Post by tactile on Nov 3, 2021 13:59:13 GMT 10
This might be a bit new for this forum but with more tech in our lives and the general tech awareness of your average Prepper on the increase. I figured this review will be relevant to some of you.
I discovered this device after searching for a new meter for my vehicle bag. My vehicle bag is a bit of a hybrid, not really a “go” or a “get home” but more of a “do as much as you can” (!) with a mixture of repair, first aid & survival.
The repair part of the bag is to enable me to diagnose and repair basic faults that I find when I travel and when I get asked by friends and family to check out something when visiting (often!). So that means basic hand tools, test & measurement and other diagnostic tools that might be needed on the road. For the test and measurement section I decided a meter that could do as much as possible was needed but it needed to be compact. I was initially not looking for a clamp to fill this requirement because they are usually a bit large, which is why this unit caught my eye.
Now you might be asking why go with a clamp meter? Conventional multimeters can be purchased cheaper (if cost is part of the selection process) and may be more accurate and have more features. I agree on these points but since clamp meters have trended down in price while also becoming more capable with less focus on their non-contact current measurement, I have found that their utility to be more useful in a generalist environment.
The beauty of a clamp meter is if you are measuring current you don’t have to modify any wiring to make a measurement. On a conventional meter you have to put the meter in series (via the leads) to the circuit for current measurement so you need to break the circuit some where. This can not only be dangerous (for mains measurements) but inconvenient and may effect the reliability and/or durability of the wiring system you are working on. These meters allow you to measure current without messing with the circuit.
A real-world example is probably useful here; My father bought a truck for use on his farm a few years ago. It was second hand but a pretty late model in good condition. A niggling problem with the vehicle showed up a few weeks after purchasing though. The engine wouldn’t crank sufficiently to start after a week or so of inactivity and I was asked to take a look to confirm if the battery was faulty or some other issue was at play.
A quick check with my clamp meter (not the one in review) over the positive battery terminal found a parasitic draw of about 150mA. Using the clamp to easily and quickly check around the fuse box I found the offending wire leading to an old phone hands-free system discarded in the roof console. It took me all of 10 minutes to track down and rip out the offending device and once again convincing my family that I’m a genius. Suckers!
I have always packed a clamp in my main tool case and found it extremely useful in my day to day activities. But in the days when I purchased it (’03-’04) there was no other functions other than contactless current measurement that it could perform in the price point. In fact I’m not sure if any clamp meter on the market could do anything else but measure AC & DC current. There was no leads to measure voltage, resistance, capacitance or any other function that was common on conventional meters at the time.
Times change. Not only can you buy high-end clamp meters that can do it all now (including contactless voltage measurement with the clamp), but you can get one like the UNI-T UT210D shown here that can do just about everything you need, with reasonable accuracy for under $70.
Check out the basic specs:
AC current - 200amps (max)
DC current - 200amps (max)
AC Volts - 600V
DC Volts - 600V
Resistance - 20MΩ
Frequency - 60Khz
Capacitance - 20mF
Temperature - -40 - 1000°C (comes with temp prob for =<230°C )
Display count - 2000
Jaw opening - 17mm
Safety rating - CAT II 600V/CAT lll 300V
Other features: True RMS measurements, NCV (Non Contact AC Voltage sensing), Continuity test, Diode test, Data hold, Auto power off, Backlight, Auto range.
As you can see, this little sucker packs a punch for the price point and in my opinion makes a great general purpose meter that can be useful in a Prepper environment.
The downsides I can see is the lowish max. current measurement. It’s unlikely an average user would want to measure over 200A AC but if you are measuring DC currents into inverters or cranking currents in larger vehicles, it doesn’t take much to get over the DC current limit. Just be aware that if you have a need to accurately measure low current levels then a clamp will not be for you. A conventional meter that can go down to micro amps (uA) will be better suited for your needs.
Another downside is the function select wheel - I wish it had a bit more abrasion to the contact surface, it can get a bit hard to move when there is a bit of moisture around - sweat or other liquids on your fingers. Pretty lame complaint for the price point of the meter though...
I upgraded the leads on mine to the “high quality” items from UNI-T that exit the meter at 180° rather than 90° of the originals. They are a bit longer and better materials but you defiantly don't need to do this, the originals are perfectly functional.
The elephant in the room for some is that it’s made in China. I get it and my professional, everyday gear in my main tool case are higher grade tools, even though the UNI-T has all the Euro/US safety approvals. If your job depends on it I’d go higher end and if your life depends on it I would too! But if you're on a budget and want this functionality then China it is.
If you don't require to use the meter all that often or safety is not an issue (low DC volts/current) or you just need a basic tool every so often to check stuff around your home, retreat or vehicle then this might be the meter you need.
