Is it better to use a multimeter with clamps or without one?
This depends on the focus of the work. For example, a special clamp meter is suitable for electrical maintenance of power lines, and a multimeter is suitable for those engaged in electrical maintenance or weak current.
The special clamp meter detects line current with high accuracy. Although it has a single function, it is sufficient for line current detection. Simply put, a current clamp meter is composed of a current transformer and an ammeter. To switch gears during the measurement process, you must be separated from the conductor under test to switch gears. Because when changing gears, the secondary side of the current transformer will be instantly open-circuited. If the measured current is large, an instantaneous high voltage will be generated on the secondary side of the current transformer, and the current clamp meter is likely to burn out.
The current clamp meter was originally used to detect AC current and measure the current size of the running line. It can be seen that current detection can be carried out without power interruption, and it is specially designed to detect large AC currents. Today's flow clamp meters no longer have a single function, and the flow clamp meters also have the functions that multimeters have.
Therefore, each has its own advantages. If you want to detect the current of a running circuit, the current clamp meter is definitely useful. Do not disconnect the line and directly detect the current. When using a multimeter, you have to disconnect the circuit to make measurements. If the equipment cannot be powered off at will during the continuous production process, the multimeter will not be useful.
Today's clamp meters are no longer the clamp meters of decades ago. They use the Hall induction principle, which can not only measure AC circuits and DC currents; plug in the test leads and transform into a digital multimeter, and can also measure voltage, resistance, and capacitance. , frequency and other parameters. As for the accuracy, it is the same as a digital multimeter, there is no difference.
they are different
If you have to say which one is better between a clamp meter and a multimeter, the experience during use is still somewhat different.
1. A clamp meter can continuously measure current, which a multimeter cannot. If you need to frequently measure AC and DC current, it is recommended to buy a clamp meter; if you do not need to frequently measure current, buy a multimeter.
2. In order to continuously measure current, the clamp meter must have a jaw, so its body shape is relatively slender. Because there is no stand on the back of the clamp meter, I personally feel that the clamp meter is more likely to be held in the hand for measurement; the multimeter has a stand on the back, so it is more likely to be placed on the table for measurement. So if you often sit at the table for maintenance, it is more convenient to buy a multimeter, otherwise it will be very uncomfortable to stretch your neck to look at the screen of the clamp meter.
3. In terms of price, the clamp meter not only has most of the functions of a multimeter, but also has a current transformer, so the price is relatively more expensive.
