Fluke 1630-2 User manual

February 2017
©2017 Fluke Corporation. All rights reserved.
Specifications are subject to change without notification.
All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.
1630-2/1630-2 FC
Earth Ground Clamp
Users Manual

1
Introduction
The Fluke 1630-2/1630-2 FC Earth Ground Clamp (the
Product or Clamp) is a handheld, battery-operated clamp that
measures the ground resistance without auxiliary ground rods
and AC leakage current. The Clamp is used in multi-grounded
systems without disconnecting the ground under test.
The Clamp supports these applications:
• Earth resistance and AC leakage current tests of high
voltage pylons, buildings, cell phone substations, and RF
transmitters
• Inspection of lightning protection systems
The 1630-2 FC supports the Fluke ConnectWireless System
(may not be available in all regions). Fluke Connect is a
system that wirelessly connects your Clamp with an app on
your smartphone or tablet. The app shows the ground
resistance measurements on your smartphone or tablet
display. You can save these measurements and images to
Fluke ConnectCloud storage and share with your team. For
more information, see Fluke Connect Wireless System on
page 17.
Your shipment includes:
• 1630-2 or 1630-2 FC Earth Ground Clamp
• AA alkaline batteries, IEC LR6 (x4, installed)
• Resistance test/check loop
• Safety Information and Quick Reference Guide (go to
www.fluke.com to download the 1630-2/1630-2 FC Users
Manual).
• Carrying Case
How to Contact Fluke
To contact Fluke, call one of the following telephone numbers:
• Technical Support USA: 1-800-44-FLUKE
(1-800-443-5853)
• Calibration/Repair USA: 1-888-99-FLUKE
(1-888-993-5853)
• Canada: 1-800-36-FLUKE (1-800-363-5853)
• Europe: [phone]
• Japan: [phone]
• Singapore: [phone]
• Anywhere in the world: [phone]
Or, visit Fluke's website at www.fluke.com.
To register your product, visit http://register.fluke.com.
To view, print, or download the latest manual supplement, visit
http://us.fluke.com/usen/support/manuals.

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
2
Safety Information
A Warning identifies conditions and procedures that are
dangerous to the user. A Caution identifies conditions and
procedures that can cause damage to the Product or the
equipment under test.
 Warning
To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, or
personal injury:
• Carefully read all instructions.
• Read all safety information before you use the
Product.
• Do not alter the Product and use only as
specified, or the protection supplied by the
Product can be compromised.
• Do not use the Product around explosive gas,
vapor, or in damp or wet environments.
• Before each use, examine the Product. Look for
cracks or missing pieces of the clamp housing
or output cable insulation. Also look for loose or
weakened components. Carefully examine the
insulation around the jaws.
• Comply with local and national safety codes.
Use personal protective equipment (approved
rubber gloves, face protection, and flame-
resistant clothes) to prevent shock and arc blast
injury where hazardous live conductors are
exposed.
• Use Product-approved measurement category
(CAT), voltage, and amperage rated accessories
(probes, test leads, and adapters) for all
measurements.
• Do not use the Product if it is altered or
damaged.
• Disable the Product if it is damaged.
• Do not use the Product if it operates incorrectly.

Earth Ground Clamp
Safety Information
3
• Do not use the Product above its rated
frequency.
• Limit operation to the specified measurement
category, voltage, or amperage ratings.
• Do not touch voltages >30 V ac rms, 42 V ac
peak, or 60 V dc.
• Hold the Product behind the tactile barrier.
• The battery door must be closed and locked
before you operate the Product.
• Replace the batteries when the low battery
indicator shows to prevent incorrect
measurements.
• Remove the batteries if the Product is not used
for an extended period of time, or if stored in
temperatures above 50 °C. If the batteries are
not removed, battery leakage can damage the
Product.
• Do not operate the Product with covers
removed or the case open. Hazardous voltage
exposure is possible.
• Repair the Product before use if the battery
leaks.
• Use only specified replacement parts.
• Have an approved technician repair the
Product.
• Remove the input signals before you clean the
Product.
• Do not operate within external low frequency
magnetic fields >30A/m.
Symbols used on the Product and in this manual are
explained in Table 1.

