any way to measure amperage being pulled?

[GearGuy2001 10+ year member]

Alright i found some at Harbor Freight for 19.99 with a peak hold function however its backordered and wont arrive for 28 days!!
They do have one similar to it for 11.99 and it doesnt say if it has peak hold function.. Do i really need the peak hold function?

What does it do and if it only holds the peak amps i dont think its a big deal since i can look at the readouts and see when it hits a high number.

If your playing music the meter display might not keep up with the rapid changes and I believe that is why JimJ is saying you need one with peak hold, correct me if Im wrong.

 

[microhaxo 10+ year member]

Alright i got one with peak hold.

now how do i use it to measure AMPs?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95683

thats the one i got.

I am putting this on my wire from the amp to my box but im not sure which setting to have it on for amperage.

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

Alright i got one with peak hold.
now how do i use it to measure AMPs?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95683

thats the one i got.

I am putting this on my wire from the amp to my box but im not sure which setting to have it on for amperage.

wrong, clamp it on the power wire going into the amp.

 

[microhaxo 10+ year member]

ok, what setting do i use A with a ~ under it?

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

pretty sure the ~ is for AC, you want DC amperage possibly a broken line with a solid line under it. probably want to set it to 300amps

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

pretty sure the ~ is for AC, you want DC amperage possibly a broken line with a solid line under it. probably want to set it to 300amps

x2

 

[microhaxo 10+ year member]

Ahh, My Digital clamp meter only MEASURES AC current....//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/verymad.gif.3f39c5c2fd57527b671fad3efdfac756.gif

Uses one 9V battery; Resistance: 200-2k-20k-200k-2M ohm; DC voltage: 200M-20-200-1000V; AC voltage: 200-750V; AC amps: 20-200-1000A

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Ahh, Digital clamp meters only MEASURE AC current....//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/verymad.gif.3f39c5c2fd57527b671fad3efdfac756.gif
Uses one 9V battery; Resistance: 200-2k-20k-200k-2M ohm; DC voltage: 200M-20-200-1000V; AC voltage: 200-750V; AC amps: 20-200-1000A

Yeah I just noticed that one only does dc amperage.

Gotta find one that does both.

 

[microhaxo 10+ year member]

total ****ing bullshit...

one that does BOTH costs 100+

 

[lilmaniac2 5,000+ posts]

I got mine from sears for $20, its a craftsman one //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif I think they discontinued it

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

total ****ing bullshit...
one that does BOTH costs 100+

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03482369000P?vName=Tools&cName=Electrical+Shop&sName=Multi-Meters%2C+Testers+%26+Accessories

 

[microhaxo 10+ year member]

while that is under 100 i am NOT paying 60 dollars just to see what amperage i am pulling.

Now i am stuck with a USELESS clamp meter.

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

while that is under 100 i am NOT paying 60 dollars just to see what amperage i am pulling.
Now i am stuck with a USELESS clamp meter.

You gotta pay to play. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

It's not completely useless. It can be used as a regular multimeter and you can also see how much wattage you are putting out when used in conjunction with another multimeter.

 

[microhaxo 10+ year member]

Cant i use this thing on my speaker wire from the amp and multiply the amperage by the voltage going to the amp to get wattage?

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Cant i use this thing on my speaker wire from the amp and multiply the amperage by the voltage going to the amp to get wattage?

No.

You have to use two meters. One to measure AC amperage and another to measure AC voltage.

Your amp takes in DC voltage.