Is there a significant difference in accuracy between a clamp meter and a multimeter?
When measuring with an ammeter, the circuit must be disconnected, and then the ammeter should be connected in series in the circuit, which is very troublesome. Moreover, the range of the ammeter is limited, and it cannot measure large currents. Generally, the range is 5A.
In practical work, a current transformer is generally used to expand the range of the ammeter. A clamp meter is actually composed of a 穿心式 (through-type) current transformer and an ammeter. Therefore, it can not only measure the alternating current without cutting off the power, but also easily measure large currents.
The clamp meter nowadays is far different from those decades ago. It adopts the Hall induction principle and can measure not only the current in an AC circuit and direct current. When the test leads are inserted, it can be transformed into a digital multimeter and can measure parameters such as voltage, resistance, capacitance, and frequency. As for the accuracy, it is the same as that of a digital multimeter, with no significant difference.
The differences between them:
If we have to say which one, the clamp meter or the multimeter, is more useful, there are indeed some differences in the usage experience.
1. The clamp meter can measure the current without cutting off the power, which the multimeter cannot do. If you need to measure the AC and DC currents frequently, it is recommended to buy a clamp meter; if you don't need to measure the current frequently, it is advisable to buy a multimeter.
2. In order to measure the current without cutting off the power, the clamp meter must have a clamping jaw, so it is relatively slender in shape. Since there is no stand on the back of the clamp meter, personally, it is more suitable for holding it in the hand for measurement; the multimeter has a stand on the back and is more suitable for being placed on the table for measurement. Therefore, if you often do maintenance work beside the table, it is more convenient to buy a multimeter, otherwise, it will be 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 an additional current transformer, so it is relatively more expensive.