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
4
Table 1. Symbols
Symbol Description Symbol Description
WARNING. RISK OF DANGER. Battery
WARNING. HAZARDOUS
VOLTAGE. Risk of electric shock. Certified by CSA Group to North American safety standards.
Consult user documentation. Conforms to European Union directives.
Application around and removal
from uninsulated hazardous live
conductors is permitted. Conforms to relevant Australian EMC standards.
Double Insulated Certified by TÜV SÜD Product Service.
Do not operate within external low
frequency magnetic fields >30A/m. Conforms to relevant South Korean EMC Standards.
China metrology certification mark for measuring instruments manufactured in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
Measurement Category III is applicable to test and measuring circuits connected to the distribution part of the
building’s low-voltage MAINS installation.
Measurement Category IV is applicable to test and measuring circuits connected at the source of the building’s low-
voltage MAINS installation.

This product complies with the WEEE Directive marking requirements. The affixed label indicates that you must not
discard this electrical/electronic product in domestic household waste. Product Category: With reference to the
equipment types in the WEEE Directive Annex I, this product is classed as category 9 "Monitoring and Control
Instrumentation" product. Do not dispose of this product as unsorted municipal waste.

Earth Ground Clamp
Before You Start
5
Before You Start
This section is information to know before you use the Clamp.
 Warning
To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, or
personal injury:
• For optimal readings, make sure the conductor
is positioned between the alignment marks on
the jaws.
• Make sure the jaws are perpendicular to the
conductor.
• Do not use the HOLD function to measure
unknown potentials. When HOLD is turned on,
the display does not change when a different
potential is measured.
• Replace the batteries as soon as the low
battery indicator appears.
Power On/Off
The Clamp has a power on/off button:
1. Push to turn on the Clamp.
2. Push and hold >2 s. to turn off the Clamp.
If Auto-Off Power is turned on, the Clamp turns off after
20 minutes of no use. See Power Auto-Off on page 11 for
more information about how to set this feature.
Display Features and Controls
See Table 2 and Table 3 for the display features and button
controls.

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
6
Table 2. Display Features
Item Description Item Description

Fluke Connect

Measurement value or
custom setting

Hold

Ohms function

ID#

Current in mA or A

Alarm

Current type is AC

Set Time

Memory in use

Indicator for noise in
ground electrode/rod

Filter is on
(bandwidth 40 Hz to 70 Hz)

Battery

Logging Interval settings

Date/Time format

Jaws open

Date/Time/ID number

Setting or explore for LOG
124
3567
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

Earth Ground Clamp
Before You Start
7
Table 3. Controls
Item Description

Jaw

Tactile barrier

Fluke Connect(radio) on/off

Record measurements

Hold the displayed value

LCD

Backlight

Filter on/off

Enter

Value increment/decrement

Change Clamp settings

Select type of measurement

Power on/off

Alarm

Jaw trigger

Jaw trigger lock
1
3
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
15
4
10
13
14
2
16

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
8
Setup
Push to change these settings:
• Log interval
• Alarm threshold
• Time
• Clamp settings
Log Interval
The time interval for data logging is the time between
measurements.
To set the log interval:
1. Push until LOG INTERVAL shows in the display. See
Figure 1.
The interval is shown in minutes:seconds format and is
adjustable from 00:00 to 59:59.
2. Push to enable the change mode. The digits start to
blink.
3. Push / to increment/decrement the interval by
1 second.
4. After you select the value, push until the digits stop
blinking.
5. Push to go back to the measurement mode.
Figure 1. Log Interval

Earth Ground Clamp
Setup
9
Alarm Threshold
In alarm mode, the display shows ALARM and the beeper
sounds when the measurement is outside the set threshold.
The Clamp compares the reading with the high and low
values. If the reading is larger than the high value, the Clamp
beeps and shows -- on the display. If the reading is less
than the low value, the Clamp beeps and -- shows on the
display.
To set the alarm threshold:
1. Push until ALARM shows in the display. See Figure 2.
2. Push to select the type as Amps HI, Amps LO,
Ohms LO, or Ohms HI.
3. Push / to increment/decrement the value.
4. Push to confirm the current input and move to the
next setting.
5. Push to go back to the measurement mode.
Figure 2. Alarm Functions

