Steevo Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Does anyone ever use any sort of clamp meter or similar check what current kit is drawing? Wondered if there was a simple way to get a pretty good indication of what you're asking of the power supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 [quote name='Steevo' post='1288483' date='Jul 1 2011, 01:06 AM']Does anyone ever use any sort of clamp meter or similar check what current kit is drawing? Wondered if there was a simple way to get a pretty good indication of what you're asking of the power supply.[/quote] Yes, but I'd never thought of using it on music kit. A clamp meter is definately the simplest and easiest way of discovering what current you are actually drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whizzzy Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 A clamp meter is one way but an alternative is something like this from Maplin - [email="http://www.maplin.co.uk/plug-in-mains-power-and-energy-monitor-38343"]Energy monitoring meter[/email] I use a slightly older version of this and works quite well. The thing to keep in mind however is depending upon how hard you are driving the amplifiers etc then the power consumption can rise dramatically depending upon the design of the amplifier. So if you are looking to find the highest consumption level or worst case scenario then you need to be running your amps at maximum gig volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thanks for the replies!I considered a Maplin type monitor a year or so back and actually bought one. The trouble is to change cables you've got to unplug everything meaning if you want to look at one cable, then another at the same time you'd have to have several meters. At least a clamp meter would mean you could test any cable you want at any time. Do you need to separate the cables when using a clamp meter, or can you put the whole 3-core cable in the clamp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 You have to just clamp one of them with my 1960s one, cant see much changing there though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 [quote name='Steevo' post='1288709' date='Jul 1 2011, 10:16 AM']Thanks for the replies!I considered a Maplin type monitor a year or so back and actually bought one. The trouble is to change cables you've got to unplug everything meaning if you want to look at one cable, then another at the same time you'd have to have several meters. At least a clamp meter would mean you could test any cable you want at any time. Do you need to separate the cables when using a clamp meter, or can you put the whole 3-core cable in the clamp?[/quote] You can do either - it's only interested in the live cable, the neutral and earth are ignored. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thanks! Looks like i'll have to give it a try.... I've always been interested to know the power consumption of equipment so as to be sure that venues have sufficient power sockets available. Although an amplifier/speaker is rated at 500w at 4ohm or whatever....does it actually draw this power? i.e. can you have a max of approx 6 x 500w cabinets on a single 13a socket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Depends on the design of the amplifier. It should say on the back of the amp what the power consumption is. If not as a rule of thumb expect the input power requirements to be twice the output power delivered. Therefore your 500W amp will draw approximately 1kW when run flat out (although solid state designs are more efficient than valves). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Thanks! Can you run a clamp meter on a speakon cable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Steevo' post='1289043' date='Jul 1 2011, 02:10 PM']Thanks! Can you run a clamp meter on a speakon cable?[/quote] Nope. They are designed to measure mains current. Edited July 1, 2011 by icastle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted July 1, 2011 Author Share Posted July 1, 2011 Ah, thanks. Sorry, I didn't know what voltage/current speakons run at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 [quote name='Steevo' post='1289105' date='Jul 1 2011, 02:53 PM']Ah, thanks. Sorry, I didn't know what voltage/current speakons run at.[/quote] Certainly not enough to provide a meaningful reading on a clamp meter. If you're looking to assess power consumption then you need to go for the mains lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablyth Posted July 2, 2011 Share Posted July 2, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Steevo' post='1288912' date='Jul 1 2011, 11:43 AM']Thanks! Looks like i'll have to give it a try.... I've always been interested to know the power consumption of equipment so as to be sure that venues have sufficient power sockets available. Although an amplifier/speaker is rated at 500w at 4ohm or whatever....does it actually draw this power? i.e. can you have a max of approx 6 x 500w cabinets on a single 13a socket?[/quote] 6x 500w cabinets will not draw 6x 500w. 6x 500w amps is potentially a different matter. A 13A socket can deliver slightly over 3kw continuously. So, if by magic your 6x 500w amps happened to peak at 500w power draw too (I'd be highly surprised if they were anything other than valve amps!), then yes indeed you could run them all off one socket, just. I would suggest, unless it's more the curiosity that is driving you, that you not worry about it if you have a 13A socket all to yourself. Personally I'm very interested in the numbers as I work for a company that provides solar power for festival tents and stages. Sadly I enjoy hearing how much current someones gear uses.. I would however suggest using a plug-in RCD, it'll throw a fit on dodgy sockets protecting you from spikey hair and smoking shoes, or worse. If you attach a clamp meter to one core of the cable it will show a positive current, if you attach it to the other it will show a negative current. The magnetic field a clamp meter measures travels the complete circuit of positive and neutral equally, so it cancels itself out if the meter is around both positive and neutral cores. In that situation it should show 0.0A current. You can only measure one cable core at a time. Unless you build a bunch of extension leads with separated cables, the plug in meter is far easier for AC mains. Edited July 2, 2011 by pablyth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steevo Posted July 2, 2011 Author Share Posted July 2, 2011 [quote name='pablyth' post='1289817' date='Jul 2 2011, 02:55 AM']6x 500w cabinets will not draw 6x 500w. 6x 500w amps is potentially a different matter. A 13A socket can deliver slightly over 3kw continuously. So, if by magic your 6x 500w amps happened to peak at 500w power draw too (I'd be highly surprised if they were anything other than valve amps!), then yes indeed you could run them all off one socket, just.[/quote] You've utterly confused me with the first part....but the second paragraph goes along with exactly what i was thinking. Curious, maybe....but definately cautious. I prefer knowing i'm in the right about things, rather than muddling along as i go hoping that things will be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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