# Clamp meter recommendation?



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Something from fluke isn’t a bad choice.


----------



## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

If you are primarily resi, the Fluke 324 should fit your needs.


----------



## Axtman (Apr 1, 2017)

I have been looking around at different Fluke models. Can they make the numbers any more confusing? ;-) 

I was interested in the basic Fluke 323. My only concern with that model is lack of back light. Are Klein clamp meters any good?


----------



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

I had an Ideal that worked well till it disappeared. I have the Fluke with the wireless display which is cool other than the batteries are always dead due to the fact that it’s never really off. The 376 might have been a better choice in hindsight.


----------



## Dan the electricman (Jan 2, 2011)

Axtman said:


> I was interested in the basic Fluke 323. My only concern with that model is lack of back light. Are Klein clamp meters any good?


I use the 323 daily. For me, it's great! I have no need for a backlight. I've never heard anything bad about Klein meters.

Good luck!


----------



## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

I'd be careful with Klein meters. 

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Digital-Clamp-Meters-Recalled-By-Klein-Tools/


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

Axtman said:


> I was interested in the basic Fluke 323. My only concern with that model is lack of back light. Are Klein clamp meters any good?


As far as meters go, Klein makes good pliers. 

http://www.electriciantalk.com/f14/klein-horrible-freight-same-140761/


----------



## Axtman (Apr 1, 2017)

Yikes! Maybe I'll stick with Fluke!


----------



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

If it's just for residential use that 12 dollar one in the sale bin at Harbor Freight Store is fine enough, and by the way , I have checked it against my Fluke and it is accurate.


----------



## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

Ive Had a an Amprobe RS1 for thirty years and never had to worry about the battery. 

I see they discontinued making them. You can still get one from EBay for $30.00. (That's not mine in the picture)


----------



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

cabletie said:


> Ive Had a an Amprobe RS1 for thirty years and never had to worry about the battery.
> 
> I see they discontinued making them. You can still get one from EBay for $30.00. (That's not mine in the picture)


I am surprised that these are not more popular. If I was starting from scratch on a budget I might get a T+ Pro and add a standalone clamp when I need it and funds permit. Most of the time I'd rather have two separate devices than the all in one. The analog needle seems old fashioned but once you work with it you'll appreciate it. 

Amprobe makes an RS-3 

http://www.amprobe.com/amprobe/usen/clamp-meters/analog-clamp-meters-/amp-rs-3-pro.htm?pid=73323 

I am not sure which I'd trust more, 
an old one which probably had higher initial quality, 
but who knows where it's been / what it's been through, 
or one of the new ones without the mileage. 

The new ones are more expensive than you'd think at $120 or so, I think made in Taiwan.


----------



## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

Axtman said:


> I am in the market for a clamp meter for residential wiring. What do you recommend?


Honestly if you just doing resi or small commercial my go to would be a Fluke T-600 and then if you think you have to do the mains maybe go buy a cheap clamp type for under $100.


----------



## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

sbrn33 said:


> Honestly if you just doing resi or small commercial my go to would be a Fluke T-600 and then if you think you have to do the mains maybe go buy a cheap clamp type for under $100.


Just to clarify for the OP, you mean a T5-600. That was a favorite of mine when doing commercial work, but I have moved away from it now that I do mainly resi.

I really think he would be better off with a Wiggy for a main tester and a Fluke 323 for $105 as an amp clamp and digital voltage meter.

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-323-True-RMS-Clamp-Meter/dp/B0779BTPMH


----------



## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I am good with that.


----------



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Didn’t look like much price difference between the two. Guessing the 323 is a better overall meter.


----------



## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

Back in the day I had a fluke that cost about $300.
Treated it like a baby. Kept it in the truck unless i needed it.
Till one day it fell off a 6' ladder.
Still got a real nice meter case.

Was working out of town and picked up a Klein.
Didn't really trust the readings, can't remember why.
But I hated it, and sold the 1st chance I got.

