Author Topic: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(  (Read 7041 times)

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Offline marce002Topic starter

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UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« on: May 07, 2020, 04:33:05 pm »
Hello all

I have an UT210E clamp meter that went wrong doing amps measurements, it shows an offset of around 5A, in cont. amps 10A set,,,,,,  and also does not allow  me to (zero button) , and it is even worse in the 2A !! setting which do nothing and shows  "0L"
What can be wrong?
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2020, 05:12:39 pm »
If it's been exposed to a strong magnetic field or a current far in excess of its rating then it might need degaussing.

https://www.google.com/search?q=degauss+current+clamp
 
The following users thanked this post: cdev, Electro Detective, Chris Roubis

Offline marce002Topic starter

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2020, 02:46:30 pm »
Thanks .. sorry Im a normal user for this clamp and take advantage of its DC measurements.. i do not remember using in over exposed currents and wonder if it might be a common problem and what to do if you cant make a diy degauss tool.... the vendor cant repair and maybe an easier solution exist like leaving the tool close to something or using a more detailed tutorial explaining how to build a tool with this purpose.
 

Offline cdev

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2020, 03:07:17 pm »
Have you tried removing the batteries for some time and putting them back in?  Maybe it simply needs to reboot/reset.
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away."
 

Offline marce002Topic starter

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #4 on: May 09, 2020, 07:45:04 pm »
yes i have tried but needs degaussing because it is in an 5A DC offset.. i have taken apart an hdd hard drive to remove the magnets and made them turn in the same hdd motor to no avail... it is the "drill" method but with another turning way... what is wrong?  Location of radial magnet?
« Last Edit: May 09, 2020, 08:40:46 pm by marce002 »
 

Offline Chris Roubis

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2020, 04:53:33 am »
If it's been exposed to a strong magnetic field or a current far in excess of its rating then it might need degaussing.

https://www.google.com/search?q=degauss+current+clamp

Never thought of that.
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Offline joeqsmith

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2020, 05:36:11 pm »
Hello all

I have an UT210E clamp meter that went wrong doing amps measurements, it shows an offset of around 5A, in cont. amps 10A set,,,,,,  and also does not allow  me to (zero button) , and it is even worse in the 2A !! setting which do nothing and shows  "0L"
What can be wrong?


I see you the person who is asking me on the YT channel.   So you are spinning the platter with the magnet stuck to it to try and make an alternating field.   Beyond just buying a new meter, you could try cutting up an old E core transformer so you are left with the exposed E.   Still, seems like a lot of work.  An old tape eraser would be safer to use if you could find one.   

I've been able by hand to wave a magnet near the head and get it close enough to allow it to zero.   I think I show that in the video when I was using the magnet to magnetize the head to then demagnetizing it with my degauss coil.   

With you may not have used it to read high currents, as Fungus suggests, placing it near a magnetic field like what you have with your RC toy motors can cause problems.    Similar to using a magnet to magnetize a bit of steel during our grade school science class.    To demagnetize the steel, you could whack it with a hammer but I don't think you want to hit the UNI-T with a hammer.   Or maybe you do??!!   

Offline marce002Topic starter

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2020, 06:09:27 pm »
Thanks very much for your answers... of course when you buy a thing like an e210e you think in several uses innfact
.. i have not  used it just for my rc drone motors but a whole other dc current measures like my ebike consumption ... house appliances ... and several other that cant recall.. so i assume my knowlesge is far from yours but enough to understand a clamp use .. although not it way of work .. i do not care the hall effect theorics im a computer programmer  so just :use it" like abstracting its fundamentals...
so i only wanted of a simple way to "de bias " it without touchinh the trimpots ..(is a last resource) because it has 5A offset in 20A and obviously has a OL lecture under 2A (unusable).... im not the kind of person who goes and buy another just for that with out knowing what did i wrong ... even inna covid19 situation and even i did a normal use of the clamp not doing anything stupid with it.
Sorry my english is 2nd lang.
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2020, 06:26:40 pm »
it has 5A offset in 20A and obviously has a OL lecture under 2A (unusable)....

Switch it to 5A and wave a strong magnet near it to see if if goes down towards zero (try both poles of the magnet).

When it's near zero, switch to 2A and repeat.

I've been able by hand to wave a magnet near the head and get it close enough to allow it to zero.

