Extech Instruments MA61 User manual

USERGUIDE
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TrueRMSMiniClampMeters
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MA6160AACClampMeter
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MA6360AAC/DCClampMeter

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Introduction
ThankyouforselectingtheExtechInstrumentsTrueRMSMiniClampMeter.TheMA61
measuresACCurrentwhiletheMA63measuresACandDCCurrent.Bothmetersalsomeasure
AC/DCVoltage,Frequency,Resistance,Capacitance,Diode,andContinuity.
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TheMiniClampMetersmeasurecurrentinthreeACranges600mA,6000mA,and60A.The
MA63onlymeasuresDCcurrentintworanges6000mADCand60ADC.
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TheclampmetersofferadvancedfeaturesthatincludesNCV(non‐contactvoltage)detection
andVFC(variablefrequencycontrol)thatinsertsalowpassfilterinthemeasurementcircuit.
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Thisdeviceisshippedfullytestedandcalibratedand,withproperuse,willprovideyearsof
reliableservice.Pleasevisitourwebsite(www.extech.com)tocheckforthelatestversionofthis
UserGuide,ProductUpdates,ProductRegistration,andCustomerSupport.

Features
•TrueRMSforaccuratereadingsofnoisy,distorted,ornon‐sinusoidalwaveforms
•ModelMA61forACCurrent,AC/DCVoltageMeasurements,andRelativefunction
ModelMA63forAC/DCCurrent/VoltageMeasurements,andZerofunction
Frequency,Resistance,andCapacitanceMeasurements
•Compact0.7"(17mm)jawsizeaccommodatesconductorsupto300MCM
•VariableFrequencyControl(VFC):Lowpassfilterforaccuratemeasurementofvariable
frequencydrivesignalsbyfilteringhigh‐frequencyinterference.
•Built‐inNon‐ContactVoltage(NCV)detector
•Fullrangeoverloadprotection
•6000countbacklitLCDdisplay
•DataHoldfreezesreadingondisplay
•LowbatteryindicatorandAutoPowerOfffeaturewithdisable
•CATII‐600VCATIII‐300Vsafetyrating
•Completewithtestleads,carryingcase,andtwoAAAbatteries

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Safety
TheproductdesignmeetsIEC/EN61010‐1andEN61010‐2‐033.PleasereadtheUserGuide
beforeuseandcomplywithallsafetyinstructions.
ThisproductconformstoULStandards61010‐1,61010‐2‐030,61010‐2‐032,61010‐2‐033andis
CertifiedtoCSAstandardsC22.2no.61010‐1,61010‐2‐030andIECstandards61010‐2‐032and
61010‐2‐033.
SafetyNotices
1. PleaseusetheclampmeteraccordingtothisUserGuideotherwisethebuilt‐inprotections
maybecompromised.
2. Pleasecomplywithwithnationalsafetyregulationswithregardtowearingpersonal
protectiveattireandgeartoavoidinjurayanddamagecausedbyarcdischargingincases
wheretheliveconductorisexposed.
3. Donotallowthefingersorthehandabovetheprotectivefingerguardwhiletesting.
4. Pleasechecktheclampmeterhousing,buttons,switches,andinsulatedwiresforcracksor
otherdamagebeforeeachuse.Serviceorreplaceifnecessary.
5. Pleaseremovetheclampmeterfromalllivecircuitsanddisconnectthetestleadsbefore
removingtherearbatterycompartmentcover.
6. Pleasedonotusetheclampmetertomeasuressignalsgreaterthan600Vorfrequencies
higherthan400Hz.
7. Over‐voltagelevel:CATII600V;CATIII300V,pollutionclass2.
8. Workingnearexposedconductorsmustbedonesousingthehighestcaution.Such
conductorspresentalethalelectricshockhazard.
9. Usecautionmeasuringvoltageequaltoorgreaterthan60VDC,30VACor42VAC(peak)as
thesepresenttheriskofelectricshock.
10. Thisdevicehasamaximummeasurementvoltagelimitof600Vandthesafetystandard
complieswithCE/ETLcertification(EN61010‐1,EN61010‐2‐033,andEN61010‐2‐032).
InternationalSafetySymbols

