Blue-Point EETA502 DCA/ACA Clamp Adapter

[albert001]

I have this clamp meter adapter that's used with a multi-meter and trying to figure out if it's working.

I don't have the instructions. The front besides the p/n has (Output 1mV/A)

I connected the clamp adapter to my Fluke meter and place the clamp over one of the AC lines (connected to 110/120 outlet) to a running 1500 watt heater set to low.

I set a Fluke dmm to mV (====)

The clamp adapter has an a DCA zero adj. If moved the reading goes from approx. -115 to -21.

I'm uncertain how to use and test the clamp adapter with a dmm to produce the correct amps and determine if it's working. I'm guessing it's fairly simple. After connecting the clamp to the dmm and selecting mV from the dmm, the Clamp meter is suppose to read mV when testing AC and DC amps providing you with some sort of measurements in amp?

[albert001]

I'm not certain if there's a certain order to turn on the meter, connect the clamp to a dmm and a wire?

Anyway this last time testing, the clamp adapter was OFF and then clamped  to one of the AC wires connected to 110/120 outlet and a 1500 watt heater with a high and low setting, dial to increase/decrease temp and a fan.

Connected the clamp to a fluke dmm (V) and (COM) and set the dmm's selector to AC Volts.

Then turned on the Clamp adapter to 200 amps. The heater (already running) was set to low and the dmm read "11" (mVac) setting the heater to the high the dmm reading is "12.5" (mVac)

So it appears the heaters using  11 amps while on low and 12.5 amp while on high.

Which is about right as 1500 watts @ 115 Vac = ~13 amps.

I still need to test it connected to DC, but it appears to be working unless there's an intermittent problem.

[threephase]

As the clamp meter only puts out mV, there is no safety problem with the order in which you hook up the instrument.

Operational wise, if you are measuring DC you need the clamp plugged into the meter and on to set the zero before clamping a wire.

I usually have the clamp plugged into the meter and everything switched on and then put the clamp around the wire.

Kind regards

[albert001]

Ok for DC amp measurement the DMM should be set to VDC while zeroing and taking amp measurements?

I'm able to zero the clamp adapter with dmm set to VDC and nothing when set to mVac.

I briefly tried  to measure my vehicles pos+ battery cable while the engine was running. It started to rain too hard and could not thoroughly complete testing.

 I was getting a reading of ~3.5, but seem to remember the dmm was set to dVac  and not vdc.

I seem to remember switching to VDC and all of the readings are negative.

If it stops raining  tomorrow will try again and make certain of the dmm settings.

[maginnovision]

The meter should always be dc. Did you nitice any arrows on the head? They usually indicate current direction if you're worried about polarity.

[maginnovision]

Take it apart and see if you can find a P/N on the board. Or look around for a clamp with the same ranges. Bluepoint didn't manufacture that but whoever did should have a manual. I've never used an amp clamp that required acv to get ac current though. Also make sure you were only clamping L or N, not both. Looks like an extech 380905 https://m.grainger.com/mobile/product/EXTECH-AC-DC-Clamp-On-Current-Probe-4KC21

[albert001]

Yes I needed to split the AC cable to clamp either line or neutral.

Opening the case, the circuit board only identification is CA202 and  16/04/91.

CA202 on the circuit board indicates it's manufactured by Extech as they have clamp adapter with Model CA250

http://extechvietnam.com/hinh-anh/files/CA250_UM.pdf

The instructions for the CA250 show

1. Set the DMM to the AC or DC mV  range or to the lowest voltage  range.

======================

The CA202 circuit board has  four adjustment knobs on the circuit board.

I did find a data sheet for the Extech but no user or service manual.

http://www.finaltest.com.mx/v/vspfiles/assets/datasheet/380905.pdf

New price was $130.00, now discontinued was replaced by Extech 380926 clamp on meter http://www.extech.com/resources/380926.pdf
http://www.extech.com/resources/380926_UM.pdf

Blue-Point EETA502 has an A, B and C versions. Ver. A the leads for the dmm are loose, Ver. B uses a dmm plug connector and Ver.  C is the clamp meter version with LCD and controls.

[albert001]

Tested again and this time set the dmm to VDC (mV) and was able to zero the clamp adapter.

Then connected to line or neutral AC but wasn't able to get a reading with the DMM set to VDC (mV) so switch to mv AC and the heater l or n reads 9.5 on Low and 10.8 on High.

It's night time here and rain subsided so decided to test DC using my cars starting battery.

Setting DMM to Vdc I was able to zero it again.

Then placed the clamp around the pos+ battery cable and got a reading of .003, I then turned on the headlights and the reading changed to 0.019. Started engine (reversed clamp) and the reading IIRC is .20? Sorry it was night and in a puddle of water I forgot to write down the  measurements down.

In the daytime when everything dried out will test again writing down the measurement readings turning on and off lights and accessories.

