Craftsman Professional True RMS AC/DC Clamp Ammeter

OEM brand revealed, great value

I just purchased an EXTECH 800Amp AC/DC True RMS clamp meter, model EX730.  I was quite surprised shopping Sears when I came across this meter as it is identical hands down.  The EXTECH is covered with Craftsman but all the layout and lettering is the same.  I looked at the manual and compared it to my EXTECH manual and is like a photo copy so convinced this is the OEM maker for this product.  I purched it because the reviews were quite high and it has outstanding features and high in accuracy when compared to others with same features and accuracy costing way more.  I am mad that the real EXTECH is >$40.00 higher in price from ****** for this same meter so wished I had came across this one first to save money.  The only difference is the case color.  I have not compared with others for accuracy and just received it so can't speak to satisfaction yet.

Not accurate

This is my second clamp meter for today. First one was the same brand but not in the professional line. This one suppose to be a very accurate unit for the fact it is in the professional line. To give you some examples of measurements; a 3500W water heater is according to this meter (73756), about 1.8Amps. A 1500W heater is 2.1 Amps.  The bottom line is people buy Craftsman because of a long history of reliable products. I personally buy this brand from quite a while. I am trying to be a steady client of the store but this is very discouraging.

works great

I thought I wasted my money accidentally buying this, the next larger size unit. Bingo, needed it just last week for a diesel engine starter on a boat that started fine with booster pack. One of the techs spent about an hour checking harness, batteries, switches, and the like before borrowing my clamp meter. Problem solved except now the other techs will want to borrow it also. LoL

Great gift for your car buff.

Great gift for your car buff.

Returned

All the meter functions worked except the thermocouple part. It measured ice and room temp okay, but the thermocouple cable or the thermocouple adapter frequently opened up and didn't make a connection thus returned it. The return process was easy via the online option to get a return receipt, then dropping it off a nearest Sears pickup/return counter.

good tool, great price

All functions seem to work fine. Only time will tell how great of a tool it is.

Craftsman Professional True RMS AC/DC Clamp Ammeter worked well.

I purchased the Craftsman Pro True RMS AC/DC Clamp Ammeter for a repair project on my Generac 10K generator.  It worked well for the application and it also worked well in determining amperage draw.  I would recommend this item.

Great value

Got it from an electrical engineer that this was the best value going for home use troubleshooting and repair of electronics and do it yourself electrical use. My friend has over 30 years experience in the field and he didn't steer me wrong on this meter. I love it!

good for the price

Clamp - on ammeters need a Hall-effect circuit to detect DC current. They all measure AC current, so measuring DC current is an exceptional and expensive feature. In addition to reading DC current this meter can capture the inrush current and freeze the peak reading. This is useful for diagnosing modern diesel engine glowplug circuits like the 2002 Ford Powerstroke that have the glowplugs under the rocker box and the wires buried under the tubo plumbing. In addition, the glow plug wires are interleaved with the injector control wiring in one bundle, so probing individual circuits is time consuming. Note that later 2000 Powerstroke built in diagnostics can also do this, so first scan the 'puter to see what it will tell you.

This meter makes it easy to diagnose dead glow plugs,from the glow plug controller and narrow it down to a bank of cylinders. With experience I can use the meter to. estimate the number of defective glow plugs on an engine and verify that repairs were correct and complete.

I also use the meter to measure total current draw in vehicles and aircraft. This is very useful for diagnosing undercharge/overload conditions where alternator capacity is in question. Aircraft batteries require a periodic capacity test, and the meter replaces an expensive piece of test gear by allowing us to turn on aircaft electrical accessories until they meet the battery manufacturer's test load. Some aircraft have a built in load meter, and this meter agrees with newer digital aircraft load meters within an amp of a 50 amp load. All this and more without adding shunts, breaking into circuits or causing maintenance induced failures.

The auto - off feature is very nice, saving batteries, and the built-in backlight is extremely useful.

As a multimeter I find it clumsy because it lacks a stand to view the readings, and leaving the VOM test leads connected makes it clumsy for use as a clamp-on ammeter. The peak and mode buttons can also confuse VOM readings and I must study the screen to see if I indvertently turned on a function I don't want. I find myself carrying a Sears cheapie VOM to make up for it.

The only real negative is the holster that came with the meter when I bought it in the fall of '09. The meter kept falling out, so I bought a padded meter case to hold the meter plus temp sensor and leads. It's not as good as a good holster, but it'll do.

this meter works great

This meter does everything it's supposed to do.  I have been using it in the HVAC field for about 8 months now, and it's been working fine.  The temp function starting acting funny, but that's because the K thermocouple that came with the meter broke.

Craftsman Professional True RMS AC/DC Clamp Ammeter

Junk!! Real bad purchase temp is way off they need a recall I am shocked they even put craftsman name on it. It reads all of the place somthing is wrong with this meter who makes it for craftsman?

And why can't I use my real name?

For my purposes, this is a wonderful meter. I repair RV's on site and I may encounter air conditioner, refrigerator or furnace problems along with general power issues. I need one meter to carry in the door so I don't have to go back out to the truck over and over for different meters. I was ready to pay in the neighborhood of $400 or more for a Fluke but couldn't find one with the capabilities this one has. I've had it about three weeks now and have found it very accurate and very handy. The only problem is that the enclosed thermocouple reads too high but that was easily remedied for me by using an old thermocouple from an older Craftsman multi clamp meter that I just wore out.