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MeterDescription
1. ClampJaws
2. MeasuredConductor
3. NCVNon‐ContactVoltageDetectorlamp
4. FunctionSelectSwitch
5. MODEButton
6. LCDDisplay
7. COMInputTestLeadTerminal
8. PositiveInputTestLeadTerminal
9. REL(Relative)buttononMA61;ZERObuttononMA63
10. DisplayHold/backlightbutton
11. Jawtriggeropen/closecontrol
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Fig‐1MeterParts
1
23 4 5 6
7
8
910
11
ControlButtonsDescription
ButtonDescription
PressandholdtoselectVFC(variablefrequencycontrol,lowpassfilter)
MA63only:ShortpresstoselectDC,ACorFrequency(Hz)
MA63only;PresstoaccesstheZEROmode
MA61only;PresstoaccesstheRelativemode
Shortpresstofreeze/unfreezethedisplayedreading
PressandholdtotogglethebacklightON‐OFF

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Function Switch Description
MODELMA61
1. NCV:Non‐ContactVoltageDetector
2. 60AACMeasurements
3. 600mAACMeasurements
4. 6000mAACMeasurements
5. Resistance,Diode,Continuity,andCapacitanceMeasurements
6. ACorDCVoltageandFrequencyMeasurement
7. POWEROFFselection
8. FunctionSelectorDial
MODELMA63
9. NCV:Non‐ContactVoltageDetector
10. 60AACwithFrequencyorDCMeasurements
11. 600mAACwithFrequencyorDCMeasurements
12. 6000mAACwithFrequencyorDCMeasurements
13. Resistance,Diode,Continuity,andCapacitanceMeasurements
14. ACorDCVoltageandFrequencyMeasurements
15. POWEROFFselection
16. FunctionSelectorDial
Fig‐2FunctionSwitch
1
2
3
4
5
6
78
9
10
11
12
13
14
15 16
Model MA61 Model MA63

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Display Icon Descriptions
LowBattery
TrmsTrueRMSmeasurement
DCDirectcurrent
ACAlternatingcurrent
AUTOAutomaticrange
‐ Minussign;negativereading
)))AudibleContinuitymode
Diodetest
HDisplayhold
AutoPowerOFF(APO)icon(switchesoffwhenAPOisdisabled)
ZERO/RELZero(MA63)andRelative(MA61)functions
VFCVariableFrequencyControl(lowpassfilter)forACVoltage/Current
EFNCV(Non‐ContactVoltage)Detector(EF:ElectromotiveForce)
mA,AAmpere:Unitofcurrent
mV,VVolt:Unitofvoltage
Ω,kΩ,MΩOhm:Unitofresistance
F,µF,nF Farad:Unitofcapacitance
O.LOver‐rangemeasurement
Measurementunitprefixes
m(milli‐)10‐3
µ(micro‐)10‐6
n(nano‐)10‐9
k(kilo‐)103
M(mega‐)106


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Operation
MeterPower
Caution:Donotusethemeterwithbatterycompartmentopenorunsecured.
Theclampmeterispoweredbytwo(2)AAAbatteries.Thebatterycompartmentislocatedonthe
backofthemeter.ThebatterycompartmentissecuredbyonePhillipsheadscrew.Refertothe
BatteryReplacementsectionlaterinthisguideformoreinformation.
AutomaticPowerOFF(APO)
Themeterautomaticallyswitchesoffafter15minutesofinactivity.Beforeswitchingoff,themeter
beepsseveraltimestoalerttheuser.TodisableAPO,holddowntheMODEbuttonwhilepowering
upthemeter.Themeterwillbeepfive(5)timesindicatingthatAPOisdisabled;releasethebutton.
NotethattheAPOiconisnotvisibleonthedisplaywhenAPOisdisabled.APOisre‐enabledon
thenextcyclingofmeterpower.
CurrentMeasurements‐ClampingTechnique
Clamparoundonlyoneconductor.RefertoFig‐3below.Thediagramatleftiscorrectandthe
diagramatrightisincorrect.



