Forum Discussion

MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
May 25, 2019

Overloading A D.C. Inductive Panel Ammeter?

I have no experience in this area.

I want to use an inductive DC PANEL AMMETER rated for 100-amps on a battery charger rated at 157 amps max.

Their 200-amp inductive gauge has a resolution of 3 numbers, obviously whole amps.

And that stinks for observing fractional amps when monitoring AGM batteries that demand fractional resolution.

The charger has an analog 200-amp meter on the front, and the digital is meant for the lid.

Supposedly after the digital inductive ammeter reaches 99.9 the over range is displayed as an "L"

I don't really want to spend another 36 dollars for a third ammeter as a user can see the "L" and know to defer to the analog gauge.

But obviously overload means overcurrent in the inductive sensor line. Do inductive DC ammeters have intrinsic circuitry to withstand 160% overloading for extended periods of time? Repeatedly? Meaning years of durability?

Mr. Wizard announced this meter on this forum. Like all inductive ammeters a button needs to be pushed to null the meter back to 0. How often? Every use?

There is a five digit voltmeter on the lid so I am not concerned with voltage resolution or accuracy.

Anyone here have hands-on experience with this :) ?

Thanks in advance !
  • DrewE's avatar
    DrewE
    Explorer II
    May 25, 2019
    It's not technically an inductive pickup for a DC ammeter, but that's neither here nor there. (I think they generally use a hall effect sensor, which detects a magnetic field; an inductive pickup only can sense a change in the magnetic field, which makes it ideal for AC use but not very handy for DC.)

    I would not expect any problems at all. With a (digital) shunt meter, the main concern I think would be destroying the shunt through excess power dissipation; the higher input voltage to the meter, within reason, should not cause any damage in most cases. An analog meter movement may be a completely different story, though they're still often relatively robust.
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    May 25, 2019
    Inductive I would worry less than if it had a shunt.
    Since it includes an "L" display I doubt 200% over current will hurt it.
    Probably some specifications around somewhere.
  • landyacht318's avatar
    landyacht318
    Explorer
    May 25, 2019
    My 100 amp meter sees well over 100 amps every time I start my engine.

    Of course that is brief. But repetitive and been ok for a few years now.

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