Elements Of Electrical Testing

To understand the different electrical testing tools, we have to first understand what is electrical testing? It means to apply either a voltage or current to a circuit and thereafter comparing the values measured to an expected result and then arriving at a conclusion where the results are normal or if there is an issue to fix. However, how do we know which electrical testing tools to use to test for specific elements in the circuit? This expertise usually comes with experience but let’s explore together how we can measure certain elements in a circuit and the simple tools we can use. Typically, these will be the four things that electricians will usually measure in a circuit: Current, Voltage, Resistance, and Continuity.

First, what is current? Current is the net rate of electrons flowing past a conductor in a complete electrical circuit. The internationally recognized unit of measurement for current is Ampere (A). It expresses the number of electrons flowing past a particular point in a circuit at a given time. In the present world, there are many tools that are able to assist us to measure current. Tools such as the Fluke Digital multimeter and Fluke Clamp meter are able to assist electricians to measure current accurately. Greater convenience can be enjoyed in measuring current if the job does not require high accuracy. In such cases, tools like Clamp meter can be used to test the current as there is no need for us to connect the conductors, unlike Digital Multimeter.

Next, we will look at the voltage. Voltage is the electric pressure from an electrical circuit source power source that pushes charged electrons through a conducting loop. Voltage is measured in Volts (V). But why do we measure voltage? Voltage lets a technician knows what is the usual load that the circuit carries. After measuring voltage, if the load differs from the expected result, we will know that there is a problem that needs to be fixed and rectified. Voltage tools usually include the Digital multimeter or Fluke Electrical Tester. Each tool serves to cater to the different needs of each technician and allows them flexibility should the need arise.

Resistance sounds like a negative aspect in the circuit, but is it really negative? Resistance is a measure of the opposition to current flow in a circuit. It is usually measured in Ohms (Ω). Conductors have a low resistance while insulators have high resistance. Conductors are usually metallic while insulators include rubber, paper, and many more. Resistance in a circuit is usually fixed in a circuit as only a fixed amount of voltage needs to power up the particular circuit. Tools that measure resistance include the Fluke Digital insulation tester and multimeter. Different insulation testers and digital multimeter have different accuracy so do discern between the different tools for the different jobs.

Continuity is simply the checking of the presence of a path for the current to flow in which is if the circuit is open or close. It will detect the level of resistance in the circuit to determine continuity. Tools like Fluke Loop Calibrator and Fluke Process Meter can be used to check for continuity in a circuit.

We have gone through briefly the different aspects of electrical testing and the different electric testing tools that we can use to approach different aspects. Do take note to choose carefully and know exactly what do you want to measure first before buying the tool itself.