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Low current (mA) clamp meter with recording for automotive use (dark current)

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KungFuJosh:
The TecPel is available in the US on Amazon.

For me it's not a question of mistrust, but instead knowing that BK likes to rebrand stuff and charge extra for their sticker. If they offer a longer warranty or something, cool. Otherwise, what's the point?

Kean:
As usual we have wandered off track.

As suggested by DaneLaw, I also think that the OWON CM2100B is a good starting point for evaluation, as long as Bluetooth logging is workable.
It has a wide clamp opening (17mm) for heavy cables, and 2A, 20A, and 100A ranges.
Of course you only get the 1mA resolution in the 2A range, and you need to be pretty careful about zeroing in the same magnetic field orientation just before you clamp the cable.
I don't have the Bluetooth version, so I am not sure how easy it is to use, but at a price of about USD $60 it certainly is not a big deal for a business to justify purchase for a trial.

If logging via something like SD card is needed, then the EEVblog 121GW DMM plus a plug in clamp probe would be the way to go.
It might be hard to find a combination which works as well for low currents.
e.g. the ESI 695 has 20A and 80A ranges, with 100mV/A and 10mA/A output, and zeroing is via a knob rather than button press.
Also, SD card removal on the 121GW isn't as easy as one might hope.

jfiresto:

--- Quote from: KungFuJosh on October 19, 2024, 09:39:35 pm ---
--- Quote from: Martin72 on October 19, 2024, 09:28:36 pm ---A really good current clamp can hardly be overpriced. ;)

--- End quote ---
It can if it's the BK badge that makes it cost more than the original they copied/rebranded....

--- End quote ---
The extra cost for a BK goes toward the warranty – or I hope it still does. I had the temperature range go out on a 390A DMM after a couple years. Although BK didn't sell the model in Europe, they were prepared to ship a new, tested replacement to their sister firm in France, and have them send it on.

David Hess:

--- Quote from: KungFuJosh on October 19, 2024, 11:21:43 pm ---The TecPel is available in the US on Amazon.
--- End quote ---

Are they the OEM?  Their price is not much lower than BK.  They are remarking and selling other things like differential probes though.

I see that TecPel provides a similar AC/DC clamp for use with an external multimeter.  Apparently they are based in Taiwan instead of China which is nice.  I keep wishing Appa multimeters were more available in the US.

Update:

The CA-60 clamp probe and DCM-043/BK316 are obviously made by the same company, but I was not able to find the OEM.


--- Quote ---For me it's not a question of mistrust, but instead knowing that BK likes to rebrand stuff and charge extra for their sticker. If they offer a longer warranty or something, cool. Otherwise, what's the point?
--- End quote ---

I actually did not know BK was rebranding to that extend.  I expect some rebranding because instruments are more specialized, like current clamps.


--- Quote from: Kean on October 19, 2024, 11:50:51 pm ---It has a wide clamp opening (17mm) for heavy cables, and 2A, 20A, and 100A ranges.
--- End quote ---

For low current measurements, I prefer a narrow clamp opening because pickup from external magnetic fields is lower.

Kean:

--- Quote from: David Hess on October 20, 2024, 01:04:51 pm ---Are they the OEM?  Their price is not much lower than BK.  They are remarking and selling other things like differential probes though.

--- End quote ---

I somehow doubt TecPel is the OEM, but I cannot be sure.
As you mention, looking at their product range they are selling other brands (Siglent, GW Instek) and I see rebadged Tonghui products.
Their cheaper products have no design consistency, so I do think they are just sourcing from various OEMs, maybe doing some final assembly.

There is also an older thread on here discussing the possibility of TecPel being an OEM, but come to a similar conclusion to me that they are likely just a distributor/re-badger.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/what-does-fluke-uni-t-gwinstek-mastech-and-others-have-in-common-tecpel/

BK Precision are also known to rebadge Tonghui, and other brands like some low end Siglent scopes (e.g. BK 2190E is Siglent SDS1102CNL+).
Maybe TecPel cannot afford the fees to rebadge Siglent or GW Instek, so they just sell them as-is to have a wider range of products.


--- Quote from: David Hess on October 20, 2024, 01:04:51 pm ---For low current measurements, I prefer a narrow clamp opening because pickup from external magnetic fields is lower.

--- End quote ---

Yeah, I mentioned my preference for smaller clamp openings earlier in the thread.  In this case I was responding to OP's desire for an automotive clamp meter with low mA to 10+A measurement ability.

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