Have an Ideal. Not to bad. Lower price. Compact. Easy to use.
One problem was reading amp surges.
Forgot what the max amp rating was, but if I tried to get a startup amperage it would read OL. Try it on other A/C units that were functioning fine, same OL thing.
Nameplate LRA well in the meters range. Use a different meter and it was in the Ideals meters ranges at about the LRA.

What keeps the meters simple and low cost also cuts down on functions.
Even in resi some of these functions could be useful:
Capacitance. A/C start capacitors, fan motors, or other motors.
Frequency. Generators.
DC volts (low). Low voltage or LED lighting, batteries, power supplies, cameras, & work vehicle problems, maybe electric car chargers.
DC volts 1000v. Solar. 
DC amps. Solar, LED lighting, power supplies, cameras, battery systems like sump backups, work vehicles, maybe electric car chargers.

Did a lot of reading. Turns out many of the meter brands are just made by other companies. Klein, Ideal, Greenlee for sure. Amprobe owned now by the same Danaher Corp that owns Fluke. 

I like going against the grain. Got a Hioki (CM4300).
The specks and price was better than a comparable Fluke.
I wish it had more options on what to display at the same time.
Such as 2 selector knobs. 1 for each of the 2 reading lines.

The Hioki's a truck queen when certain needs arise.
For daily it would be a T+Pro. Maybe the Ideal for basic readings.

For test equipment, finding something that works in almost every situation doesn't really exist. It also can get to a price point where you are in the scope or power quality tester, data logging territory. For an employee that's too much to bring to the table IMO. 

Also be sure any tester you buy can hold up to the abuse of at least 3 stray cats, but withstanding 4 cats would be ideal.


----------



## mitch65 (Mar 26, 2015)

I have a new ideal one that I trust with 240V. The original failed so I emailed them and they sent me a new one. Lifetime warranty basically no questions asked.


----------



## Axtman (Apr 1, 2017)

I really like the compactness and robustness of the Fluke T5-600/1000 meters, but I take two exceptions with these meters. The first is the lack of back light. Even in a well lit area, sometimes a back light helps me see the reading. Secondly, and more importantly, is the lack of low impedance setting. I have been fooled before on high impedance meters where I could not figure out where the voltage was coming from. Of course, it turned out to be a "ghost" voltage and did not show up on a low impedance meter.


----------



## electricguy (Mar 22, 2007)

Signal1 said:


> I'd be careful with Klein meters.
> 
> https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2016/Digital-Clamp-Meters-Recalled-By-Klein-Tools/


Can add these to the recall also https://www.cpsc.gov/recalls/2017/extech-recalls-digital-clamp-meters

They sure look like greenlee to me


----------



## electricguy (Mar 22, 2007)

active1 said:


> Back in the day I had a fluke that cost about $300.
> Treated it like a baby. Kept it in the truck unless i needed it.
> Till one day it fell off a 6' ladder.
> Still got a real nice meter case.
> ...


I was trying to get my ideal clamp on onto a #4 conductor made the mistake of gently twisted the meter claws to get at the conductor , jaws don't close completely now


----------



## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

I guess we're all always on the quest for the perfect tool bag and meters. And like most things it's not how much you carry, but what you carry. There's always a trade off. 

I just bought the Fluke T+pro a while ago. I've barely used it but I'm just as happy with my Klein wiggie with continuity. 

If I buy an all in one tester it has to have an ohm scale that goes to at least 47k ohms. The Fluke T5 1000 and the Fluke 325 both don't do that. The one that I bought years ago does. It is the Greenlee CM400D. It is also called a pen style tester. The clamp jaw attachment plugs in on the end. It really only reads volts and ohms. It reads amps on the volt scale. It has a 100:1 ratio so when it reads .03V it's 3 amps. .3 is 30A. So there is one of the trade offs. It does have an ohm scale to 32 meg ohms though. I can get by with this one tester, but still always carry a solonoid tester. 

Why can't another company come up with a simple tester that will go to 100K ohms?


----------



## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

I'd stick with Fluke, why buy anything less?


