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Electrical Test and Measurement instruments => AC/DC clamp meters => Topic started by: Kiriakos GR on January 30, 2026, 12:16:32 PM
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Today I was exploring KYORITSU model: 2010, AC/DC current clamp meter, that is a modern design of 2018.
This is a special product for very low current, with three ranges, highest up to 20A.
High sensitivity, miniature AC/DC clamp meter
40Hz ~ 2KHz bandwidth.
AC 200mA/ 2A /20A
DC 2A / 20A
Within user manual there is an interesting remark, battery voltage drain is faster at DCA , while at ACA mode battery voltage drain this is stable.
According to Japanese engineers, this clamp meter probe, has a minimum current consumption at 16mA this increasing to 32mA when the probe measures up to 30A at DC.
This is a surprising information to me, over the past 15 years no one thought reviewing a clamp meter by measuring this instrument actual current consumption, when this measuring DCA.
I can only imagine for now, that actual hall effect sensor this is the one mainly varying it current consumption.
This contributing to over all instrument current consumption increase.
Naturally an hall effect sensor this is also connected to a Gain amplifier.
Long story in sort, this is a dance for two.
Either way, KYORITSU engineers, they got in to such detail, mostly so to explain overall current consumption.
Battery source this should be an 9V Alkaline, and when measuring DCA, this will last fewer hours, than measuring ACA ( 12H VS 27H ).
From the other hand, they are using a very specific hall effect sensor for 2A measuring range.
https://www.kew-ltd.co.jp/en/products/detail/00034/ (https://www.kew-ltd.co.jp/en/products/detail/00034/)
And therefore, we have here a new technological sample, this representing conditions that apply at few clamp meter or probes, these able to measure very low current at DCA.
PICO TA189, this might be a similar electronic design?
Food for thought ;)