I discovered this device after searching for a new meter for my vehicle bag. My vehicle bag is a bit of a hybrid, not really a “go” or a “get home” but more of a “do as much as you can” (!) with a mixture of repair, first aid & survival.
The repair part of the bag is to enable me to diagnose and repair basic faults that I find when I travel and when I get asked by friends and family to check out something when visiting (often!). So that means basic hand tools, test & measurement and other diagnostic tools that might be needed on the road. For the test and measurement section I decided a meter that could do as much as possible was needed but it needed to be compact. I was initially not looking for a clamp to fill this requirement because they are usually a bit large, which is why this unit caught my eye.
Now you might be asking why go with a clamp meter? Conventional multimeters can be purchased cheaper (if cost is part of the selection process) and may be more accurate and have more features. I agree on these points but since clamp meters have trended down in price while also becoming more capable with less focus on their non-contact current measurement, I have found that their utility to be more useful in a generalist environment.
The beauty of a clamp meter is if you are measuring current you don’t have to modify any wiring to make a measurement. On a conventional meter you have to put the meter in series (via the leads) to the circuit for current measurement so you need to break the circuit some where. This can not only be dangerous (for mains measurements) but inconvenient and may effect the reliability and/or durability of the wiring system you are working on. These meters allow you to measure current without messing with the circuit.
A real-world example is probably useful here; My father bought a truck for use on his farm a few years ago. It was second hand but a pretty late model in good condition. A niggling problem with the vehicle showed up a few weeks after purchasing though. The engine wouldn’t crank sufficiently to start after a week or so of inactivity and I was asked to take a look to confirm if the battery was faulty or some other issue was at play.
A quick check with my clamp meter (not the one in review) over the positive battery terminal found a parasitic draw of about 150mA. Using the clamp to easily and quickly check around the fuse box I found the offending wire leading to an old phone hands-free system discarded in the roof console. It took me all of 10 minutes to track down and rip out the offending device and once again convincing my family that I’m a genius. Suckers!
I have always packed a clamp in my main tool case and found it extremely useful in my day to day activities. But in the days when I purchased it (’03-’04) there was no other functions other than contactless current measurement that it could perform in the price point. In fact I’m not sure if any clamp meter on the market could do anything else but measure AC & DC current. There was no leads to measure voltage, resistance, capacitance or any other function that was common on conventional meters at the time.
Times change. Not only can you buy high-end clamp meters that can do it all now (including contactless voltage measurement with the clamp), but you can get one like the UNI-T UT210D shown here that can do just about everything you need, with reasonable accuracy for under $70.
Check out the basic specs:
AC current - 200amps (max)
DC current - 200amps (max)
AC Volts - 600V
DC Volts - 600V
Resistance - 20MΩ
Frequency - 60Khz
Capacitance - 20mF
Temperature - -40 - 1000°C (comes with temp prob for =<230°C )
Display count - 2000
Jaw opening - 17mm
Safety rating - CAT II 600V/CAT lll 300V
Other features: True RMS measurements, NCV (Non Contact AC Voltage sensing), Continuity test, Diode test, Data hold, Auto power off, Backlight, Auto range.
As you can see, this little sucker packs a punch for the price point and in my opinion makes a great general purpose meter that can be useful in a Prepper environment.
The downsides I can see is the lowish max. current measurement. It’s unlikely an average user would want to measure over 200A AC but if you are measuring DC currents into inverters or cranking currents in larger vehicles, it doesn’t take much to get over the DC current limit. Just be aware that if you have a need to accurately measure low current levels then a clamp will not be for you. A conventional meter that can go down to micro amps (uA) will be better suited for your needs.
Another downside is the function select wheel - I wish it had a bit more abrasion to the contact surface, it can get a bit hard to move when there is a bit of moisture around - sweat or other liquids on your fingers. Pretty lame complaint for the price point of the meter though...
I upgraded the leads on mine to the “high quality” items from UNI-T that exit the meter at 180° rather than 90° of the originals. They are a bit longer and better materials but you defiantly don't need to do this, the originals are perfectly functional.
The elephant in the room for some is that it’s made in China. I get it and my professional, everyday gear in my main tool case are higher grade tools, even though the UNI-T has all the Euro/US safety approvals. If your job depends on it I’d go higher end and if your life depends on it I would too! But if you're on a budget and want this functionality then China it is.
If you don't require to use the meter all that often or safety is not an issue (low DC volts/current) or you just need a basic tool every so often to check stuff around your home, retreat or vehicle then this might be the meter you need.
Available from Radio Parts in Melbourne or Ebay. Make sure it’s the D model if you want all the functions mentioned here.
This guys English is not too crash hot but it gives you an idea of the function of the device. There are a lot more reviews of the E model if you want to get more idea even though it has less functions.
