Use of handheld measuring devices in housing
Measurements of electrical installations in residential buildings should be carried out quickly, accurately and safely. This type of work is greatly facilitated by the use of handheld measuring devices such as multimeters, indicators, thermal imaging cameras, locators or range finders.
A must-have for every electrician
One thing is sure to be found in every toolbox: a multimeter. It is a device in a small housing but with numerous functions, without which the installer could not do their job. Measuring AC or DC voltages, measuring currents up to 10 A, measuring resistance or testing circuit continuity – these are the basic functions of an average multimeter. Multimeters of the Sonel company offer much more – the Sonel CMM-11/Sonel CMM-30/Sonel CMM-60 with an app on your phone where you can control the device allow you to take measurements from a distance without fear of touching live elements. From the CMM-30 model onwards, Sonel multimeters offer IP67 water protection. The CMM-30 also features an automatic backlight that reacts to the surrounding conditions, low-impedance voltage measurement for eliminating induced voltages or functions for indicating minimum, maximum, average, and DC and AC component values. The Sonel CMM-60 has a built-in recorder and PC software, and thanks to its colour display, it is possible to play back measurement results on the meter or draw graphs based on the recording.
Photo 1. Measurements using the Sonel CMM-60
The most popular choice among electricians
Another essential tool for any electrician is the clamp meter. In addition to the functions found in multimeters, such devices additionally enable the measurement of high AC and DC up to 3000 A. The company Sonel offers a wide range of clamp meters: starting from the Sonel CMP-40/Sonel CMP-401, through Sonel CMP-1006, to the most advanced Sonel CMP-3000/Sonel CMP-1015-PV. The Sonel CMP-3000 has additional flexible current clamps on an almost two-metre-long cable, which allows the meter to be moved away from the current rails and to be operated comfortably and safely. Thanks to Bluetooth communication, the device offers wireless transmission of measurement results live to a mobile app. The Sonel CMP-1015-PV, a digital clamp meter for PV installations, has a built-in recorder, a colour display for replaying recordings, a function for handling high-voltage adapters and, most importantly, it can measure voltage up to 1500 VDC.
Photo 2. Sonel CMP-401
A meter designed to measure leakage and differential currents, thanks to its high measurement resolution, is the Sonel CMP-200. The Sonel CMP-3kR is an innovative AC current clamp meter with a recorder. The list is completed by Sonel CMP-200F with open measuring clamps, without moving parts, in a more compact housing allowing for current measurements in hard-to-reach places.
Photo 3. Sonel CMP-200F
Newer versions of the popular "neon"
The Sonel VT-2 or Sonel VT-3 voltage indicators have a number of useful functions, apart from basic determining of the presence of voltage: built-in torches, two ranges of AC voltage detection or the ability to detect voltage even through insulation.
Photo 4. Sonel VT-3
More advanced devices are bipolar indicators – from the Sonel P-4 enabling circuit continuity testing and checking the operation of residual current devices, through Sonel P-5 with a backlit display, result retention function and resistance measurement, to the Sonel P-6 Sonel P-6 model with an additional phase identification function.
Photo 5. Sonel P-6
Long-range measuring tape replacement
When taking measurements in the construction industry, the Sonel LMW-100 laser range finder can prove to be an invaluable assistant. This small device with a 100-metre range can calculate the height based on 2 or 3 measurements, and the area and volume of rooms. The electrical installer will be pleased with the distance addition function, which allows them to determine the length of the most complicated cable route.
Photo 6. Sonel LMW-100
In search of wires and cables
In order to quickly locate and remove a fault, it is worth reaching for the Sonel LKZ-720 cable locator. The device will identify the phase, indicate the protection of a specific circuit, determine an unknown route of a wire under plaster – whether the wire is live or not, and the location of the fault. Numerous accessories can be attached to the locator to extend its functions: transmitting and receiving clamps, contact and non-contact probes. The Sonel LKZ-720 enables 4 transmitters to be operated at the same time, making cable identification even faster.
Photo 7. Sonel LKZ-720
Detect what is invisible to the eye
An increasingly popular device in the of equipment for electricians is a thermal imaging camera, which makes it possible to see phenomena that are invisible to the eye, such as overheating of system components. Thanks to a sensor sensitive to radiation with a wavelength spectrum of 7.5 to 14 μm, the camera user is able to detect thermal radiation from the examined object. A thermal imaging camera is a great diagnostic tool because of its non-contact, safe measurement method.
Every electrician's tool bag should include the Sonel KT-256 camera, which, with its handy design, long battery life (up to 16 hours) and excellent thermal imaging performance (high sensitivity of 45 mK), is the ideal equipment for professionals who value reliability and simplicity. The option of blending the thermal image with the real image makes it possible to capture the markings in the electrical cabinet that are important for determining which component has been damaged. The wide field of view ensures that the entire cabinet can be captured at once without the need for a multitude of thermograms, whose analysis and processing can be time-consuming. The temperature alarm function allows you to set an automatic warning when target temperature is exceeded.
Photo 8. Sonel KT-256
In construction, cameras are also used in the detection of thermal bridges, dampness and damage. Thermal bridges can have a number of different causes, but the most common is a carelessly or poorly constructed thermal insulation coating.
With the help of a thermal imaging camera, dampness – usually invisible to the naked eye – can also be detected. It is manifested as a cooler (or warmer – depending on the medium and environment), irregular area on the thermogram. In a similar way, it is possible to detect faults in the heating system, especially under the floor.
In addition, thermal imaging can detect heating pipes routed in the walls, allowing for effective determination of safe spaces for drilling, e.g. during renovations.
Authors:
Bartosz Fijałkowski, Marcin Magierowski
SONEL S.A.
