Fluke has expanded their (kick-ass) Fluke Connect meter and test & measurement lineup with 2 new current clamp meters. I found the current ranges to be slightly amusing, as one of the new clamp meters is intended to measure very big currents, and the other very small.
Both of the new Fluke Connect clamp meters are similarly designed and configured. You get the main current meter module, and a removable current clamp with flexible connection cable.
Advertisement
For a primer on the Fluke Connect system, check out our overview here. Basically, it’s Fluke’s latest connected tool system that consists of wireless test & measurement equipment. Included are electrical meters and multimeters, a vibration tester, thermal imaging cameras, and a couple of other types of tools.
Fluke Connect tools report back to a master unit, or to your computer via the cloud via a mobile device loaded with their free app. You can put them in place for data collection and monitor, record, and share the readings from the comfort of being anywhere else.
Fluke Connect a3003 High Current DC Clamp Meter
The new Fluke a3003 current clamp has a current measurement range of 10 to 2000 amps DC, and you actually get two measurement ranges, 1 A to 1000 A, and 1000 A to 2000 A, with 0.1 A and 1 resolution, respectively.
The meter’s memory can store up to 65,000 readings, or you can send them out via Fluke Connect to another base tool, or to your mobile devices.
Obviously, this is a big clamp meter for big current-carrying cables, with jaws that open up to 64 mm wide.
Advertisement
For more specs, check out Fluke’s product page, or this datasheet (PDF) that lists all of the 3000-series Flue Connect meters.
MSRP: $500
Street Price: $443 at Amazon as of the time of this posting.
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Fluke Connect a3004 Low Current DC Clamp Meter
The a3004 Fluke Connect current clamp meter is in some ways the complete opposite of the a3003. This one is used for when you want to measure very small DC currents in the 4 to 20 mA range. Yes, that’s milliamps.
There are two resolutions, 0.05 mA to 21 mA, and 21 mA to 100 mA, with 0.01 mA and 0.1 A resolution.
So why would you want a current meter that emphasizes its ability to measure 4-20 mA, specifically? There are a lot of control loops that only pass very low DC currents, such as drive systems, sensors, automation controls, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), energy management systems, and other applications.
Multimeters and general purpose current clamps can sometimes reach down to the 4 to 20 mA range, but not with as high resolution or accuracy, and so there is greater chance of error uncertainty with the readings.
Let me put it this way. You could use a hatchet to cut a blueberry in half, but wouldn’t a paring knife give you a better chance of a clean slice straight down the middle?
Full specs are here, or you could refer to the meter family datasheet which has details on all of Fluke’s existing Fluke Connect current and electrical meters.
MSRP: $600
Street Price: $527 on Amazon at the time of this posting
Buy Now(via Amazon)
First Thoughts
I’ve been impressed with the swift progress Fluke has been making with their Fluke Connect system of wireless meters and test tools. They can communicate wirelessly with a “master device,” such as their 3000 FC digital multimeter, several higher-end thermal imaging cameras, mobile phones and devices via a free app, or with PCs via a pc3000 FC adapter.
These new current clamp meters, one with a 2000 A DC range, and the other optimized for 4 to 20 mA DC currents, join several existing current-measuring products, including the 3000 FC multimeter, a3000 FC AC clamp meter, a3001 FC AC current meter with flex-loop current probe, and the a3002 FC current meter that’s compatible with several separately purchased Fluke current probes. There are other tools in the line, including voltage meters, a K-Type temperature meter, and other non-electrical testing tools.
To be frank, I don’t think I’ve ever worked with anything close to 2000 amps, nor have I had to do much in the way of troubleshooting low current circuits or control loops with enough precision to warrant a specialty meter.
My Fluke i30 hall effect current clamp, which was selected after a grueling research and back-and-forth process, is rated down to 30 mA DC but can be stretched towards 5 mA if needed, and it has worked fine enough for my purposes. But I also don’t work with automation equipment, control signals, or low current logic control circuits that warrant a specialty low current sensing range for troubleshooting.
What I’m trying to say is that I can tell you my thoughts on the Fluke Connect range – which I’m impressed with – but haven’t enough experience to form a strong opinion about these two specific current clamp meters.
The good news is that Fluke has an excellent custom service team. Contact their technical support (contact info), and they’ll provide excellent product selection advice. I have called them up maybe 2 times, but they were impressionable experiences. When you’re dropping $400 to $600 on a piece of test equipment, it’s good to confirm beforehand whether it’s suitable for your needs.
Oh, and if you’re looking for a standalone multimeter, check out my review of the Fluke 87V, which is still the best handheld digital multimeter I have ever used. And while we’re on the subject of multimeters, here’s my review of Keysight’s 34461A benchtop meter.
Richard
I use a 54-II-B that is certified against a NIST standard yearly, as I work in a lab environment that I have to calibrate other devices with it.
Can these new devices be calibrated like this? It might be useful to have this feature and have it record to a phone or laptop.
That brings up a whole other situation of the data not being able to be altered. Is the data stored in such a manner that one cannot edit it? This is important in certain workplaces that fall under various regulatory bodies.
Jim
I have several Fluke current meters, both AC only and AC/DC and the one I could use the most doesn’t exist. How about something reasonably accurate in 0-50 amp AC/DC range? That would be really handy in the automotive and RV business.
Stuart
Are you talking about Fluke’s individual instruments, or their Fluke Connect wireless ones?
With a quick look, I don’t see a lot in the specific 0-50A range, at least not by Fluke.
There’s a small Amprobe clamp meter ($173 via Amazon) with 60A and 300A ranges. That 60A range has best accuracy of “+/-(1.5% + 5 LSD) at 50 to 100 Hz ≥ 3 A; +/-(2.5% + 5 LSD) at 100 to 400 Hz ≥ 3 A” for AC currents, and “+/-(1.5% + 5 LSD) at 300 A range” for DC currents.
The Fluke Hall Effect DC current clamp test lead I bought (discussion here) tops out at 30A. Maybe there’s another clamp attachment from a different brand with 50A or 60A upper ceiling?
There are a bunch of other AC/DC current clamps with measurement ranges up to 200A, 400A, and higher. I would think that these should be suitable for 1-50A or 0.5-50A needs.
jim
Thanks, I’ll check them out.
Farid
Stuart,
I took special interest in your mention of the Fluke clamp meters, especially the Flex-Loop. My company was the original developer of the Flex-Loop back in the 90s and have won a design award for it, here in Grove-city Ohio. It was called LEM-Flex back then (we were part of the LEM group then). We made some models for both Amprobe and Fluke. Later on, production was transferred to the British division, HEME, who also made clamp-on meters. Our core products were in high current DC measurement and LEM thought it fit the business model better to transfer to HEME. We split of from LEM in 2003 and the probes business was acquired by Danaher in 2005. As you already know, Danaher owns both Fluke and Amprobe.
Heme produces several of the clamp-on meters that Fluke now sells, including the I30. We still have a copy of the original I30 under LEM brand.
As as side note, he FLUKE 87 is still an industry workhorse handheld for high accuracy measurement. But, if you ever decide you wanted something with even higher accuracy, check out Metrahit M30 6.5-Digit meter (https://www.gossenmetrawatt.com/english/produkte/metrahit30m.htm). We use several of those for field calibration verification. The total measurement accuracy (voltage) is better than 0.01%!
Nick
I just came across this post 5 years later, thank you Farid! I’ve been impressed with LEM’s current sensors and it’s fascinating to hear from someone who was on the inside.
Chris Fyfe
Pretty well,all my test equipment is Fluke , love their clamp meters . I have great confidence in both their safety , and accuracy.
Chris