Electrical measures are necessarily carried out as part of construction work and overhaul. In addition, their methods are used in some industries and in material testing. An indispensable component of the arsenal of any electrician are electrical measuring instruments that allow you to determine the characteristics of a particular line.
General information about electrical measuring equipment
Most devices of this class are focused on the determination of three main parameters - current strength, voltage and resistance. At the same time, there are devices that allow you to determine three characteristics at once, and there is specialized equipment designed to identify specific indicators. But all devices differ in one important condition of operation - they do not break or deform the existing line. In particular, measuring clamps are able to record the values of high currents without breaking the circuit. True, there are compact models of this type and significant drawbacks. First, they are usually not very accurate. Suffice it to say that the quality of determining the parameter depends on the position of the working parts of the device. Secondly,obtaining more or less objective data requires some preparation and the user himself.
When are clamp meters used?
Ticks have a rather specific area of application. The fact is that professional measuring equipment is quite suitable for work indoors and on a construction site, where there are all conditions for comfortable work. In turn, pliers are more likely to work in difficult places, including high-voltage lines. It would seem that work in critical areas may be inaccessible to the simplest tools of this type. But especially to maintain sufficient working properties, for example, DC clamp meters are supplemented with auxiliary equipment. So, if a measurement is made on the same high-voltage line, then it will not be superfluous to use the multimeter function in addition. Preference should be given to digital models - they will make the function of ticks more accurate and more convenient for subsequent processing and registration.
Types of measuring clamps
There are three principles for separating measuring clamps by type. The basic classification provides for the segmentation of instruments according to the type of measured value. In particular, electrical measuring instruments can be represented by wattmeters, ohmmeters, phase meters, etc. Of course, there are also universal models designed to process several quantities at once, but the accuracy of such measurements is usually inferiorspecialized devices.
The second principle of separation refers to the design. On this basis, the models are divided into digital cabinet and frameless. No less important is the method of data transmission - this is the third way of classification. For example, most devices implement data transmission over analog channels. But wireless devices are becoming more and more popular. These include the Fluke CNX 3000 Clamp Meter. This device can be connected to a multimeter or laptop using special adapters.
Tool specifications
The main parameters that determine the functionality of the measuring equipment are based on the maximum values of the measured quantities. For example, in terms of voltage, the maximum for standard models is usually 600 V. For resistance, a similar parameter will have a range of 20-40 ohms. In addition, it is important to take into account the error factor. Typically, professional devices of this class have a minimum deviation value - about 1%. Household measuring clamps perform measurements with an average error of about 2%. Also, when choosing a measuring electrical device, it is worth paying attention to other ergonomic parameters. If we are talking about a digital device, then, for example, it will not be superfluous to evaluate the interface design, display resolution, and communication capabilities.
Producers
Functional and technological models of ticksthe Elitech brands, the mentioned company Fluke, Sturm, etc., are present on the market. These are modern devices that allow you to establish a tight communication link with computers and multimeters. The developers also think over the design of the models in terms of minimizing interference, and take care of the overall ergonomics of the devices. More traditional models are produced by domestic companies, including Zubr and Resanta. As a rule, these are Dietze clamps with a classic design, performing basic measurements of resistance, current and voltage. At the same time, it cannot be said that Russian devices are significantly inferior to foreign products in terms of manufacturability. Budget versions really look simple against the background of premium Elitech or Fluke equipment, but in some families of the same Zubr brand there is equipment with modern solutions in terms of functionality and structural implementation of the case.
Question of price
Again, the differences in terms of price are especially pronounced when comparing Russian and foreign products. In the lines of budget solutions of domestic companies, you can find models for 1-2 thousand rubles. Better equipment that can be used in solving professional problems is estimated at 3-4 thousand rubles. By the way, budget foreign measuring clamps are in the same range. The price of professional devices from Fluke or Sturm can reach 6-7 thousand. This is the level of the same wireless technology, which is distinguished by both high measurement accuracy and durability.
Conclusion
When choosing a measurement technique, it is important to evaluate the requirements for the planned operations. The formats of operation of such tools are very different, therefore, the selection parameters may differ markedly. So, for annual work on a household line as part of a private service, you can purchase measuring pliers with a typical design, analog data provision and a cost of up to 2 thousand.. This may be a model with a price tag of about 4 thousand, which will provide the user with the ability to interface with auxiliary equipment. This option is optimal both in terms of measurement accuracy, and in terms of performance, and in terms of ergonomics of handling the device.