Fig‐3CorrectandIncorrectClampingTechniques

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ACCurrentMeasurements
WARNING:Toavoidelectricshock,disconnectthetestleadsfromthemeterbeforemaking
currentmeasurements.
CAUTION:ObserveCATII600V,CATIII300VwithrespecttoEarthGroundfortheJaw.
1. SettheFunctionswitchtothe600mA,6000mA,or60Arange.
2. FortheMA63,shortpresstheMODEbuttontoSelectAC,Frequency(orDC)
3. PresstheTriggertoopentheclampjaw.
4. Clampontoasingleconductor(fullyenclosingit).Donotallowagapbetweenthetwohalves
ofthejaw.RefertoFig‐3earlierintheOperationsection.
5. Whenmeasuringvariablefrequencydevices,pressandholdtheVFCbuttontostart/stop
measuringwiththelowpassfilter.
6. ReadtheACAvalueontheLCD.
DCCurrentMeasurements(MA63only)
WARNING:Toavoidelectricshock,disconnectthetestleadsfromthemeterbeforemaking
currentmeasurements.
CAUTION:ObserveCATII600V,CATIII300VwithrespecttoEarthGroundfortheJaw.
1. SettheFunctionswitchtothe600mA,
6000mA,or60Arange.
2. UsetheMODEbuttontoselectDC.
3. PresstheZERObuttonseveraltimestonull
themeterdisplaywithoutaconductorin
theclampjaw.Zerothemeterwiththe
clampheldinthesameorientationasthe
actualmeasurement(seeFig‐4).
4. PresstheTriggertoopenthecurrentsense
Jaw.
7. Fullyencloseasingleconductor.Donot
allowagapbetweenthetwohalvesofthe
jaw.RefertoFig‐3earlierinthisguide.
5. ReadtheDCAvalueontheLCD.



Fig‐4CorrectandIncorrectZERO
techniques
ZERO
ZERO

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FrequencyMeasurements
WARNING:Toavoidelectricshock,disconnectthetestleadsfromthemeterbeforemaking
currentmeasurements.
CAUTION:ObserveCATII600V,CATIII300VwithrespecttoEarthGroundfortheJaw.
1. SettheFunctionswitchtotheHzposition.
2. PresstheTriggertoopenthejawandfullyencloseoneconductor.RefertotheFig‐3inthe
CurrentClamptechniquesectionabove.
3. ReadtheFrequencymeasurementontheLCDinHz.
VoltageMeasurements
WARNING:Donotapply>600VAC/DCbetweenthemeter’sterminalsandearthground
CAUTION:Whenconnectingthetestleadstothecircuitordeviceundertest,connectthe
blackleadbeforethered;whenremovingthetestleads,removetheredbeforetheblacklead.
ACVoltageMeasurements
1. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegative
(COM)jackandtheredtestleadbananaplugintothe
positive(V/Ω)jack.
2. TurnthefunctionswitchtotheVposition.
3. UsetheMODEbuttontoselectACifnecessary.Usethe
MODEbuttontoalsoselectthefrequencyofthemeasured
voltage.
4. Touchthetestprobetipstothecircuitundertest.
5. Readthevalueinthedisplay.Thedisplaywillindicatethe
properdecimalpoint.




Fig‐5ACVOLTAGEMEASUREMENT

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DCVoltageMeasurements
1. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegative(COM)jackandtheredtestlead
bananaplugintothepositive(V/Ω)jack.
2. MovetheFunctionSwitchtotheVposition.
3. PresstheMODEbuttontoselectDCifnecessary.
4. Touchthetestprobetipstothecircuitundertest.Besureto
observethecorrectpolarity(redleadtopositive,blackleadto
negative).
5. Readthevoltageinthedisplay.Thedisplaywillindicatethe
properdecimalpointandvalue.Ifthepolarityisreversed,the
displaywillshow(‐)minusbeforethevalue.
6. ThemeteriscapableofdetectingDCvoltagesto600V.
7. Whenvoltageismeasured,theNCVvoltagedetectLEDwillbe
lit.

Fig‐6DCVOLTAGEMEASUREMENT



ResistanceMeasurements
Cautions:SwitchOFFpowertothedeviceundertestbeforemeasuring.Donottestoncircuits
ordeviceswhere60VDCor30VACispresent.
1. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegative
(COM)jack.Inserttheredtestleadbananaplugintothe
positive(V/Ω)jack.
2. TurntheFunctionSwitchtotheΩposition.
3. UsetheMODEbuttontoselecttheΩicononthedisplay
indicatingresistanceonly(withouttheaudiblecontinuity
iconshowing).
4. Touchthetestprobetipsacrossthecircuitorpartunder
test.Itisbesttodisconnectonesideofthepartundertest
sotherestofthecircuitwillnotinterferewiththe
resistancereading.
5. Readtheresistanceinthedisplay.Thedisplaywillindicate
theproperdecimalpointandvalue.
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Fig‐7RESISTANCEMEASUREMENT