Just found this, part of the 2-day sale which has technically ended but can still buy online and pickup. If you download the manual it says UNI-T UT203. Cheapest OZ stock on ebay is ~$46
Don't know if it's the best but I think UNI-T is a half decent brand? Will safely measure current draw for Automotive which is all I want it for.
Top reply and info given.
Of course clamp meters have a couple of advantages over multimeters :
1. Will not blow a fuse like multimeters ( typically only 10Amp fuse)
2. Can measure much higher currents specially for automotive , multimeter typically 2 or 10 amp
3. Easy connection with multimeter have to break the circuit to make current measurements .
True, clamp meters do have those advantages, but there are ways to get the same advantages with a conventional multimeter, if you also have a power supply.
We all expect wires to have zero or negligible resistance. But they do have resistance, and you can use that to measure the current flowing through them, using the millivolt (not milliamp) range of the multimeter.
If there is current in a wire, you will be able to measure a voltage across the wire, from one end to the other. Using Ohm's law, you can calculate the current if you know the resistance. The problem is, you probably don't know the resistance. But you can measure it, if you have a power supply that can output a constant current.
First, measure the voltage across the wire with your multimeter. Now connect your power supply, set to one Amp, across the same wire, so that it is supplying one amp into the wire. Use your multimeter again to measure the voltage just like you did before, but make sure the multimeter leads are touching the wire only, don't touch the leads or clips from the power supply.
Now calculate the difference between the two readings, that is how many millivolts you get from one Amp flowing in that wire. You can now calculate the resistance of that length of wire, and use your original measurement (from before you attached the power supply) to calculate what the current was.
This method can give much more accurate readings than a clamp meter. Also, the one-amp setting on the power supply doesn't have to be exact, if you can measure the current accurately. Your "power supply" can be as simple as a single D-cell battery and a precise one-ohm resistor, measure the voltage across the one-ohm resistor and you can work out the current by Ohm's law again.
Note that this technique doesn't work well with short wires, longer wires usually have a higher voltage drop across them, so you get a more accurate answer.
Sweet, thanks for the input, I'm sure the resolution is fine for my use. I have two normal (cheap) meters which I can measure current with but these look easier plus the hook will be handy!
Have one as y portable meter and it does a great job. Not a Fluke, but close enough for my home use.
Thank you OP. I have many multimeters and always want to try one of these. Worth jumping onboard at this price especially from UNI-T which I believe the quality is good.
I have Uni-T equipment for work. Quality is good, value is good and consistently passes calibration every 6 months so can complain.
Gotta love the features tab on the SCA website….
Features:
Digital
Damn, I was looking vacuum tubes.
Used right they can handle digital functions too.
Also the UNI-T 139C is available for $44.79, this is a great value DMM!
Key features: 6000 counts, auto range, true RMS, mV, mA, manual range, data hold, max/min, LED backlight, temperature, NCV, 10A max, CAT III 600V rating, 180x87x47 dimensions
Uni-T is great for the price. More than sufficient for most enthusiast.
I was looking at this but its still to expensive seeing as you can get the UT210E for only a few dollars more. The UT210E is a much better meter than this model offer heaps more features and better resolution.
Could you please post a link to UT210E for few dollars more?
I can see it for $55 AUD on Banggood.
I can see it for $50 from local seller on eBay.
Yea no worries you can get that Banggood price lower try the coupon 4BLF (may work or may not)They also have a general code for meters and electronics i got the meter down to $44 AUD i can't find the code now.
This seller has the meter cheap you can also wait for the next 10% of deal.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/UNI-T-UT210E-Digital-Clamp-Meter…
Thank you.
That multimeter takes AAA batteries, very unusual. Do you know how if it works with rechargeable batteries like eneloops? Does it tolerate the lower voltage?
Thanks aussieprepper - I grabbed the one you linked to. I used the "PERK5" ebay coupon and got it for AU $44.39.
can you explain what makes it better? Can fix most things but I always sucked at electrical, could always buy that one and return this to Supercheap after I pick it up
The main difference that makes the UT210E better is the better resolution in the DC amps range. If you need to read lower amps the UT210E is a much more sensitive meter and will be more accurate. Overall the UT210E is more accurate.
Most people won't need to read in the higher amps range to often. On the other side the UT203 has better count range so its a 4000 count meter vs the 2000 count on the UT210E and has a HZ function which i don't think the UT210E has. The UT210E is true RMS if you are measuring AC.
The only other feature is the UT210E has N.C.V Near contact voltage.
I have an original UT139C but mine broke it was a great meter for the money it offered many features only found on meters much expensive. Its fairly robust but mine gave in for some reason it could have the rotary switch the contacts are fairly worn. Few people on the net have had the same issue as my UT139C had it just went crazy. Mine was heavily used most of the time and i once put 20+amps thru the meter so that may have caused the problem for all i know but it functioned fine for years after i done that.
Its one of the only Uni-trend multi-meters with proper input protection.
It looks like a reasonable clamp meter, if that's what you are after.
For most people, clamp meters are less useful than a "standard" multimeter, because you can only measure current through the clamp, not with the probes. On this meter, the lowest range is 40A, so the resolution is 10mA. But also know that clamp meters are inaccurate for small DC currents, expect it to vary by +/-100mA just by moving it (it picks up the magnetic field caused by the current, but the Earth's magnetic field gets picked up too). There is a zero button on the meter to try to nullify the effects of external magnetic fields, but in my opinion it is still difficult to use. If you only need a coarse measurement, like a resolution of 1 Amp, they are good.
If you don't need current measurements, think of it as a meter with a built-in hook, which is actually quite useful.
This clamp meter does DC current as well as AC current, many clamp meters only do AC current.