Choosing a modern multi-meter

[d2reid]

I am behind the times. The mobile tech that repaired my furnace had a neat meter that had a little hook he could lay over the wire and it told him volts and amps and other mysterious stuff. A ranger I was working with had a meter with some clamps on it, he just laid it over the wires and it told him stuff.

About 10 years ago I bought a new fangled "digital" multimeter. It still uses probes that have to touch the wires to get a reading. Or I could poke them into the sheath of the wire to make contact. But it only tells me V's.

So I am looking to get with the times and purchase a new meter that's easier to use and tells me more stuff, like amperage. It appears that there is "no touch" technology, so I don't have to play with bare wires anymore. Now I know there are some pretty smart folks who know about electricity that follow this forum. So what I am looking for is suggestions on new meters that would be an effective tool for an RV'er who is kind of handy but not a professional.

My first pass on searching came up with "Fluke 365 Detachable Jaw True-rms AC/DC Clamp Meter". I haven't downloaded the manual yet to read the fine print, but thought I could reduce my labor by asking advice from folks smarter than me.

[trkester]

I am behind the times. The mobile tech that repaired my furnace had a neat meter that had a little hook he could lay over the wire and it told him volts and amps and other mysterious stuff. A ranger I was working with had a meter with some clamps on it, he just laid it over the wires and it told him stuff.

About 10 years ago I bought a new fangled "digital" multimeter. It still uses probes that have to touch the wires to get a reading. Or I could poke them into the sheath of the wire to make contact. But it only tells me V's.

So I am looking to get with the times and purchase a new meter that's easier to use and tells me more stuff, like amperage. It appears that there is "no touch" technology, so I don't have to play with bare wires anymore. Now I know there are some pretty smart folks who know about electricity that follow this forum. So what I am looking for is suggestions on new meters that would be an effective tool for an RV'er who is kind of handy but not a professional.

My first pass on searching came up with "Fluke 365 Detachable Jaw True-rms AC/DC Clamp Meter". I haven't downloaded the manual yet to read the fine print, but thought I could reduce my labor by asking advice from folks smarter than me.

Here's a kit I got from Klein tools. Multi meter, clamp for amperage measure, quick circuit test and the nice accessory is the line splitter. Allows you to measure a device without splitting the line. Ex: plug your ice maker into the splitter and then into the outlet. Then you can measure the draw by putting the meter clamp thru the splitter "donut".

https://www.amazon.com/Klein-Tools-C.../dp/B08DSX4B27

[Jkwilson]

A DC-capable current clamp meter is handy, but bare wire contact is needed for voltage measurement.

[Cate&Rob]

d2reid

Most of the less expensive clamp meters can only read AC amps with the clamp function. Jkwilson John is correct (as far as I know) that the clamp function only works for current (amps). The probes must be used for voltage or resistance measurements. A meter that can measure DC amps (as well as AC) with the clamp is definitely worth having, but these can get expensive. Blue Seas makes one of the more affordable ones. I have had this meter for several years with no problems. https://www.bluesea.com/support/arti..._with_True_RMS

Rob

[Jlawles2]

d2reid A while back I saw a set of "hooks" that went around the wire and had a small probe that pierced the insulation to get you a voltage measurement.

This is one type https://www.fluke.com/en-us/product/...est-leads/ac89
Another https://www.fluke.com/en-us/product/...est-leads/tp82
and a less expensive set https://www.amazon.com/Goupchn-Multi...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

[Guest]

d2reid

Most of the less expensive clamp meters can only read AC amps with the clamp function. Jkwilson John is correct (as far as I know) that the clamp function only works for current (amps). The probes must be used for voltage or resistance measurements. A meter that can measure DC amps (as well as AC) with the clamp is definitely worth having, but these can get expensive. Blue Seas makes one of the more affordable ones. I have had this meter for several years with no problems. https://www.bluesea.com/support/arti..._with_True_RMS

Rob

Rob,

I have this one which works reasonably well. Not a big HF fan but felt I did not need a lab grade meter for the Imagine. Measures AC and DC current.

https://www.harborfreight.com/cm610a...ter-64015.html

Jim

[Jlawles2]

I'm currently contemplating this meter. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ref_=pd_gw_unk does AC and DC current along with non contact AC detection. The non contact detection is "novelty" but I have used it for locating some wiring that was still energized in the past before cutting through. Old houses and wiring are worse than RV's and wiring.

