16 Jun
2002
16 Jun
'02
8:16 a.m.
On Sun, 16 Jun 2002, Kris Kirby wrote:
> about 600A on-load from the battery. This current
is switched by the
How in the world do you measure such currents? I'd
love to find out what
it takes to crank my '85 Sentra. I've got an oversized battery. 8-)
Either with an inductive ammeter, held near the wire (which is inaccurate;
but accuracy is rarely needed in those cases) , or with an ammeter with a
shunt, wherein the bulk of the current is permitted straight through, and
a small amount is "sampled" to calculate the amount of current.
Both are readily available from automotive tool vendors. Snap-on stopped
making their good inductive meter 30 years ago, but their current ones (or
cheap ones) will do.
Radio Shack does not have a suitable meter for the task.