How can I check my amps?

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I was putting together a drawbar hitch for a tractor the other night and for grins I wanted to check the amps I was capable of.  I got out the amp meter and hooked on the amp meter to yhe gun line and hit the trigger.  I was showing a max of about 30 amps which is WAY off.  I thought maybe theres a shielding or someyhing on the gun line so I swapped to the ground and came up with about the same.  I know I should have been cranking the amps.  I was on 1/4" plate and was about to melt through.  I was using a Hobart 210mvp on tap 7 (max output) with wire speed at 40 using .035 E71T-GS flux core wire with about 1/4" stick out.Is my meter just not capable of reading the amps?  Would the low voltage have something to do with it?  Here is the meter I was using.http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/2022666...6#.UWtfRX1OnMIThanks.
Reply:Did you specifically set it for DC amps?"The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:if the welder is DC most likely it will not read it or correctly read it, as the clamp works like a transformer and reads AC current.most likely the welder is pulsing DC which may read some, but not accuracy.I have a current indicator that lays over a wire for checking starter draw and alternators on cars made/sold by Milton, It may work, my guess would be one would need to use a shunt in the welders lead  line and a compatible meter for true accuracyhttp://www.google.com/shopping/produ...d=0CJcBEPMCMAkLast edited by Farmerboy; 04-14-2013 at 11:06 PM.
Reply:Since we are on this subject I have a question ? I have an old 300 amp AC stick welder with a high tap plug and a low tap plug. When I put a volt meter on the low tap plug I get exactly 80 volts, but when I put the volt meter on the high tap plug it reads only sixty volts.This doesn't make sense to me, shouldn't it be the other way for high and low tap plugs. I have never had to use the high tap plug as the low tap goes to 230 amps. The high tap has a decal under the plug that says good for 6011 rod.Any help would be appreciated
Reply:It's the volts you worry about with CV welding, knowing the amps can be useful for some things like total energy input. You can also approximate amps by knowing the wire speed and the multiplier for the wire dia.Like 2 inches of .030" = 1amp - 1.6" of .035" = 1amp - 1" of .045" = 1 amp.Matt
Reply:Mig (fcaw) is a constant voltage process. Amperage is varied in order to maintain a regulated arc voltage. So, amperage doesn't really mean anything in this case.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:^^^^^^^^^^^What he saidMiller bobcat 225g  - spoolmatic 1Mm250 - 30a spoolMiller spectrum 375Thermal arc 95 Everlast Ex 250As the boiler turns, these are the days of our lives
Reply:Post the model and brand of your multimeter.  I would bet its either AC only ammeter or you are reading volts.    Amps would require the use of an inductive clamp.Tiger Sales:  AHP Distributor    www.tigersalesco.comAHP200x; AHP 160ST; MM350P,  Spoolmatic 30A; Everlast PowerTig 185; Thermal Dynamics 60i plasma.  For Sale:  Cobra Mig 250 w/ Push-pull gun.  Lincoln Wirematic 250
Reply:Looking at the meter in your link and the amp setting, notice the straight line means DC, under that there is what is known as a sign wave for AC.  The short story when the meter is set on the AMP scale you are reading AMPs. When you pulled the trigger were you welding or shooting air, amps are a load test and you would need to be welding to get the proper reading.GregLast edited by pepi; 04-15-2013 at 07:58 PM.Magazines have issues, everything else has problems
Reply:Hello ProCharger, it's interesting looking at the information on the link that you included in your post. I looked at the item and it's description and associated commentary. Everything in the description talks about the unit's ability to determine AC/DC voltages, yet there is no mention of the same for AC/DC amperages. Looking at the product image and "zooming" in on it does tend to indicate that it has the AC/DC amperage capability. Something just doesn't jive there. I have a couple of Fluke meters, one is capable of 0-600amp readings for both AC and DC currents, the other a 0-1000amp range. They are clamp on meters and testing needs to be done while welding with the machine, other variables need to be considered when reading the displays on the meter when testing in this manner to reliably consider the results. A load-bank and it's associated equipment is the only "real" way to verify a machine's output. Output at the stinger, gun, or torch will be dependent upon a lot of other variables and would have to be factored in, as applicable, when that information needs to be utilized.I am thinking that this particular meter really doesn't provide the amp draw. With the clamp positioned around the gun lead and welding being done it should roughly provide you with the amperage present. Voltage is generally determined by touching one of the probes of the test leads of the meter to the ground of the machine and the other probe to the gun output terminal. Two slightly different readings might be noted when the machine is in use or at rest. Just my $.02 for the conversation. Best regards, AllanEDIT: as I reread my response I realized that I should have included that when you are testing for voltages in the "in-use, at-rest modes" that you would have to have the trigger depressed/contactor closed in order for an at-rest voltage reading to be taken. Otherwise, you would not have a reading at all as the circuit would not be complete.Last edited by aevald; 04-15-2013 at 08:26 PM.Reason: To add informationaevald
Reply:Those meters are dual function on the amp scale. Probably defaults to AC amps when 1st turned on. You have to hit the little yellow function button to switch to DC."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:Originally Posted by SandyThose meters are dual function on the amp scale. Probably defaults to AC amps when 1st turned on. You have to hit the little yellow function button to switch to DC.
Reply:Originally Posted by ProCharger How can I check my amps?