Works for me

I too have been in Electronics for over 30 years and I also agree with the last poster..This meter does what it says it will do..There are other meters out there that will also do what this one does but at triple the price..Now as to the "jumping around"..Yes this shows up but at the LSB(least significant bit) display..This is common with many sensitive meters..It might even be the source voltage/current instability and not the meter itself.I have checked both DC and AC currents against other meters and devices and found it to be reasonably accurate..The temperature probe(K thermocouple) measure agrees with another device and with bulb thermometers within a degree F or so..I did not put it on a block of ice but did test it along with another K type thermocouple and both are around 212 F or 100C in boiling water near sea level..I compared DC and AC voltages with my Fluke and both are very close..Thus I have only used it several weeks but already found it handyin measuring computer power supply currents which require a true RMS reading..The only drawback so far is on the very low scale (40ADC)..There is an offset reading of about 0.3A DC that I must mentally add or subtract from the lowest readings..The zero button does not correct this offset..It is not a concern if I read higher amps..Thus that is one item I thought could be improved..Even a external trim adjust would be handy but for 100$ or so you cannot expect miracles..The only other complaint was about the K thermocouple adapter..When plugged in slight movement would cause an open reading..A simple spreading of the probe adapter pins cured that item..All in all a good value..jolphil

Works for me

I too have been in Electronics for over 30 years and I also agree with the last poster..This meter does what it says it will do..There are other meters out there that will also do what this one does but at triple the price..Now as to the "jumping around"..Yes this shows up but at the LSB(least significant bit) display..This is common with many sensitive meters..It might even be the source voltage/current instability and not the meter itself.I have checked both DC and AC currents against other meters and devices and found it to be reasonably accurate..The temperature probe(K thermocouple) measure agrees with another device and with bulb thermometers within a degree F or so..I did not put it on a block of ice but did test it along with another K type thermocouple and both are around 212 F or 100C in boiling water near sea level..I compared DC and AC voltages with my Fluke and both are very close..Thus I have only used it several weeks but already found it handyin measuring computer power supply currents which require a true RMS reading..The only drawback so far is on the very low scale (40ADC)..There is an offset reading of about 0.3A DC that I must mentally add or subtract from the lowest readings..The zero button does not correct this offset..It is not a concern if I read higher amps..Thus that is one item I thought could be improved..Even a external trim adjust would be handy but for 100$ or so you cannot expect miracles..The only other complaint was about the K thermocouple adapter..When plugged in slight movement would cause an open reading..A simple spreading of the probe adapter pins cured that item..All in all a good value..jolphil

Very bad temp

well according to this meter water freezes at 46 not 32 i didn't even bother checking any other functions when the Type K probe is touching an ice cube for 2 or 3 min the temp should not say 46 for me this is way too far off. i have a $30 ideal meter that reads ice at 34 with the same probe how can they call this "professional"

Very bad temp

well according to this meter water freezes at 46 not 32 i didn't even bother checking any other functions when the Type K probe is touching an ice cube for 2 or 3 min the temp should not say 46 for me this is way too far off. i have a $30 ideal meter that reads ice at 34 with the same probe how can they call this "professional"

Good Meter for DIY Person

I think this meter is great for a DIY person who can't justify spending $200-$500+ for a true professional grade meter. Based on prior reviews and my experience, tradesmen who rely on meters for a living should opt for something better. For example, the tolerances for current are +-5%, which for accuracy is unacceptable, but for someone like me who just needs general numbers, it's more than sufficient.I compared this to a Blue Sea Systems clamp meter 8110 ($170, with fewer features) and found all readings closely matched. The reading fluctuations, especially for DC voltage were nearly identical, varying about 0.1 amps, even after pressing the DC Zero button on both. I also note the Blue Sea has tolerances of +-1.5%. On both I had difficulty getting readings below 10A DC, something I'm still trying to figure out, but both meters show the same readings.Overall I think this is a good meter for the money, and paying the extra $$ for True RMS is a wise thing, especially with electronics. The design is very comfortable and I like being able to use it one-handed, such as when changing functions. For the professionals and others requiring high accuracy, I suggest steering well clear of this and purchasing a Fluke or better. For everyone else, I think it is a great buy. Compared to more expensive meters, this may merit only 2 stars, but I give it 4 stars for its value.

A GOOD METER

I AM A HVAC MAN. I OWN 6 METERS, 2 OF THEM ARE FLUKES. THEY ALL READ mV WHEN NOT CONNECTED TO A CIRCUIT. THE ONLY THING I DON'T LIKE IS NOT BEING ABLE TO SWITCH FROM AUTO TO MANUAL RANGE, OTHER THAN THAT, FOR THE PRICE, IT IS A GREAT METER.

Jumping numbers

This meter seems acurate but even when not connected it displays numbers jumping up down and does not stop. when the meter is connected it diplays the voltage but look very close at the decimal because even if the circuit is dead it still will jump around a mv reading. I think for quick and accurate reading you should buy another meter. when turned on it is always on the dc scale,considering ac is more popular in my electrical work it is a pain to constantly switch it everytime the meter is turn off. the meter is going back and I will purchase a fluke.