[Petrovsky]

I have a few meters for the house but this is what I purchased for my RV two years ago

Klein Tools Clamp Meter and Electrical Test Kit | The Home Depot Canada

I also have a battery powered AC live wire detector.

I don't think you need more than this. Add a couple of jumpers (fused for live wire), alligator clips for your test leads, spare wire (AC/DC), connectors and crimper, wire nuts, spare fuses (AC/DC), wire stripper, and you are good to go. Probably left something out. Oh yes, I have a small pencil soldering iron and solder and yes....I have used it before.

See Cate & Rob's plumbing and tools kit post. Helped beef mine up for next RV. Especially the plumbing side.

[Petrovsky]

Looking at some of the specs of the posted suggestions I ask the experts on this post. Is a true RMS multimeter required? I would think that most of the AC we would try to produce would be sinusoidal rather than square wave where a true rms meter would accurately measure the voltage.

[Jlawles2]

I have a few meters for the house but this is what I purchased for my RV two years ago

Klein Tools Clamp Meter and Electrical Test Kit | The Home Depot Canada

I also have a battery powered AC live wire detector.

I don't think you need more than this. Add a couple of jumpers (fused for live wire), alligator clips for your test leads, spare wire (AC/DC), connectors and crimper, wire nuts, spare fuses (AC/DC), wire stripper, and you are good to go. Probably left something out. Oh yes, I have a small pencil soldering iron and solder and yes....I have used it before.

See Cate & Rob's plumbing and tools kit post. Helped beef mine up for next RV. Especially the plumbing side.

Because I am not running all of the solar stuff with amp draw monitoring, I prefer the DC amp measuring capability. Also this is to replace my current dead AC Clamp meter so that I can use it on automotive stuff.

[Petrovsky]

Well I have spent a bit of time looking at the meter specs since my last post and reading DC amps and having true RMS capability are requirements in a meter if you will be using inverter, solar....etcetera. I recall a few years back measuring the AC voltage on a portable 12 volt inverter and getting something like 80 volts. I get it now and recognize that an upgrade is in the stars. Thanks.

[Jlawles2]

d2reid Don't laugh, but I think the analogue meters are faster and possibly more reliable (most measure voltage with no battery). Used one similar to this https://simpsonelectric.com/products.../260-8-260-8p/ that my BIL found on a roof top for years. The roll top box it was in https://simpson260.com/accessories/c...pson_00248.htm was missing the roller, but everything still worked. They are quite expensive still today. We used that thing for everything.

The other analogue meter we used a lot was the https://www.triplett.com/collections...log-multimeter again simple meter, fast response, and easy to use even if the battery was dead (many many times battery was dead).

Never under estimate the power of an old meter if in the right hands.

[d2reid]

[USER="2234"]Never under estimate the power of an old meter if in the right hands.

Not laughing, but I am rephrasing to fit my category... "the power of the right meter in old hands."

Wow, information overload, it will take me some to process it all. I was pretty excited about the Klein CL120, then read it only reads up to 15amp, I have a 50 amp RV.

The Klein CL390 is looking good, but I can't find where it reads AMPs. Right now I have 5 different models in my Amazon cart, DW saw that and got pretty excited, not in a good way. More reading is required.

[Jlawles2]

d2reid Clein CL120 only does AC amps not DC and up to 400 (https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/e...rical-test-kit) look at the picture. The low amps are on the leads.
The CL390 does 400 amps AC or DC. https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/c...anging-400-amp https://www.kleintools.com/catalog/c...Specifications

The CL800 does 600Amp AC or DC. Plus LoZ and uses 2 batteries vs the 3 on the CL390. Again through the clamp. Does not do low amperage like the CL390 (never have good luck with probe amp draw anyway).

[Country Campers]

d2reid

Just adding in another IDEAL 400-Amp TightSight Clamp Meter Digital 600-Volt Truerms Ac/Dc Clamp Meter Clamp Meter (Battery Included) in the Test Meters department at Lowes.com. I recently purchased this because I di not have any type of clamp meter. This will do 400 amps both ac and dc from the description. I hope that I have purchased a good one. I can not believe that there are a multitude of makers out there so I think they are "basically" all the same.

Brian