly owned a TEK775 (free with an MFT) and found results between the two were close enough to make no difference. The same was found when compared with a colleague's meter, which may or may not have been the Megger DCM305, and again recorded leakage was almost identical. Let's hope I haven't posted too soon!

thanks for taking time to reply

 

[SparkySy]

I bought one off the back of this thread and have used it a good few times with no issues at all. It's actually helped me find some real pains of faults!
I would give it a test round the live tail only on amps and see if that is about what you expect your drawing, make a note of it and go and turn the kettle on see if the reading increases at least that will prove its ability to read current.
It may well have a fault they were really cheap compared to some on the market like megger!
Also when the 16mm tails were in the jaws were they shut together properly, I've had that cause wild readings in the past too.
Sy

 

[Sadsyndrome]

I bought one off the back of this thread and have used it a good few times with no issues at all. It's actually helped me find some real pains of faults!
I would give it a test round the live tail only on amps and see if that is about what you expect your drawing, make a note of it and go and turn the kettle on see if the reading increases at least that will prove its ability to read current.
It may well have a fault they were really cheap compared to some on the market like megger!
Also when the 16mm tails were in the jaws were they shut together properly, I've had that cause wild readings in the past too.
Sy

Thx. Yeah I did that and the single conductor seemed ok either on main earth 10mA or live tail 8.1A. It’s just the dual conductors I’m struggling with. I’ll give another go and ensure jaws are .shut properly. Shame really as you say it’s a handy thing for narrowing down faults.