In the market there are many variety of power meters, clamp meters, etc, but today I’m going to show you the Zemismart smart clamp meter, and I assure you that you will be impressed by its size and price.
Relax and get comfortable as we start with this article.
What is a clamp meter?
A clamp meter is an electrical measuring instrument designed to measure the electrical current in a circuit in a non-invasive way. It is characterized by its clamp shape that is placed around a conductor, allowing measurement without interrupting the current flow.
How does a clamp meter work?
A clamp meter works on the principle of electromagnetic induction. Its operation is based on the current flowing through the conductor inside the clamp. The basic steps of its operation are described below:
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Electromagnetic induction:
- When an electric current flows through a conductor, a magnetic field is generated around that conductor.
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Placement of the clamp:
- The current clamp is placed around the conductor to be measured. The clamp contains a magnetic core and a coil that detects the magnetic field generated by the current in the conductor.
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Generation of induced current:
- The magnetic field induces a current in the coil of the current clamp according to Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction. This induced current is proportional to the current flowing through the original conductor.
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Measurement and visualization:
- The induced current is measured and converted to an ampere reading on the clamp display. Thus, the user can obtain a direct reading of the electrical current without interrupting the circuit.
In a world where energy efficiency is crucial, having a reliable and smart energy meter is more important than ever. If you have seen my videos on the Youtube Channel where I talk about protections and electrical panels I emphasize that in this day and age, not having an electric consumption meter in our installation is a pretty considerable disadvantage.
That said, let’s talk about this smart energy meter from Zemismart.
Zemismart Smart Clamp Amperemeter Features
Zemismart Clamp Amperemeter: Physical Characteristics
Basically, this is a clamp meter with the toroid and the control electronics integrated in the same package. There are several similar devices that had their operation divided: the current clamp separated from the control unit. But this is also because they had an integrated relay to control or maneuver over other devices. In this case, with the Zemismart device, we will only have the measurement capability.
This Zemismart device is a smart power meter compatible with our 2.4Ghz WiFi. Although I have to mention that there is also a ZigBee model, I wanted to try the first one because I know that many users of those who follow me do not have a Zigbee HUB at home and I like that everyone who sees my content can use these devices without making large outlays of money. Anyway, at the end of this article, I will be leaving you all the relevant links to these products.
Zemismart Clamp Amperemeter: Technical Characteristics
Technically, it is a device that is designed to work in voltages from 100 to 240 volts in alternating and supports a load of up to 63 amperes. The latter is very interesting since it will be useful for our home and premises with high electrical consumption without any problem.
Physically, the device is quite small and ergonomic. On the front we have the pairing button and a LED status indicator. At the bottom we have the power cables of our device and here comes a detail that to date I have found in very few devices. These connection cables to the power supply of the equipment already come with crimped tips. Many may think this is silly and others may not care, but this avoids a lot of headaches and electrical accidents. So you know, when making connections: always crimp the ferrules!!!!
Finally, this toroidal is unidirectional and we will know this because in the upper part of our equipment we will find an arrow. This will indicate us how we will have to connect our device exactly as the direction of the current flowing into our electrical panel or circuit to control.
Zemismart Smart Clamp Amperemeter Installation
I have already shown you all the features of this device, now let’s see how to connect and link to our application this device.
Keep in mind that this power sensor, power consumption meter or clamp meter can be connected in upstream or downstream configuration, in either case, the only thing that changes is the direction of the arrow of our clamp meter and where we take the power supply of our equipment.
For this example of connection we are going to use the most common method which is to measure downstream of our electrical installation, as if we were going to connect it in our electrical panel at home. Before doing any type of assembly, I have to tell you that this should always be done by qualified personnel and I never recommend that you do this type of work on your own if you do not have the necessary knowledge.
In my case I have prepared a small electrical circuit simulating our basic residential electrical panel. We have our General Circuit Breaker, differential protection, and outlets to general circuits of our home. By the way, if you want to learn more about electrical panels the following article will help you a lot.
Electrical Panel Design Programs
I particularly want to measure the general consumption of my house and for this I will put the ammeter clamp just below our Automatic General Switch. We place our clamp on the phase wire making sure that the direction of the current indicated on the arrow is downwards. After this we connect our power cables to the phase and neutral terminals of our IGA respectively and we would already have the whole part of the installation done.
How to link the Zemismart Smart Clamp Amperemeter with Smart Life?
Now it only remains to link it to our control application, which in our case will be Smart Life and we would leave everything in operation.
For this, we will do as all the sensors that we link to Smart Life. First and foremost we will connect to our 2.4ghz wifi. We open the app, press the physical button on our device for 5 seconds and the status led will start blinking. In the app we press add a new device, select the type of sensor to link and simply follow the steps that will indicate us. If everything goes well in a few seconds we will have it working.
How much does the Zemismart Smart Clamp Amperemeter cost?
Let’s talk about one of the most favorable points of this device and that will surely surprise you: the price of this power meter.
The Zemismart clamp meter can be purchased in two ways. One is through its official website and the other is through its official store on AliExpress. On both sites the price is around 30 euros for this wifi version and for a device like this, with these features and the advantages it brings us I see it with a very attractive price. Anyway, here is the link to the two versions available on AliExpress.
Zemismart WiFi Meter
Zemismart Zigbee Meter
Zemismart Three-Phase WiFi Meter
Zemismart Three-Phase Zigbee Meter
Conclusion
In conclusion, this smart power meter, Smart Clamp Amperemeter or smart toroidal from Zemismart seems to me a very interesting acquisition if you still do not have consumption measurement in your electrical panel. Its size, capacity of up to 63 amps and ease of installation and linking make it a device to be taken into account.
Anyway I have left you a full review of this device on the Youtube Channel so you can see all this that I have told you in detail and see it working in real time. I leave the link below.
Review Smart Clamp Amperemeter of Zemismart
If you liked this article let me know with a like. Share it with anyone who does not have a power meter in their electrical panel. I assure you that you will be giving them an excellent solution.
