The main differences between a multimeter and a clamp meter in measuring current are as follows.
1. Clamp meters enable non-contact measurement of current. The multimeter needs to clip the test wire on the wire in the circuit under test, while the clamp meter does not need to contact the wire directly, which largely improves the safety and convenience of use.
2. Clamp meter is more accurate. Because its measuring principle is more sensitive than the multimeter, the clamp meter can detect very weak current in the circuit. In addition, its measurement error is much smaller than that of a multimeter, which can reach the level of a few per cent. This is very important for high-precision current measurement of motors, transformers and so on.
3. Clamp meters are only suitable for AC circuits. Since the working principle of clamp meter is based on electromagnetic induction, it can only measure the current in AC circuit. A multimeter can measure current in both DC and AC circuits.
4. The price of clamp meter is relatively high. Due to its technical principle and high production cost, the price of clamp meter is also much more expensive than other tools.
Overall, the clamp meter has its unique advantages in measuring current, especially for high precision measurements in AC circuits. Multimeters, on the other hand, are more versatile and are capable of measuring a wide range of parameters in a circuit, including voltage, current, resistance and capacitance, among others. Of course, the choice between the two depends on the user's specific testing needs and budgetary constraints.