Just like joe does...  :)
« Last Edit: May 10, 2020, 06:29:15 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline cdev

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #9 on: May 10, 2020, 06:43:17 pm »
Do you have a tape head demagnetizer from the cassette era? What I used to do with tape decks is simply turn it on at least say 20 cm away, then bring it to the tape head, move it around it a few times and then slowly move away, then turn it off.

Thanks very much for your answers... of course when you buy a thing like an e210e you think in several uses innfact
.. i have not  used it just for my rc drone motors but a whole other dc current measures like my ebike consumption ... house appliances ... and several other that cant recall.. so i assume my knowlesge is far from yours but enough to understand a clamp use .. although not it way of work .. i do not care the hall effect theorics im a computer programmer  so just :use it" like abstracting its fundamentals...
so i only wanted of a simple way to "de bias " it without touchinh the trimpots ..(is a last resource) because it has 5A offset in 20A and obviously has a OL lecture under 2A (unusable).... im not the kind of person who goes and buy another just for that with out knowing what did i wrong ... even inna covid19 situation and even i did a normal use of the clamp not doing anything stupid with it.
Sorry my english is 2nd lang.
"What the large print giveth, the small print taketh away."
 

Offline joeqsmith

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #10 on: May 10, 2020, 06:44:07 pm »
When I show the degauss coil, it is clearly a decaying AC magnetic field.  You ask about placing it next to a large magnet overnight and suggest the auto power down is part of the problem.  Knowing that you didn't understand that magnetic fields can alternate gave me some idea on how to try and answer in terms I thought you may understand.  After seeing the disk drive, it seems you now understand this part.   Trying to make the field mechanically could be done but it's just easier to use the 50/60Hz line to create it.   Again, you could decay the field by slowly moving the clamp out of it, or electronically as I have shown.  If you used an old tape eraser, you would do this by hand, waving the eraser while moving it away from the clamp.   

I suggest never trying to take the meter apart and certainly not adjust the pots.  These are a pain to get set right.  The one pot is really sensitive.     

Using this clamp with an RC toy using brushless motors may not work, depending where you are trying to measure.   

Personally, I would just invest in a real degauss coil instead of messing around with these disk drive magnets.   Then you will have it for the next time.   My old Tektronix clamp has the coil built in.  It's a nice feature. 


Offline marce002Topic starter

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #11 on: May 11, 2020, 01:57:30 pm »
ok, i dont have a tape bulk eraser but might get a microwave transformer easily... i can modify removing the secondary but i thing will be closed in shape (Not an E right?)  the HDD was just an experiment but did not work for the clamp, worked fine for screwdrivers though (magnet and demagnet them). So Joe, can ido something useful out of a microwave transformer?

FUNGUS

you said Switch it to 5A and wave a strong magnet near it to see if if goes down towards zero (try both poles of the magnet).

When it's near zero, switch to 2A and repeat.


i did, i get a perfect 0.000, then I switch to 2A and it is close to 0 too, but doing it forever I think wont solve the offset at all.


thanks for more ideas
 

Offline joeqsmith

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #12 on: May 11, 2020, 02:12:24 pm »
If its a laminated core, you could take it apart.  Unwind the secondary, separate the laminates and modify them to form an "E"   

It may be less work to make one from scratch. 

Offline marce002Topic starter

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2020, 02:17:23 pm »
thanks Joe, i will be doing this procedure becasuse the microwave is almost here, and saw videos to make an E removing de secondary yes... I will be placing the clamp by hand a few cm from the center of the E , and then moving apart from the field in upwards direction....  sound reasonable?
 

Offline joeqsmith

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2020, 02:26:32 pm »
You will have to play around with your technique once you have it built.     

That's going to be a lot of work.  I would make sure the meter is at least working before you spend too much time on it.   Again, you should be able to get it close enough with a magnet to at least zero it out.   

Offline Fungus

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #15 on: May 11, 2020, 03:22:00 pm »
FUNGUS

you said Switch it to 5A and wave a strong magnet near it to see if if goes down towards zero (try both poles of the magnet).When it's near zero, switch to 2A and repeat.

i did, i get a perfect 0.000, then I switch to 2A and it is close to 0 too, but doing it forever I think wont solve the offset at all.

