Electrical activities are necessarily carried out as part of construction work and major repairs. In addition, their methods are used in some industries and in testing materials. An obligatory component of the arsenal of any electrician is electrical meters that allow you to determine the performance characteristics of a particular line.
General information on electrical engineering
Most devices of this class focus on determining three main parameters - current strength, voltage and resistance. At the same time, there are devices that allow you to immediately determine three characteristics, and there is specialized equipment designed to identify specific indicators. But all devices differ in one important working condition - they do not tear and do not deform the existing line. In particular, measuring clamps are capable of capturing high currents without breaking the circuit. True, compact models of this type have significant drawbacks. Firstly, they, as a rule, are not very accurate. It is enough to say that the quality of determining a parameter depends on the position of the working parts of the device. Secondly, to obtain more or less objective data, a certain preparation of the user himself is also required.
In what cases are measuring tongs used?
Ticks have a rather specific area of application. The fact is that professional measuring equipment is quite suitable for working indoors and on a construction site, where there are all conditions for comfortable work. In turn, ticks are more likely to work in difficult places, including high-voltage lines. It would seem that work in critical areas may not be available to the simplest tools of this type. But especially to maintain sufficient working properties, for example, measuring clamps of a direct current are supplemented with auxiliary equipment. So, if a measurement is made on the same high-voltage line, it will not be out of place to use the multimeter function in addition. Preference should be given to digital models - they will make the function of ticks more accurate and more convenient for subsequent processing and registration.
Types of measuring pincers
There are three principles for separating measuring ticks by type. The basic classification provides for the segmentation of instruments according to the type of measured value. In particular, electrical meters can be represented by power meters, ohmmeters, phase meters, etc. Of course, there are also universal models designed to process several values at once, but the accuracy of such measurements is usually inferior to specialized devices.
The second separation principle relates to structural design. According to this criterion, the models are divided into digital case and unpacked. No less important is the method of data transfer - this is the third method of classification. For example, most devices implement data transmission via analog channels. But more and more wireless devices are appearing. These include Fluke clamp meters in the CNX 3000 version. This unit can be connected to a multimeter or laptop using special adapters.
Tool specifications
The main parameters that determine the functionality of the measuring equipment are based on the maximum values of the determined values. For example, the maximum voltage for standard models is usually 600 V. For resistance, a similar parameter will have a range of 20-40 Ohms. In addition, it is important to take into account the error coefficient. Usually professional devices of this class have a minimum deviation value of about 1%. Household measuring tongs measure with an average error of about 2%. Also, when choosing a measuring electrical device, it is worth paying attention to other ergonomic parameters. If we are talking about a digital device, then, for example, it will not be amiss to evaluate the performance of the interface, display resolution, as well as communication capabilities.
Manufacturers
Functional and technological models of ticks are represented on the market by the Elitech brands, the aforementioned company Fluke, Sturm, etc. These are modern devices that allow you to establish a tight communication link with computers and multimeters. The developers think through the design versions of the models in terms of minimizing interference, and take care of the overall ergonomics of the devices. More traditional models are produced by domestic companies, including Zubr and Resanta. As a rule, these are Dietze pincers with a classic design that perform basic measurements of resistance, current and voltage. At the same time, it cannot be said that Russian devices significantly lose foreign products in manufacturability. Budget versions really look just against the background of premium Elitech or Fluke equipment, but in some families of the same Zubr brand there is a technique with modern solutions for the functionality and structural implementation of the case.
Price issue
Again, differences in price are especially pronounced when comparing Russian and foreign products. In the line of budget decisions of domestic companies, you can find models for 1-2 thousand rubles. Higher-quality equipment that can be used in solving professional problems is estimated at 3-4 thousand rubles. By the way, in the same range are budget foreign measuring pincers. The price of professional instruments from Fluke or Sturm can reach 6-7 thousand. This is the level of the same wireless technology, which is distinguished by high accuracy of measurements and durability.
Conclusion
In the choice of measuring equipment, it is important to evaluate the requirements for the planned operations. The operation formats of such tools are very different, therefore, the selection parameters can differ markedly. So, for annual work on the household line as part of private services, you can purchase measuring clamps with a standard design, analog data provision and up to 2 thousand. For a craftsman, who often encounters such measurement tasks due to his work need, it is worth providing a more serious apparatus . This may be a model with a price tag of about 4 thousand, which will provide the user with the ability to pair with auxiliary equipment. This option is optimal in terms of measurement accuracy, and in operational qualities, and in terms of ergonomics of handling the device.