Our partner, Hioki E.E. Corporation, Japan, launched the Clamp On Power Logger PW3365-20, the world’s first instrument capable of measuring power safely and accurately without the need for the operator to make contact with a metal conductor.
With the innovative PW3365-20, the operators are able to measure voltage safely and accurately simply by clamping a sensor around an insulated wire, in response to the needs of customers who wish to measure power more safely. By designing a power meter with a non-contact voltage sensor, it is now possible to avoid the risk of short-circuits and electric shock when measuring voltage by conventional means.

Advantages of Non-Contact Power Measurement
Clamp-style power meters have entered into widespread use in the field of power measurement. These instruments already had the ability to measure current using clamp-on sensors, allowing measurements to be made safely from outside insulated wires. However, operators have typically had to connect clips to the metal terminals of circuit-breakers or other components in order to measure voltage. This approach poses the risk of a short-circuit if the technician mistakenly allows one of the metal clips to come into contact with the adjacent metal terminal as well as the risk of electric shock if he or she inadvertently touches an exposed metal conductor.
In order to avoid this risk, Hioki developed PW3365-20, which is capable of safely measuring the voltage in an insulated wire from outside the insulation. In this way, the PW3365-20 delivers a dramatically higher level of safety to operators by delivering non-contact measurement capability for current, voltage, and power.

Measurement Principles of the World’s First Non-contact Voltage Sensor
The Voltage Sensor PW9020 used by the PW3365-20 is able to perform non-contact measurement by means of the following principle:
Inside the PW9020 is a metal plate that serves as an electrode, and when this electrode detects a voltage (potential difference) in the object being measured, a minuscule current flows to it. By generating a voltage such that this current is eliminated, the sensor can accurately measure the voltage in the conductor.

Principal Applications suitable for Clamp On Power Logger PW3365-20 are
* Power management in factories and buildings
* Maintenance and management of electrical equipment