1 |
On Thu, 2006-08-03 at 20:58 -0700, Ow Mun Heng wrote: |
2 |
> On Fri, 2006-08-04 at 13:20 +0930, Iain Buchanan wrote: |
3 |
|
4 |
> > They're great devices - you can often |
5 |
> > buy a multimeter (every geek should have one :) with a current clamp (or |
6 |
> > transducer) thrown in. That way you have no wiring, no inline plugs, |
7 |
> > and you won't even have to turn the PC off to install it! |
8 |
> |
9 |
> Dang. I have to kick myself for calling myself a Geek. |
10 |
|
11 |
yeah, I have sore shins too... |
12 |
|
13 |
> > Here's one that is just a current clamp [fluke.com.au]: |
14 |
> > http://www.fluke.com.au/auen/products/Fluke+320.htm?catalog_name=FlukeAustralia |
15 |
> > but you can buy a normal multimeter with the option too... |
16 |
> |
17 |
> Hmm.. How does it work? Perhaps a google search or go through |
18 |
> howstuffswork.com would help. |
19 |
|
20 |
how does it work or how do you use it? You use it by clipping the |
21 |
"claws" around one wire that you're interested in... |
22 |
|
23 |
um, I just came across a problem - it won't work with an AC power cord, |
24 |
because you have active and neutral both going through the clamp in |
25 |
opposite directions, hence they'll cancel each other out. You need only |
26 |
the active going through the clamp... oh well, it was a nice idea. |
27 |
|
28 |
But "how it works" (with AC) is something like this: AC produces a |
29 |
field around the wire as it "flows". This field in turn will induce a |
30 |
current in a wire placed close to it. Loop a wire (transducer) around |
31 |
another wire (AC current flow), and you can inference the change in |
32 |
current in the original wire by measuring the current flow in the loop. |
33 |
|
34 |
It doesn't work with DC, as DC doesn't create a field (at least, not |
35 |
when it's steady. When switching on and off a DC device, you'll still |
36 |
get a change in current) |
37 |
|
38 |
IANAE(lectrician), so this might be complete bunkum, but that's how I |
39 |
remember it anyway. |
40 |
|
41 |
HTH, |
42 |
-- |
43 |
Iain Buchanan <iaindb at netspace dot net dot au> |
44 |
|
45 |
Truth is free, but information costs. |
46 |
|
47 |
-- |
48 |
gentoo-user@g.o mailing list |