"Richard Casady" wrote
Mine is a digital with a ten amp fuse on the Amp function. Fluke 87 as
a matter of fact. All the professional heating and cooling guys, and
the appliance repairman, seem to have one like it.

That's well and good, but an ammeter with a 10A fuse may not be very helpful
in a circuit that's tripping a 15A breaker. I think I'd start by removing
all the power and using the 87's ohm meter function.

On Sun, 9 Dec 2007 22:26:58 -0500, "Ernest Scribbler"
wrote:

"Richard Casady" wrote
Mine is a digital with a ten amp fuse on the Amp function. Fluke 87 as
a matter of fact. All the professional heating and cooling guys, and
the appliance repairman, seem to have one like it.

That's well and good, but an ammeter with a 10A fuse may not be very helpful
in a circuit that's tripping a 15A breaker. I think I'd start by removing
all the power and using the 87's ohm meter function.

A good digital you can plug it into a wall socket with it on Ohms
without damage.

Casady

"Richard Casady" wrote
an ammeter with a 10A fuse may not be very helpful
in a circuit that's tripping a 15A breaker

A good digital you can plug it into a wall socket with it on Ohms
without damage.

I'll keep that in mind in case I ever want to try it.

My point is that, at best, a current measurement in this case is only going
to tell you what you already know.

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:47:59 -0500, "Ernest Scribbler"
wrote:

"Richard Casady" wrote
an ammeter with a 10A fuse may not be very helpful
in a circuit that's tripping a 15A breaker

A good digital you can plug it into a wall socket with it on Ohms
without damage.

I'll keep that in mind in case I ever want to try it.

It isn't something you try. It's always carelessness. It's nice that
it survives a dumb move

My point is that, at best, a current measurement in this case is only going
to tell you what you already know.

That is true. At one time you could buy a shunt to extend the range on
a meter. I bet they still sell them.

Casady

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:02:24 GMT, (Richard
Casady) wrote:

That is true. At one time you could buy a shunt to extend the range on
a meter. I bet they still sell them.

Current shunts are widely available from a number of sources:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ac+current+shunts

Or you can make your own:

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/gadge...ts/shunts.html