# Multi Meter for high amps



## cwbam (Feb 8, 2010)

Can anybody recommend an economical Multi Meter for
high amp powers supplies & batteries?

(some harbor frieght meters do not like +25 amps)

Is there a cheap auto meter?

thank you


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

what are you trying to do, the multimeter will not see amps without a load.

say you have $5 PS that has 0-30 volts and 1 million amps:freak:

you will see the voltage and the amps will show pretty much 0

put a car on the track and you may see .5 amps.
put 4 cars on the track and hold them in place, you may see 4 amps plus or minus

so bottom line, is the normal 10amp meter should work just fine even for drag racing


----------



## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

I don't know why you'd need more then 10 amps like Mike says,but if you do,you can hook more then 1 meter into your circuit for amp draw.

Hook them in parrallel,not series,and add the meter readings together.

Splits the load up through the meters.

You can add mutiple meters together for amp draw,as long as you add the individual meter readings together to get your final amp draw

Another option would be a cheap automotive amp meter,not the most accurate thing to usually read,but they'll usually handle the amps your looking at

Rick


----------



## alpink (Aug 22, 2010)

yep, amps are only ever shown as draw during load.
cheap meters can show that.


----------



## cwbam (Feb 8, 2010)

I melted, blew up, (IT GOT *#$%^$# hot) a cheap meter 
When a Parma 45 ohm controller had a short,
I was messing around pulled the trigger on the Parma had
the leeds on rails and they got VERY WARM &
that meter has not worked since.

(also the NEXT meter maybe used on a boat checking some battery leads)


----------



## slotking (May 27, 2008)

for the battery leads, you should be checking for ohms ( continuity )

on you MM not working, open it up and check the internal fuse, it it went over 10 or 20 amps, the fuse should blow.


----------



## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

High currents are typically measured with a clamp-on ammeter, also called a current clamp. These work by measuring the magnetic field caused by current flow.

If you have a higher end multimeter (like a Fluke, Simpson, etc.) the vendor may offer a current clamp adapter to allow you to perform high current measurements with the multimeter.

I've worked on DC power supplies that put out 3000 amps and had to periodically measure that it was working correctly.


----------



## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*Jaws of Truth*

I cant imagine life without UEI. The Phoenix model is bulletproof...er...Bill-proof. 










Certainly not for beginners, but here's how ya quickly split out the power leg and read load on normal 120v single phase household gadgets using an Amp Jaw Meter. The test leads arent used. 










On larger equipment you'd clamp around the power wires inside the cabinet of whatever system you suspect is haywire.


----------

