Electrical Test Equipment

Electrical Test Equipment Examples

Non-Contact Voltage Detector

Touchless AC Voltage Indicator

Voltage and Continuity Tester

AC Clamp-on Meter

AC/DC True RMS Clamp Meter

examples:

Fluke 337 1000 Amp True RMS AC/DC Clamp Meter
Amprobe ACD-10 TRMS-PLUS 600A Clamp-On Multimeter by Fluke

Circuit Tracer

Sometimes referred to as a Fox and Hound. Purchase a quality unit that does electrical, network, and phone.

Digital Multimeter

Perhaps the most common piece of equipment used in low voltage DC applications as well as higher voltage AC systems. They are used by electricians, automotive mechanics, electronics technicians, and by many other industries. There are two basic types of multimeters, digital and analog. Analog multimeters have a needle while digital multimeters have an LCD or a LED display. The most basic test functions are for voltage, current and resistance. Even the least expensive units have many more testing functions than those basic three. In a Digital Multimeter the signal under test is converted to a voltage and an amplifier with an electronically controlled gain preconditions the signal.

Electrical Power Analyzer

A three-phase electrical power analyzer is an expensive piece of equipment that is used to measure, calculate, and display the main electrical parameters for balanced and unbalanced, three-phase electrical systems. There are different types of power analyzers:

Power Quality Logger
Power Quality Analyzer
Electrical Power Analyzer

Some power quality analyzers are designed to measure single phase systems while others are for three phase systems. A single phase system is one that consists of one alternating current, like in most homes. A three phase system is one that consists of three alternating currents, sometimes used in industry, especially with electric motors. A three-phase system has three different sine wave current flows, different in phase by 120 degrees from each other. For residential purposes, a single phase system, like in a home, has three wires, live, neutral, and the earth ground.

Power Quality: Based on measuring and calculating indicators of power demand, power consumption and power cleanliness. Clean power is free of harmonics which result from non-linear loads that cause irregular spikes and dips in voltage and current on an electrical system. Power provided by the utility company should be constant, a perfect sin wave. The current being drawn from the utility company depends on the load in the building. Harmonics appear when varying, non-linear loads create short pulses of current that deform the supplied, sinusoidal current waveform, creating an arbitrary waveform. The sin wave becomes distorted and voltage becomes irregular, a condition that can be identified and measured with a power quality analyzer.

Watt Meter

Displays the wattage being used, as well as the cost, in dollars and cents.

The True RMS Meter Explained

New solid state components often conduct non-sinusoidal (distorted) or non-linear loads. In other words, the current occurs in short pulses rather than the smooth sine wave drawn by a standard induction motor. The current wave shape can have a drastic effect on an amperage reading.

There are two types of current clamps commonly available: “Average Responding” and “True RMS”. The average responding meters are widely used and are lower cost. They give a correct reading for linear loads such as standard induction motors, resistance heating, and incandescent lights. But when loads are non-linear, containing semiconductors, the “average responding meters” typically read low. If the load contains power semiconductors, rectifiers, SCRs, etc. a cheap meter will not give an accurate reading.

In an AC circuit, voltage and current are continually varying, from zero up to their maximums, then back to zero again. Therefore, the effective voltage and current will be less than their maximum values. Values such as 120 volts and 10 amps are the Effective Values (also called Root-Mean-Square, or RMS values), which are equal to .707 times the maximum values.

Currents containing harmonics can only be measured accurately with a “True RMS” (TRMS) instrument. A TRMS instrument will read accurately under all load conditions. An average responding multimeter or clamp-on meter will read a sine wave accurately as long as we have linear loads without harmonics.

Determine Current Draw of AC Electrical Circuit

A circuit breaker is an electrical device used in an electrical panel that monitors and controls the amount of amperes (amps) being sent through the electrical wiring. Circuit breakers come in a variety of sizes. For instance, 10, 15 and 20 amp breakers are used for most power and lighting needs in the typical home. Some appliances and specialty items (washers, dryers, freezers, whirlpools, etc.) will require a larger circuit breaker to handle the electrical load required to run that appliance.

It is important to know the amperage of a circuit breaker so you don't overload the breaker with too many appliances. An overloaded circuit can cause a fire in wiring or generate excessive heat in the circuit box.

Find the data plate on the device you are trying to wire.
Find the section labeled FLA or LRA, this is the full load. In many instances, the load will be expressed in watts, IE 3800 watts FL.
Divide the wattage by the voltage of the circuit, in the USA usually 120 0r 240.
The result is the amperage the device draws.
Multiply by 1.25, the National Electrical code requires protection at %125.
Install circuit breaker to meet that size. Standard branch circuits like lighting require 15 amp. Appliance circuits, IE kitchen, require 20 amp.

Never replace a 15A or 20A fuse in a fuse box with a 30A fuse
30A fuses and breakers are rarely used in a residential circuit box

For dependability and long life of electrical equipment most electricians like to see a circuit loaded to only .8 of it’s rated capacity. If you had a 20-amp circuit and multiply it by .8 you would get 16 or the highest amp draw the electrician would like the circuit to handle. Industrial multipliers are lower, somewhere between .70 and .75.

Circuit Breaker Meter