A Review on a AC/DC Digital Clamp Meter

17 April 2014

Just bought an AC/DC digital clamp multi-meter from Q0010 for about SGD$18/= including shipping.  It was manufactured in Chinabut it came pretty fast within 3 days because the cost included a QExpress shipment which presumably had the item sent from a local warehouse instead of the usual mail from China which may take up to 20 days.  The package came completed with the testing leads,  an English manual and a set of 2 AAA batteries

Branding

The set has no brand except a model number called DT3266L.  It came “humble” with all the ranges and functions comparable to the other more expensive models available in the market

The Ranges and Functions

The clamp multi-meter is one of the cheapest models manufactured.  It has just the following basic functions

     1. Amperage measurement:  AC only

1. Resistance measurement
2. Voltage measurement:  AC and DC

It has also a live wire detector for voltage less than 400 volts to test which wire is alive. 

The range of each function is listed in the manual attached.

Inside the Box

The clamp meter can be opened up by unscrewing 3 little screws that hold up the cover behind the meter.  Two of the screws are hidden inside the battery chamber and one underneath the “QC Passed” label (Note: The removal of the label may void warranty). 

The circuit board as shown looks simple and tidy.  It consisted of mainly surface mounting components,  one LSI (Large Scale Integration) and 2 ICs and 3 transistors.  It has 3 adjusting resistors for adjusting AC volt,  DC volt and AC ampere ranges and accuracy.

What is lacking?

A fuse for protection of the circuit board in case the meter is accidentally connected to an electrical mains when one had the range set,  for example,  as an ohm meter,  then use it to measure high voltage.  This fuse could however be added if one is handy with a soldering iron.

Reviews 

1. The meter is a handy tool for measuring of  AC currents.
2. It has other functions such as volt,  ohm meter measurement which can be also handy for electricians who does not need sophisticated readings.
3. With the LSI and surface mounted technology,  the meter was designed to last.

It is money well spent if one is just looking for a simple ampere clamp meter that can measure AC currents.  It is an economical handy tool for most electricians.

The Manual

Document (1) by skyjuice123