I hate Radio Shack

From: Fred Cisin <cisin_at_xenosoft.com>
Date: Sun Jun 16 15:16:20 2002

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.
Received on Sun Jun 16 2002 - 15:16:20 BST