Bizarre reading on my amp meter

[Gameface]

I recently rewired my control panel after having to replace the main contactor. Long story short, my amp meter is reading the amps pulled by the pumps correctly, but it's not reading the amps pulled by the heating elements at all. The doughnut is around my two hot legs coming into the panel before they go to the main contactor, just as they were before.

Any ideas what might be happening? I was concerned at first that my heating elements weren't coming on, but that's not the case. The heating elements are working.

This is a drok combo amp and volt meter as seen here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DVH64HW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Weird that it's reading my pumps but not my elements.

I'll post a pic if that's helpful.

 

[Owly055]

You NEVER take a reading with a clamp on amp meter. clamped around more than one wire... A reading taken that way is meaningless. It doesn't matter if we are talking about 120 or 240, you clamp it around only one wire. The same is true of any kind of inductive pickup.

H.W.

I recently rewired my control panel after having to replace the main contactor. Long story short, my amp meter is reading the amps pulled by the pumps correctly, but it's not reading the amps pulled by the heating elements at all. The doughnut is around my two hot legs coming into the panel before they go to the main contactor, just as they were before.

Any ideas what might be happening? I was concerned at first that my heating elements weren't coming on, but that's not the case. The heating elements are working.

This is a drok combo amp and volt meter as seen here http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DVH64HW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Weird that it's reading my pumps but not my elements.

I'll post a pic if that's helpful.

 

[Gameface]

You NEVER take a reading with a clamp on amp meter. clamped around more than one wire... A reading taken that way is meaningless. It doesn't matter if we are talking about 120 or 240, you clamp it around only one wire. The same is true of any kind of inductive pickup.

H.W.

Huh, thought that's how I had it before but I must have done it right the first time. Makes sense that they would cancel each other out.

Thanks

 

[jrcrilly]

Make sure you use the sensor on the side feeding the pumps if you want to continue to see them.

 

[BrunDog]

Owly is dead on. Makes sense you only saw the pumps as the return was through neutral.

 

[Owly055]

Owly is dead on. Makes sense you only saw the pumps as the return was through neutral.

doesn't matter weather you put your pickup on hot or neutral with AC

 

[Gameface]

doesn't matter weather you put your pickup on hot or neutral with AC

But if I put it on neutral I still won't be reading the 240v elements, right?

 

[BrunDog]

doesn't matter weather you put your pickup on hot or neutral with AC

I understand. I was saying that it made sense that he got no reading from the elements as they practically canceled each other out with opposite current directions and resulting magnetic fields, but got a reading with the pump because the return path was not the same as the incoming path (no cancelation).

 

[Owly055]

But if I put it on neutral I still won't be reading the 240v elements, right?

I misunderstood what you were trying to accomplish. One line will feed both the element and the other stuff, the other line will feed only the element, and obviously as you said, the neutral will not be in circuit with the element. Thus if you want a total amp reading from everything, use the line that feeds everything.

For example L1 with neutral provides your 120 volt, L1 with L2 provides your 240 volt, use L1 and nothing else with your pickup to get an accurate total.

H.W.

 

[Owly055]

I understand. I was saying that it made sense that he got no reading from the elements as they practically canceled each other out with opposite current directions and resulting magnetic fields, but got a reading with the pump because the return path was not the same as the incoming path (no cancelation).

That makes sense............