----------



## Axtman (Apr 1, 2017)

"If it works....it's a Fluke!"

I learned today (from Fluke tech services) that the difference between Fluke 324 and 324 Plus clamp meters is that Fluke 324 Plus meter is only sold through Lowe's stores and can measure DC current and up to 40K ohms.


----------



## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

Axtman said:


> "If it works....it's a Fluke!"
> 
> I learned today (from Fluke tech services) that the difference between Fluke 324 and 324 Plus clamp meters is that Fluke 324 Plus meter is only sold through Lowe's stores and can measure DC current and up to 40K ohms.


Yes I checked the specs of the Fluke clamp meters and the T5's when I made the statement about falling short on the ohm scale. The 325 also only goes to 40K. Since some fire alarm resistors are 47K these meters would be useless. 

I'm sure they could easily make these testers go to 100K and over. I guess they just want to sell you another tester. 

Don't get me wrong, I like Fluke, I just don't think the're the end all.


----------



## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

cabletie said:


> Yes I checked the specs of the Fluke clamp meters and the T5's when I made the statement about falling short on the ohm scale. The 325 also only goes to 40K. Since some fire alarm resistors are 47K these meters would be useless.
> 
> I'm sure they could easily make these testers go to 100K and over. I guess they just want to sell you another tester.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I like Fluke, I just don't think the're the end all.


Don't lose sight of the fact he asked about a clamp meter for residential work.

When doing alarm work I always used a VOM not an amp clamp.


----------



## Axtman (Apr 1, 2017)

And so Fluke won't feel left out of the clamp meter recall game, type in "Fluke recall" in Google. Fluke's older and now discontinued 333, 334, 335, 336, 373, 374, 375, and 376 model clamp meters have also been recalled in the past.


----------



## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

electricguy said:


> Can add these to the recall also https://www.cpsc.gov/recalls/2017/extech-recalls-digital-clamp-meters
> 
> They sure look like greenlee to me


Not sure about greenlee, it says they're imported by FLIR systems.
CHINA

Good catch though.


----------



## active1 (Dec 29, 2009)

cabletie said:


> Yes I checked the specs of the Fluke clamp meters and the T5's when I made the statement about falling short on the ohm scale. The 325 also only goes to 40K. Since some fire alarm resistors are 47K these meters would be useless.
> 
> I'm sure they could easily make these testers go to 100K and over. I guess they just want to sell you another tester.
> 
> Don't get me wrong, I like Fluke, I just don't think the're the end all.


For fire alarm work you should have a ohm meter that reads mili ohms, such as 2000k. F/A you don't normally see a clamp on meter. Some meters are designed to be very sensitive for electronics which is better suited for F/A. Where others are better at not showing ghost voltages, better for line voltage. The problem with working on power and using a sensitive meter that picks up ghost voltages is you can't trust it. Maybe the first few times it throws the JW for a loop thinking there is power on a circuit when there is not. But then when the power should be shut off and when verifying they see voltage, then want to just dismiss it as a ghost voltage. Same problem with tic tracers. They all have a use and place. But there is no maybe with 277/480. I know resi. just want others to know.


----------



## Axtman (Apr 1, 2017)

Thanks for all the advice. I just ordered a new Fluke 324 Plus clamp meter. I'm sure that I will be very pleased and will find it very useful.


----------



## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Axtman said:


> Thanks for all the advice. I just ordered a new Fluke 324 Plus clamp meter. I'm sure that I will be very pleased and will find it very useful.


Best of luck with the new meter, you made a great choice and should be happy for years to come.


----------



## MotoGP1199 (Aug 11, 2014)

electricguy said:


> Can add these to the recall also https://www.cpsc.gov/recalls/2017/extech-recalls-digital-clamp-meters
> 
> They sure look like greenlee to me


Don't forget fluke in the recall list (older)

https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2009/Digital-Clamp-Meters-Recalled-by-Fluke-Due-to-Shock-Hazard

I think we should just recall China


----------

