Clamp on meter response time

[Ken9876]

Do different brands of clamp on meters have a faster response time to quick surges? Today while trying to troubleshoot an intermittent short on a control circuit I was using a high quality fluke meter and it would pick up on the quick low currents that were blowing the control fuse. However to check the two branches at the same time I used a new Klein meter and it did not pick anything up. I placed it on the same line as the fluke and while on min/max function the Fluke would measure the quick surge in current while the Klein would not. Has anyone else run into this?

 

[Little Bill]

Do different brands of clamp on meters have a faster response time to quick surges? Today while trying to troubleshoot an intermittent short on a control circuit I was using a high quality fluke meter and it would pick up on the quick low currents that were blowing the control fuse. However to check the two branches at the same time I used a new Klein meter and it did not pick anything up. I placed it on the same line as the fluke and while on min/max function the Fluke would measure the quick surge in current while the Klein would not. Has anyone else run into this?

I have! It's usually the ones with the min/max feature that will catch an intermittent problem. I'm sure someone else can explain further.

 

[VinceS]

Clamp on Amp

Clamp on Amp

IF you have access to a Fluke 337 maybe using the inrush setting you may catch it. I have a Fluke scope meter, using the amp clamp its easy.

I also love it for those pesky trigger pulses from timers PLCs or relay logic. Just hook it up and drink some coffee, when waiting for a intermittent issue.

If you have multiple wires on a single fuse (LOW VOLTS ONLY ), just remove them and land one at a time until the fuse pops. No meter required...

 

[Ken9876]

If you have multiple wires on a single fuse (LOW VOLTS ONLY ), just remove them and land one at a time until the fuse pops. No meter required...

My short is intermittent, in the past I have bumped the fuse in and out while moving the clamp meter around.

 

[Cow]

I usually meg circuits when trying to find a short, never used an amp clamp for that?

If it's hard to track down,(now I'm assuming here!) instead of one control fuse feeding a terminal block with wires going off every which way, can you fuse each individual wire leaving the terminal block? Narrow it done some?