At least you confirmed what the problem is.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2020, 09:11:04 pm by Fungus »
 

Offline cdev

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2020, 11:39:32 pm »
If I were you I would just make a coil with a bunch of nails and a long piece of thin wire. You can energize it with a transformer, dont use mains voltage. You dont need a super lot of power and indeed, less is more in this situation. You'll likely not need a degausser that often.


You dont want to damage the UT210e
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Offline joeqsmith

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #17 on: May 12, 2020, 01:15:32 am »
If I were you I would just make a coil with a bunch of nails and a long piece of thin wire. You can energize it with a transformer, dont use mains voltage. You dont need a super lot of power and indeed, less is more in this situation. You'll likely not need a degausser that often.

You dont want to damage the UT210e

Obviously no want wants to damaged any of their equipment.  I suspect you meant damage it from something to do with magnetizing the head or degaussing it.   Care to explain?

As far as what's required, I was using about 600 gauss peak with a half second decay. 


Offline Electro Detective

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #18 on: May 12, 2020, 09:22:51 am »
Would an old school hand held tape head demagnetizer do the same trick ?

I would assume to switch it on first from a distance,
gradually approach the clamp area,
give it a slow magic wand job pass or two
and back off slowly, then switch it off when far far away,
say 2 or 3 meters ?   :-//

 

Offline Fungus

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #19 on: May 12, 2020, 09:30:03 am »
Would an old school hand held tape head demagnetizer do the same trick ?

Very likely.
 

Offline CDaniel

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #20 on: May 12, 2020, 09:39:07 am »
If you find an old CRT tv or monitor you can use the degaussing coil ...  you can google easily for details , far more common than a tape eraser . And pretty powerful .
 

Offline marce002Topic starter

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #21 on: May 12, 2020, 12:28:58 pm »
Hi cdev ... sounds smart solution... but can you give more details? Nails? what transformer to use i have for eg a 220v 12v  from battery charger.... what cable and how many turns would you use...after that is clear.. would you pass them close trough the clamp or meant wrap the jaws or do turns like if you were measuring current.. im talking about DC measurementes.
Yes the device my UT210E works perfect in all other functions that is why im so interested in its rescue.
Yes im not gonna opem to touch trimpots nor update firmware wich would be great though.
Joe yo know too much and showed your knowledge.. but from point of view of myself as an user i wanted just my device working at least on +- 100mah error and would be more than happy i bet with your device could be achieved.
 

Offline NoisyBoy

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2020, 04:57:28 pm »
This is a clamp meter with a 2.5% +/-5 digits spec, so you will only achieve +/- 0.1A accuracy at low amperage (like below 4A).  So temper your expectation on what this meter can really deliver in terms of accuracy.  Due to its design, it is hard to achieve the 0.1A accuracy in clamp meters throughout its measurement range even for expensive meters, let alone a $10 Uni-T.
 

Offline 2N3055

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #23 on: May 12, 2020, 07:22:06 pm »
This is a clamp meter with a 2.5% +/-5 digits spec, so you will only achieve +/- 0.1A accuracy at low amperage (like below 4A).  So temper your expectation on what this meter can really deliver in terms of accuracy.  Due to its design, it is hard to achieve the 0.1A accuracy in clamp meters throughout its measurement range even for expensive meters, let alone a $10 Uni-T.
It has 2A range.. 2.5% +/-5  is +/-5mA+/-5d max error..

EDIT: It has 2A range.. 2.5% +/-5  is +/-50mA+/-5d max error..  stupid me, it's been a long day.....
« Last Edit: May 12, 2020, 08:00:06 pm by 2N3055 »
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Offline joeqsmith

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Re: UT210E Problem measuring AMPS!!! :(
« Reply #24 on: May 12, 2020, 07:44:44 pm »
This is a clamp meter with a 2.5% +/-5 digits spec, so you will only achieve +/- 0.1A accuracy at low amperage (like below 4A).  So temper your expectation on what this meter can really deliver in terms of accuracy.  Due to its design, it is hard to achieve the 0.1A accuracy in clamp meters throughout its measurement range even for expensive meters, let alone a $10 Uni-T.
It has 2A range.. 2.5% +/-5  is +/-5mA+/-5d max error..

I'm going to say It has 2A range.. 2.5% +/-5  is  +/-50mA +/-5d or +/-55mA.    Maybe we can vote on it and see who's right.  :-DD


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