11/28/24, 8:45 AM How To Calibrate Clamp Meter - TUNKIA

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How To Calibrate Clamp Meter

Views: 476 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2023-09-15 Origin: Site

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1. What is Clamp Meter

Clamp meter is a widely used instrument in high current measurement scenarios
such as power maintenance, industrial testing, etc. This article discusses and
analyze its typical calibration methods.

2. The Principle and Classification of Clamp Meter

2.1 Working Principle of Clamp Meter
Clamp meter is a kind of meter which measures the current value by putting the open and
close magnetic circuit on the current-carrying conductor, and the current value of the
measured circuit can be obtained without disconnecting the circuit during the
measurement. Its working principle is to determine the relationship between the magnetic
field strength around the current-carrying conductor and the current through Biosaval's
Law. Knowing that the current in an infinite conductor is I, the magnetic flux density
generated at point A, which is r from the current-carrying conductor, is calculated
according to equation (1):

B: Magnetic flux density at point A in Tesla(T);

μo: Constant, magnetic permeability in vacuum, (4πX10-
7H/m)
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H: Magnetic field strength at point A in amperes (A/m)

I: Current flowing through the conductor (A)
r: Vertical distance from point A to the center of the
conductor in meters (m).

From equation (1), it can be seen that the magnetic flux density at a specific location
around a current-carrying conductor is directly proportional to the magnitude of the
current value and inversely proportional to the distance between that location and the
conductor.
Therefore, the current value can be measured indirectly through the measurement of
magnetic flux density, measurement of the conductor is often perpendicular to the clamp
ammeter jaws through the geometric center (see Fig 2).

2.2 Classification of Clamp Meters

According to the principle of measurement, clamp meter can be divided into mutual
inductance, Hall effect type and magnetic modulation type. Here are the principles of
measurement objects and characteristics:

Table 1 The description of principles of the measurement of clamp meter

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Measurement Magnetic
Mutual Inductance Hall Effect
Principle Modulation
Measurement
AC Current AC/ DC Current AC/ DC Current
Objects

Poor accuracy, Fine accuracy,

Features AC only linearity, slow linearity, quick
response time response time

2.3 Typical Parameter

Current Measurement Range: up to
Frequency: DC, 45Hz ~ 1kHz
2kA

Other Function: AC/DC Voltage;

Accuracy Class: Class 0.2 ~ 0.5 power(output); DC resistance;
capacitors, etc.

3. Clamp Meter Calibration Methods and

Comparative Analysis
3.1 Measurement and Error Analysis
The working principle of the clamp ammeter is to indirectly measure the current by
detecting the magnetic field. The ideal calibration method is to use a standard current
source to apply a test current to an infinitely long wire and make the wire pass vertically
through the geometry of the clamp meter being calibrated. center. However, in actual
work, the wire cannot be infinitely long, which will bring certain errors.

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As shown in Fig 3, the magnetic flux density B0 generated by the conductor W0 at point P
is calculated according to equation (2); and the magnetic flux density BX generated by the
conductor W1 at point P is calculated according to equation (3)

B0: Magnetic flux density at point P in the theoretical model, in Tesla (T)
μo: Constant, magnetic permeability in vacuum, (4πX10-7H/m)
I: Current flowing through the current-carrying wire in amperes (A).
r: Vertical distance from point P to the center of the current-carrying wire (m)
BX : The flux density at point P in Tesla (T).
Θ: The angle between the line between point P and the end point of the current-carrying
conductor and the current-carrying conductor, in degrees.(o)

The value of current measured by a clamp meter is proportional to the magnetic flux
density it detects, and this gives the system relative error γ (%) due to finite-length
current-carrying conductors according to the equation (4).

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In practice, the clamp meter used to measure the current of a finite length of wire will
produce an error, Fig 5 shows a list of different values of D and L under the error γ (%):
Fig. 5 Errors for different values of D and L

As can be seen from the figure:

• The larger the diameter D of the clamp meter detection coil, the larger the systematic
error generated by the measurement;
• When the clamp meter detection coil diameter D is fixed, the clamp current output ring
of the current-carrying wire length L is larger, the smaller the systematic error.

3.2 Equivalent Ampere-Turns Method of Clamp Meter

Calibration
Clamp meter calibration requires a high-precision standard high-current source as the
primary current, but the design and manufacture of high-precision AC and DC high-current
sources of 1kA level is difficult and costly, so the equivalent ampere-turns method is usually
used in the early days for calibration.

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The equivalent ampere-turns method is to pass a standard current source of tens of

amperes through a multi-turn coil and through the jaws of the clamp meter to be
calibrated. At this time, the current detected by the clamp ammeter is:
Equivalent Ampere-Turns Current = Standard Current Source Current x Number Of Coil
Turns.

Fig. 6 Typical Structure of Equivalent Ampere-Turn Method Clamped Current Output Ring
w/2 represents the centerline distance between the C0 column and the C1 and C2
columns, and h represents the height of the centerline of the current-carrying conductor
of the clamped current output ring.
During the winding process, good insulation should be maintained between turns and
turns, and the entire clamped current output ring fabrication should be kept as
centrosymmetric as possible.

Equivalent ampere-turns method is affected by leakage current, coil shape, external

magnetic field and other factors. and the accuracy is low. When the number of turns
increases, rapid square-fold increase in inductance, which raises high requirements for the
calibration source's ability to carry inductive loads. This type of calibration is only suitable
for calibration of low accuracy clamp meters.

3.3 Single-Turn Method of Clamp Meter Calibration

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The single-turn method is a method of calibrating a clamp meter by passing a large kA

level current through the jaws of the clamp meter via a single-turn standard current ring. A
typical single-turn method clamp-on current ring output structure is shown in Fig 7.

A copper ring should maintain A-A 'into the axis of symmetry, and the diameter is not less
than 1m, and the current source terminals should maintain a reliable and firm connection
and good contact. The temperature rise should be no more than 20°C during continuous
high current operation.
The copper ring used in the single-turn method of is convenient to disassemble, which
makes it easy to calibrate the device for AC and DC current measurements using a high-
grade core-piercing current transformer or DC comparator. During calibration, the
uncertainty of the high-level traceability device should not be greater than 1/4 of the
absolute value of the allowable error of the calibration device, and the geometric center of
the core should be placed where the clamp meter jaws are placed. The single-turn method
is the main method for calibrating clamp ammeters, which is in line with the development
direction of high accuracy levels of clamp ammeters.
Table 2 Comparison of single-turn and equivalent ampere-turn methods
Equivalent Ampere-Turns
Calibration Method Single-Turn Method
Method
Applicable Accuracy High, low accuracy Low accuracy

Traceability Easy Hard

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Low, medium and high

Frequency Low frequency
frequency

Future Development Promising Limited

4. TUNKIA Solution: TD1050 Calibration Device for

Clamp Meter
Model TD1050 Calibration Device for Clamp Meter
• Accuracy: Class 0.05
• DC current: 10 mA ~ 1050 A/2100 A
• AC current output: 10 mA ~ 1020 A/2050 A
Features
• DC voltage output(optional): 20 mV ~ 1100 V
• AC voltage output(optional): 1 V ~ 825 V
• Frequency: 40 Hz ~ 400 Hz

• AC/DC clamp meter calibration

• AC/DC Voltmeter calibration
Application
• DC Resistance Meter calibration
• AC/DC Power Meter calibration

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How to Calibrate Clamp Meter

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