Every vehicle has a certain amount of parasitic drain while the engine isn't running,  the battery is continually feeding the vehicle electronics (engine off).  From approx. 20 to 50 mA is acceptable, some manuals say anything over 20 mA is too much (parasitic drain) while  others 30 and 50 mA. It depends on he vehicle as some use more electricity  than others while the engine isn't running.

Anyway it appears both AC and DC current measurement are currently working correctly. I will need to keep testing to make certain there is no intermittent problem.

Note:

I had previously taken the clamp adapter apart and notice a very thin green solid wire on the lower part of the clamp (under the cover) that was hanging loose.  The tape  used to secure the wire to the clamp was broken so I used some of my own clear tape to secure the wire to the clamp. Uncertain what the wire is used for.
 

[maginnovision]

You can't use that clamp to measure parasitic draw. All you can maybe reliably say is it is drawing something. Unless you have an intermittent draw problem you'd be better off putting the meter directly in line and letting the thing go to sleep.

[albert001]

Yeah, your probably correct. I usually place a meter inline to the ground connection.

I just remember reading somewhere perhaps it was using a different clamp meter with more precise readings that a clamp meter could be used to measure parasitic draw.

0.003 should be 3 mA (milliamps) but pehraps not that accurate. What I'll do is use my Fluke 87-V inline with the neg battery cable and take some measurements and then compare those measurements to the Clamp adapter.

I suppose the clamp adapter varies quite a bit so any one time you may not have the same reading in milliamps.

I also use the DMM to create a measurement of the coolant electrolysis in the vehicles cooling system.

I have an older 98 Jeep Cherokee (203,000 miles) with a 4.0L cast iron engine which seems to create a higher iron content in the coolant. The old 4.0L cast iron engines typically last over 300,000 miles and some over 400,000 and 450,000 without requiring a rebuild.

In the Jeep I use a coolant filter which filters out much of the finer particles.

Yeah I think your right that clamp adapter is designed more for higher unrefined amp measurements. It has two setting for 200 and 2000 amps. I doubt when taking higher amp measurements there's much concerned about milliamps.

There are clamp meters designed more for lower more refined amp measurement. I think they also have two amp ranges, where highest being up to 40 amps.

[maginnovision]

I use a 20A clamp for low currents (like parasitic draw) and it works as well as the multi thousand dollar tools BMW made the dealer buy. Iron is pretty common, usually if you use the correct coolant(oem) and original material replacement cooling system parts you shouldn't have an issue but maybe that vehicle had an issue, I don't know. Just know that if you have an intermittent parasitic current draw issue and disconnect the battery you may reset the module with an issue and leave yourself waiting for it to come back up again. Also make sure you open doors and have full access to vehicle so if you DO find an issue you can pull fuses, and check to see what may be keeping the vehicle awake without waking it up yourself.

[albert001]

I went out today and tested the clamp adapter connected to a Fluke 87V.

Everything off - .0020 and .0026 (clamp measurement of parasitic draw)

Interior lights on - .0073

Interior lights and headlight on - .0186

Headlights on - .0141 - .0412

I took these measurement mainly to test the clamp adapter which provided different current measurements  of the lighting.

I then attempted to measure parasitic draw using a dmm by first removing the neg cable from the battery, placing the probes between the neg. battery post and neg battery cable.

I do this once in a while just to determine if a vehicle is within a normal parasitic draw range.

Using a Fluke 87 V, connected the leads to COM & V and also COM & mA/uA  and selected mA/A from the meter and the display showed A/AC. 

Readings showed to be .001 and .002 (which is AC amps and not DC amps.)

I recently purchased the Fluke 87 V and later found out later I need to push the yellow  button to switch between AC and DC amps.

[albert001]

I went out to test parasitic draw again today and my Fluke 79 III reads 0.00

(Previous test I forgot about the hood light and removed it prior to testing.)

My Fluke 87 V is capable of higher resolution up to 20,000 count and 4 1/2  display, when set on high res.

Fluke 87V on  high res

The neg cable measures .0002 on both the clamp adapter and the DMM probes inline (neg. cable)

When using the Fluke 87 V there was some fluctuation between .0001 and 0002.

Apparently there is some parasitic draw between 0.1 and 0.2 milliamps.

The pos+ probe to the Neg. batter post and com - to the neg. battery cable.

[vinman1000]

When using the clamp on adapter, set your meter to millivolts DC. That's mV on the Blue Point meter. Do not use the Volts setting if you have a setting for millivolts. The reason is the ammeter clamp adapter puts out millivolts DC so you don't blow up your meter. And then you have to convert it. If the meter reads 5.5 mVDC it means you are drawing 5.5 Amps of current. Not milliamps, but Amps. Be sure to adjust the "zero adj." knob as close to zero before using. This calibrates the clamp to the meter.

21.2 millivolts DC reading on meter = 21.2 Amps of current
125 millivolts DC reading on meter = 125 Amps of current

If you don't have a millivolts setting, you can use the Volts setting. But remember, you are looking for millivolts. So 0.015 Volts is 15 Amps of current.

Hope this helps!