BMack37 Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 This thread is the long awaited clamp meter discussion thread. This is where you ask any questions, talk about your preferences. Maybe mini reviews that you don't think is worthy of a thread(don't be shy about posting your own thread!). Let's try to avoid DMM talk here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted August 3, 2017 Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 I am contemplating purchasing a Fluke Current Clamp (i400) to keep in my work van. I have honestly never used one before. I like the idea of the convenience of it, but I am not sure if they are worth it. Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted August 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2017 It's convenient but they're the cost of a stand alone clamp meter. Clamp meters are normally pretty skinny so they don't take a lot of room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kato Posted August 4, 2017 Report Share Posted August 4, 2017 Clamp meters are definitely worth having, but I'd go for one that does DC amps through the clamp, not just AC. You never know when you'll want DC amps and meters without that function are useless. I love the Klein CL800, use it every day multiple times a day. Always performs perfectly, and for me DC amps are something I deal with daily for our PIE batteries. On AC it's a killer too, best meter I use. Beats the snot out of our Fluke kit, sad to say for Fluke... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted August 4, 2017 Report Share Posted August 4, 2017 I have the Fluke 323 and the Greenlee CM-410 (nice and small) that are my daily clamps. I wouldn't mind not having to carry a whole other meter though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted August 4, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2017 3 hours ago, Kato said: Clamp meters are definitely worth having, but I'd go for one that does DC amps through the clamp, not just AC. You never know when you'll want DC amps and meters without that function are useless. I love the Klein CL800, use it every day multiple times a day. Always performs perfectly, and for me DC amps are something I deal with daily for our PIE batteries. On AC it's a killer too, best meter I use. Beats the snot out of our Fluke kit, sad to say for Fluke... I don't disagree in regards to clamp meters. I can't really see a reason to get a Fluke over the Klein, the Klein does everything about the same as Fluke but has more features for less money. Input protection is great on the Klein as well. Biggest knock is the K-type adapter and probe is cheaply made. The leads could be better but for the money you save, you can spend the $20-$30 to get some decent leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidersFan Posted October 4, 2017 Report Share Posted October 4, 2017 I just recently lost my GreenleeCM-600 (still hoping I find it, great meter)and was thinking about getting a Milwaukee with white on black display. Anyone ever use a Milwaukee meter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted October 5, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 3 hours ago, RidersFan said: I just recently lost my GreenleeCM-600 (still hoping I find it, great meter)and was thinking about getting a Milwaukee with white on black display. Anyone ever use a Milwaukee meter? I have a Milwaukee DMM and it works well. I imagine the clamp meter is decent...it's probably made by Uni-T or CEM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted October 5, 2017 Report Share Posted October 5, 2017 I am pretty sure the Klein and Milwaukee meters are Mastech.http://www.p-mastech.com/products.php?cate=123Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 13 hours ago, HiltiWpg said: I am pretty sure the Klein and Milwaukee meters are Mastech.http://www.p-mastech.com/products.php?cate=123 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Some of the low end Klein clamp meters have the leads from the face instead of from the bottom, but all of the Milwaukee and Klein higher end clamp meters have leads attached to the bottom...none of Mastech's meters are like that. Also none of Mastech's DMMs are designed like Milwaukee's. Milwaukee has the one-handed knob, moving that is not easy, that would need an entire board rework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiltiWpg Posted October 6, 2017 Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 Some of the low end Klein clamp meters have the leads from the face instead of from the bottom, but all of the Milwaukee and Klein higher end clamp meters have leads attached to the bottom...none of Mastech's meters are like that. Also none of Mastech's DMMs are designed like Milwaukee's. Milwaukee has the one-handed knob, moving that is not easy, that would need an entire board rework.Mastech is an ODM, they don’t just rebrand/recolor like CEM etc. You can specify whatever you like and they make it. The LCD is almost identical to the Klein.I was actually talking about Mastech making the DMM more so than the clamp. But even the clamp has some similarities.I remember reading that Milwaukee might even be making their own. Not sure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMack37 Posted October 6, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2017 39 minutes ago, HiltiWpg said: Mastech is an ODM, they don’t just rebrand/recolor like CEM etc. You can specify whatever you like and they make it. The LCD is identical to the Klein and some Milwaukee’s though. I was actually talking about Mastech making the DMM more so than the clamp. But even the clamp has some specific similarities. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I don't think they'd make a wildly different meter for Milwaukee. Klein is possible though I know for a fact some of Kleins meters are made by Uni-T. The Klein clamp meters do look aesthetically like the Mastechs, but the CL110, CL210 and CL310 are definitely made by Uni-T and I'd doubt they'd have two different vendors. Screens are likely off-the-shelf Chinese screens as are the cookie cutter chips. There are not too many custom made meters, it's not worth it to companies to not rebrand when they can take guts and slap them in a custom case or do a custom color. Southwire, Greenlee are rebrands too. Here's a link to the Canada Klein recall that lists the OEM for the Klein clamp meters: http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/recall-alert-rappel-avis/hc-sc/2016/58398r-eng.php I'm not positive who makes Milwaukee's meters, I need to see the inside of the suspected manufacturer's meters to compare. It's a decent meter, I can do some research on it if we're really curious. I don't have the clamp meter but it's likely they're the same make and I'm just not convinced they're Mastech, Uni-T or CEM. The last two are commonly rebranded, like a LOT, so it's a decent guess. I'd have to do some research on Mastech too. Here's a pic to show how much that knob changes the layout of the board, there's no way (In my opinion) that they ordered something special to be built for some semantical like knob placement when they could have found an OEM building it like that already. It would have been wasted money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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