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
10
Time/Clock
The Clamp has a time setting that is used as a timestamp for
logged data.
To check or adjust the time setting:
1. Push until TIME shows in the display. See Figure 3.
2. Push until the digit you want to change starts to blink.
3. Push / to increment/decrement the value of the
blinking digit.
4. After you select the value, push until the digits stop
blinking.
5. Push to go back to the measurement mode.
Figure 3. Time Setting
Clamp Settings
The Clamp has a Setup menu for these subfunctions:
• Backlight auto-off
• Power auto-off
• Firmware version
Backlight Auto-Off
A backlight on the display improves visibility in dim light. To
conserve battery power, turn off the backlight.
To change the backlight option:
1. Push until :shows on the display. See Figure 4.
2. Push / to toggle the setting between on and off.
The display updates to show the current setting:
• On: backlight turns off after 2 minutes
• Off: backlight does not turn off
Figure 4. Backlight Setting
3. Push to confirm the current input and move to the
next setting.
4. Push to go back to the measurement mode.

Earth Ground Clamp
Setup
11
Power Auto-Off
To save battery power, you can set the clamp to automatically
turn off the power after 20 minutes of no use.
To change the Auto-Off option:
1. Push until :shows on the display.
2. Push until :shows on the display. See Figure 5.
3. Push / to toggle the setting between on and off.
The display updates to show the current setting:
• On: Clamp turns off after 20 minutes
• Off: Clamp does not turn off
Figure 5. Auto-Off Power Setting
4. Push to confirm the current input and move to the
next setting.
5. Push to go back to the measurement mode.
Firmware Version
To view the firmware version for the Clamp:
1. Push until :shows on the display.
2. Push until :and the version number shows on the
display. See Figure 6.
Figure 6. Firmware Version
3. Push to go back to the measurement mode.

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
12
How to Use the Clamp
This section is about how to set up the Clamp for Earth
resistance tests, AC leakage current measurements, and the
Fluke ConnectWireless System.
The Clamp includes a trigger lock on the trigger. Push the jaw
trigger lock and trigger together to open the jaw.
Ground Resistance Measurements
The Clamp generates a voltage to the system under test and
the induced current in the system is measured by the Clamp.
The Clamp uses Ohm's Law (R=U/I) to automatically calculate
the resistance measurement.
To check the Clamp before ground resistance measurements:
1. Position the Jaw on the Standard Loop Resistance. See
Figure 7.
Figure 7. Standard Loop Resistance

Earth Ground Clamp
How to Use the Clamp
13
2. Verify that the display reading is within specification, see
Table 4.
• If the reading is not within specification, clean the
heads of the Jaw and repeat step 1 and step 2.
• If the reading is within specification, remove the Jaw
from the Standard Loop Resistance. The Clamp is
ready for a ground resistance measurement.
For ground resistance measurements:
1. Open the jaw and make sure the jaw is free of dust, dirt, or
any foreign substances.
2. Turn on the Clamp.
3. Push to select the Ωfunction.
4. Attach the Clamp to the electrode or ground rod to be
measured.
5. Read the value of Rg(ground resistance) from the
display. Figure 8 illustrates the ground resistance
measurement principles.
Table 4. Display Reading Specifications
Input (Ω) Minimum Maximum
0.474 0.417 0.531
0.5 0.443 0.558
10 9.55 10.45
100 96.0 104.0

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
14
Note
• If >3 A is found in the ground rod, NOISE shows on the
display and the Clamp beeps. When noise is present,
the Clamp reading is not valid.
• If the jaw assembly is opened during measurement,
shows on the display.
Figure 8. Ground Resistance Measurement Principles
R 1
R g
R g
Equivalent circuit diagram:
Ground resistance measurements principle:
R 2 .....R n
.....R n
R g
R 1 R 2 R 3
Ground resistance measurement principle:
Equivalent circuit diagram:

Earth Ground Clamp
How to Use the Clamp
15
AC Leakage Current Measurement
Based on the electromagnetic induction principle, the Clamp
has a ring-shape current transformer comprised of a metal
core and coil winding. The current transformer senses the
magnetic field produced by the current or by the vector sum of
the currents flowing in the conductor under test. The current
transformer then produces a current proportional to the current
flowing in the conductor.
For an AC leakage current measurement test:
1. Open the jaw and make sure the jaw is free of dust, dirt, or
any foreign substances.
2. Turn on the Clamp.
3. Push to select the Afunction.
4. Attach the Clamp to the electrode, conductor, or ground
rod for measurement. Figure 9 shows several connection
types for an AC leakage current measurement.
5. Read the value of the leakage current on the display.
Figure 9. AC Leakage Current Measurement
Load
Load
Load
Grounding Wire
Load
Insert only one of the wires
through the jaws
Load Current Measurement
Single-Phase
Three-Wire or
Three-Phase
Three-Wire Circuit
Single-Phase
Two-Wire Circuit
Single-Phase
Two-Wire Circuit Single-Phase
Three-Wire or Three-Phase
Three-Wire Circuit
Load Current Measurement
Grounding Wire
Insert only one of the wires
through the jaws
Load
Load
Load
Load

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
16
Logging Measurements
The Clamp records data over time and saves >2000
measurements in memory at the set logging interval.
To start logging measurements, push .The display shows
to indicate that measurement logging is in progress See
Figure 10.
Figure 10. Logging Measurements
Measurements are recorded at the sampling interval you
specified. See Log Interval on page 8 for more information.
Logging stops when:
• Clamp memory is full
• Clamp detects a low battery
• You push again
Note
If the sampling interval is set at 0 seconds, only one
data point is recorded. To record the next data point,
press again. The memory location is also
displayed for about 1 second.
Hold
Push to freeze the measurement value on the display.
Push again to continue and take measurements.
Filter
Push to toggle the filter on and off in the leakage current
measurement mode. When shows on the display, the
clamp can isolate the 50/60 Hz fundamental frequency from
the harmonics.
AC

Earth Ground Clamp
How to Use the Clamp
17
Fluke Connect Wireless System
The 1630-2 FC supports the Fluke ConnectWireless System
(may not be available in all regions). Fluke Connectuses
low-power 802.15.4 wireless radio technology to connect the
Clamp with an app on your smartphone or tablet. The wireless
radio does not cause interference with meter measurements.
The app shows measurements from the connected Clamp on
your smartphone or tablet display, saves to Fluke Connect
Cloud™ storage, and shares the information with your team.
Radio Frequency Data
Note
Changes or modifications to the wireless 2.4 GHz
radio not expressly approved by Fluke Corporation
could void the user’s authority to operate the
equipment.
For complete information about radio frequency data, go to
www.fluke.com/manuals and search for “Radio Frequency
Data Class B”.
Fluke ConnectApp
The Fluke Connectapp works with Apple and Android mobile
products. The app is available for download to your smart
device from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
To use Fluke Connect:
1. Turn on the Clamp. See Figure 11.
2. Press to activate the radio on the Clamp. shows on
the display.
3. On your smartphone, go to Settings > Bluetooth.
Verify that Bluetooth is turned on.
4. Go to the Fluke Connect App and in the list of connected
Fluke tools, select 1630-2FC.
You can now take, save, and share measurements with
the app. Go to www.flukeconnect.com for more
information about how to use the app.

1630-2/1630-2 FC
Users Manual
18
Figure 11. Fluke Connect
iOS
Settings
Android
Settings Bluetooth
On
/>
Connect
Fluke Connect
®
2
13
5
47
6Blink = 4-5 s
On
On
Blink = 4-5 s

Earth Ground Clamp
Memory
19
Memory
You can log >2000 measurements in the Clamp memory.
View Memory
To view logged measurements in memory:
1. Push and hold >2 s to go the view memory mode.
The most recent logged measurement shows on the
display with an ID#. See Figure 12.
Figure 12. Logged Measurements
2. Press / to go to the next or previous ID# (memory
location). The ID# rolls over when you reach the first or
last record.
3. Push to toggle the display to show the time or date
for the logged measurement. See Figure 13.
Figure 13. Timestamp
Clear Memory
To clear the memory:
1. In measurement mode, simultaneously push and hold
/ .
2. Push to confirm and finish the clear action.
The clamp automatically goes back to measurement
mode.