What Is a Clamp?
Clamps are locking device that can be used to hold or hold objects securely to stop them from moving or separating through the use of upward pressure.
Within the United Kingdom the term cramp is commonly used in cases where the tool is used for temporary purposes to position elements during construction and woodworking, i.e. the G cramp is not a Sash clamp, but not wheel clamp or surgical clamp.
There are a variety of clamps for different uses. Some are for temporary use, such as they are used to place components while fixing them while others are designed to be long-lasting. In the realm that of animal handling, the use of clamps to secure animals to fixed object is called "rounded clamping."
A physical clamp like this can also be a reference to the obscure term used in investment banking, "fund clamps." Anything that can perform the act of clamping could be referred to as clamps, and this can lead to a broad range of terms in a variety of areas.
In their plastic mouldings hard jaws are composed of ferrite iron. They're designed to identify, focus and quantify the magnetic field generated by currents flowing through conductors.
- Current-sensing jaw.
- Barrier to tactile (to shield fingers from accidental shocks).
- The Hold button is used to freeze display reading. Reading will be released once button is pressed a second time.
- Dial (aka the rotary switch).
- Display.
- Backlight button.
- Min Max button: On initial press, the display displays the maximum input. Following pushes, the minimal and average inputs will be displayed. The device works in current, voltage as well as frequency mode.
- Current Inrush button.
- The Zero button (yellow) It removes the Dc offset from current measurements. Also functions as the shift button for the dial, to select the yellow functions scattered on the dial.
- Jaw lever for release.
- Alignment marks: In order to meet standards of accuracy, conductors must be aligned to these markings.
- Common input Jack.
- Volts/ohm input jack.
- Input to allow for a probe that is flexible in current.
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The original purpose of the device was to be a one-purpose test instrument Modern clamp meters provide additional measurement capabilities, better accuracy , and in certain cases specific measurement capabilities. Modern clamp meters incorporate a majority of the fundamental features of a digital multimeter (DMM) including the capability to determine continuity, voltage and resistance.
Clamp meters have gained popularity as instruments primarily due to two reasons:
Safety. Clamp meters let electricians skip the old-fashioned method of cutting into wires and then inserting the measuring meter's test leads in the circuit in order to take an in-line measurement of current. The jaws of clamp meters do not have to be in contact with conductors during measurements.
Convenience. In the course of a test it's not required to shut off the circuit carrying current - a major boost to effectiveness.
Clamp meters are ideal for measuring very high amounts of current. DMMs are not able to measure more than 10 A or more for longer than 30 seconds without causing damaging the meters.
Clamp meters have the minimum range of 0.01 A up to A. A majority of models offer a range of up at 600 A. Some models go as high as the 999 A (or 1400 A and some clamps with plug-ins like those from iFlex(r) can be up to 2500 A.
Clamp meters are used on industrial equipment, industrial controls, residential/commercial/industrial electrical systems, and commercial/industrial HVAC.
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They are mostly employed in the following areas:
- Service: To fix existing systems on a need-to-know basis.
- Installation: To identify issues with installation, to conduct final circuit tests or supervise trainee electricians when installing electric equipment.
- Maintenance: To conduct regular and preventative maintenance, as well as troubleshooting system issues.
Three kinds of clamp meters are in existence:
- Clamp meters for current transformers: use to measure only AC the current (ac).
- Hall Effect clamp meters: analyze both alternating currents and directly current (ac and DC).
- Clamp meters that are flexible: Use the Rogowski coil to measure AC only. Great to measure in tight spaces.
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