P38A Electrickery drain,where am I going wrong?

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Does that meter go to Zero when disconnected ? The AC Current mode must use a really crappy rectifier circuit to show 0.87A AC current with everything off ?

Better to use a DC current clamp like this one.
 
Saint.V8 said:
That one doesn't do DC current - and I could be wrong, I am not sure any clamp meter does DC current at all...
Click to expand...
Not all clamp meters do dc but there are plenty that do.
However, for the sorts of currents you want to measure, an inline ammeter is better as long as you don't inadvertently switch something on that will overload it.
Clamp meters with dc tend to be more expensive generally
 
Wazzajnr said:
Not all clamp meters do dc but there are plenty that do.
However, for the sorts of currents you want to measure, an inline ammeter is better as long as you don't inadvertently switch something on that will overload it.
Clamp meters with dc tend to be more expensive generally
Click to expand...
Thats probably why I have not seen one....I am cheap :D
 
I have an AC & DC clamp meter with a range that will measure up to 450Amps; not so good in his application as they are not sensitive enough to read down to the milliamp range you are looking for.
Better to use the DC 10A meters and make sure you don't blow its fuse by overloading it.
 
DanClarke said:
I have an AC & DC clamp meter with a range that will measure up to 450Amps; not so good in his application as they are not sensitive enough to read down to the milliamp range you are looking for.
Better to use the DC 10A meters and make sure you don't blow its fuse by overloading it.
Click to expand...
Thanks Dan, we've lost some posts on this thread due to gremlins I believe. I borrowed this meter from my neighbour and connected it between the earth clamp and the -ve post. Do I have it set to the correct range? Ta.
 

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In the photo you posted before you had the red lead plugged into the left-hand socket (marked 20A?). So you should set the dial to point to 20A too (not 200mA where it is in the photo). This will give you a reading in Amps.

Pete
 
tomcat59alan said:
Thanks Dan, we've lost some posts on this thread due to gremlins I believe. I borrowed this meter from my neighbour and connected it between the earth clamp and the -ve post. Do I have it set to the correct range? Ta.
Click to expand...
Your pic only shows the top part of the meter, could you pop another picture up with the whole thing showing and the reading on he display?
The reason I ask is that many Multi-meters have a dual-range for DC-AMPS (fused and unfused) and it depends what sockets you have the lead plugged into. Mine is slightly different to the one you have there.
In the 2 pictures below the first picture shows the meter set to 200m and the display shows (mA) "milliAmps" as its range so the meter will measure up to 200mA before showing an overload.
On my meter using the socket marked mA (in the red-plastic casing) the meter is only good for up to 200mA and any higher current will blow the internal fuse.

20180324_103459.jpg



In the Second picture I have the dial on a different setting and the display now shows that we will be measuring in Amps (A) and not milliAmps (mA). As I would be measuring anything up to 20A with this setting the red lead MUST be placed in the socket marked "20A MAX" in the grey plastic moulding of the case. This is what I would use for doing what you are doing. 0.01 would be 100millamps. If the scale isn't low enough for the levels of current I was looking for then turning the dial to where it says 200m and this will drop the range down to a maximum of 200milliamps.

Hope this helps. Pop a pic of your meter showing the lead holes and the dial and face and perhaps we can work out what your needs to be.


20180324_103459.jpg
 
DanClarke said:
Your pic only shows the top part of the meter, could you pop another picture up with the whole thing showing and the reading on he display?
The reason I ask is that many Multi-meters have a dual-range for DC-AMPS (fused and unfused) and it depends what sockets you have the lead plugged into. Mine is slightly different to the one you have there.
In the 2 pictures below the first picture shows the meter set to 200m and the display shows (mA) "milliAmps" as its range so the meter will measure up to 200mA before showing an overload.
On my meter using the socket marked mA (in the red-plastic casing) the meter is only good for up to 200mA and any higher current will blow the internal fuse.

20180324_103459.jpg



In the Second picture I have the dial on a different setting and the display now shows that we will be measuring in Amps (A) and not milliAmps (mA). As I would be measuring anything up to 20A with this setting the red lead MUST be placed in the socket marked "20A MAX" in the grey plastic moulding of the case. This is what I would use for doing what you are doing. 0.01 would be 100millamps. If the scale isn't low enough for the levels of current I was looking for then turning the dial to where it says 200m and this will drop the range down to a maximum of 200milliamps.

Hope this helps. Pop a pic of your meter showing the lead holes and the dial and face and perhaps we can work out what your needs to be.


Thanks
20180324_103459.jpg
Click to expand...
Thanks again
 

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tomcat59alan said:
Thanks again
Click to expand...
OK, I would put your Black lead in the socket marked COM and your red lead in the yellow coloured one marked "A" (That's a 20Amp unfused connection!!!!) so it can measure up to 20A of current with no fuse to blow.
However, they are actually using a "shunt" inside the meter that can get VERY hot with high currents so they recommend 20A for only 10 seconds in every 15 mins (to allow it to cool down again).
Now, you are only expecting 2amps max while the BeCM is awake and nothing else is on and then just 0.1 or so of an amp when it is asleep so it should be OK, but if the leads feel warm to the touch, disconnect.

I attach a guide to all this (found it on my PC).
Best of luck!
 

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DanClarke said:
OK, I would put your Black lead in the socket marked COM and your red lead in the yellow coloured one marked "A" (That's a 20Amp unfused connection!!!!) so it can measure up to 20A of current with no fuse to blow.
However, they are actually using a "shunt" inside the meter that can get VERY hot with high currents so they recommend 20A for only 10 seconds in every 15 mins (to allow it to cool down again).
Now, you are only expecting 2amps max while the BeCM is awake and nothing else is on and then just 0.1 or so of an amp when it is asleep so it should be OK, but if the leads feel warm to the touch, disconnect.

I attach a guide to all this (found it on my PC).
Best of luck!
Click to expand...
Thanks Dan, if it gets hot I have a gallon of unleaded to hand.;);)
 
Saint.V8 said:
That one doesn't do DC current - and I could be wrong, I am not sure any clamp meter does DC current at all...
Click to expand...

Opps, posted wrong link. This is the clamp meter I have, and DC Current definitely works. Amazon product
On 2A range the sensitivity is definitely good enough to check that everything goes to sleep properly, plus it can do all the full running currents without disconnecting any cables.
 
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