Clamp VS multimeter is an ongoing debate. If you aren’t well aware of what any one of these is, then you have come to the right place.
To see which one is right for you, you need to know the pros and cons of both.
The success of your daily tasks depends upon the quality of your equipment.
Especially when it comes to working with electric tools, you need to be wary of what you are dealing with.
You need to access your needs before you purchase either a clamp meter or a multimeter.
Pros and Cons of Multimeters
Multimeters are great when you need multi-functionality in one tool. The range of functions a device will offer will depend on the size that you proceed to purchase.
There are all kinds of sizes available in the open market. The small ones are there; the big ones are there too.
However, one thing you ought to notice is that the small ones offer less functionality. The bigger ones will give you more functions that you can use.
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Compactness
If you buy a small multimeter, you will be able to place it in your pocket and move it wherever you wish to.
They are light and portable, so if you are an electrician who is always on his toes, you should purchase a compact multimeter for electricians.
The larger multimeters are easy to hold too. But there is one issue with them. To hold them, you would need a holster. And the more tools your holster has, the more protruding your silhouette will become.
This means crawling into small spaces will become quite difficult for you. So in case you are working with tiny spaces, you will have to have little or nothing onto you.
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Battery life
One major issue raised by the people who are comparing clamp meters with multimeters is the use of battery. The multimeters that only have basic features do not have this issue.
However, as you keep increasing the price and functionality, maintenance of the battery can be a major issue. That is because features like flashlight, or three backlight levels, are capable of producing a lot of energy.
The batteries do last long; you will not have to worry about the batteries dying out while you are working. However, the concern is that, over time, you will need to purchase many batteries for your multimeter.
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Reading
Both the multimeter and digital clamp meter have a digital display where you can measure their reading.
This means that taking a reading is a very simple process; you will not have to be a professional in order to get the right reading out of both of them.
Pros and Cons of Clamp Meters
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Number of Functions
The most significant disadvantage when it comes to clamping meters is that they cannot hold many features. They do offer you all the basic features that are there in multimeters, but they cannot measure frequency and temperature.
Well, most of the models don’t. So generally, it can be said that clamp meters do not have as many features as multimeters do.
However, the quality of features that they do offer is better than that of multimeters at the same price, so there is a good part.
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Compactness
Clamp meters are smaller and more portable than the multimeters. You can carry them around easily by placing them inside your pocket or inside your holster.
Even when they are inside the holster, they will not look quite as huge.
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Build Quality
This is perhaps the most significant downside of theirs. That is their ability to receive blows and resist damage.
Multimeters are supposed to have a rubber shell covering to protect them from fall damage, as well as blows.
No clamp meters offer this feature — the plastic covering that the shell was too thin to protect the piece of equipment.
If your tool falls down, there are no raised rubber edges to protect the front from fall damage so that the front can get damaged too.
All this is because the shapes of clamp make it very difficult for the manufacturers to design an efficient protective covering for the clamp.
If a clamp falls apart, you will have to buy a new one since the old shell cannot be replaced.
Bottom Line
If you have to take the basic voltage readings or measurements, then you can purchase and make use of a simple multimeter.
However, if you require advanced features for the completion of your tasks, the features that are not available in on clamp meters, then you must purchase a high-end multimeter. Because that is the only tool capable of helping you.
If you need to be sure of the phases of current on your feeders, then all you need is a basic clamp meter. You will not have to look into any other kind of equipment for that.
For tasks that are as complicated as resolving the intermittent breaker trips, you can use an advanced clamp meter.
Both of them can be purchased simultaneously so that you may use them whenever you need them. It is costlier not to have the right equipment when you need it than having both of them at once.
Conclusion
Both tools have different functionalities and although people might confuse them, they are quite distinct in nature.
Therefore, it’s important what is the application that you need the tool for and you can choose it accordingly without any hesitation.
