Fluke 1630-2/1630-2 FC - Earth Ground Clamp Manual

Introduction

The Fluke 1630-2/1630-2 FC Earth Ground Clamp (the Product or Clamp) is a handheld, battery-operated clamp that measures the ground resistance without auxiliary ground rods and AC leakage current. The Clamp is used in multi-grounded systems without disconnecting the ground under test.
The Clamp supports these applications:

The 1630-2 FC supports the Fluke Connect Wireless System (may not be available in all regions). Fluke Connect is a system that wirelessly connects your Clamp with an app on your smartphone or tablet. The app shows the ground resistance measurements on your smartphone or tablet display. You can save these measurements and images to Fluke Connect Cloud storage and share with your team. For more information, see Fluke Connect Wireless System.

Your shipment includes:

How to Contact Fluke

To contact Fluke, call one of the following telephone numbers:

Or, visit Fluke's website at www.fluke.com.
To register your product, visit http://register.fluke.com.
To view, print, or download the latest manual supplement, visit http://us.fluke.com/usen/support/manuals.

Safety Information

A identifies conditions and procedures that are dangerous to the user.
A identifies conditions and procedures that can cause damage to the Product or the equipment under test.

To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, or personal injury:

• Carefully read all instructions.
• Read all safety information before you use the Product.
• Do not alter the Product and use only as specified, or the protection supplied by the Product can be compromised.
• Do not use the Product around explosive gas, vapor, or in damp or wet environments.

• Before each use, examine the Product. Look for cracks or missing pieces of the clamp housing or output cable insulation. Also look for loose or weakened components. Carefully examine the insulation around the jaws.
• Comply with local and national safety codes. Use personal protective equipment (approved rubber gloves, face protection, and flameresistant clothes) to prevent shock and arc blast injury where hazardous live conductors are exposed.
• Use Product-approved measurement category (CAT), voltage, and amperage rated accessories (probes, test leads, and adapters) for all measurements.
• Do not use the Product if it is altered or damaged.
• Disable the Product if it is damaged.
• Do not use the Product if it operates incorrectly.

• Do not use the Product above its rated frequency.
• Limit operation to the specified measurement category, voltage, or amperage ratings.
• Do not touch voltages >30 V ac rms, 42 V ac peak, or 60 V dc.
• Hold the Product behind the tactile barrier.
• The battery door must be closed and locked before you operate the Product.
• Replace the batteries when the low battery indicator shows to prevent incorrect measurements.
• Remove the batteries if the Product is not used for an extended period of time, or if stored in temperatures above 50°C. If the batteries are not removed, battery leakage can damage the Product.

• Do not operate the Product with covers removed or the case open. Hazardous voltage exposure is possible.
• Repair the Product before use if the battery leaks.
• Use only specified replacement parts.
• Have an approved technician repair the Product.
• Remove the input signals before you clean the Product.
• Do not operate within external low frequency magnetic fields >30A/m.

Symbols used on the Product and in this manual are explained in Table 1.

Table 1. Symbols

Symbol	Description	Symbol	Description
	WARNING. RISK OF DANGER.		Battery
	WARNING. HAZARDOUS VOLTAGE. Risk of electric shock.		Certified by CSA Group to North American safety standards.
	Consult user documentation.		Conforms to European Union directives.
	Application around and removal from uninsulated hazardous live conductors is permitted.		Conforms to relevant Australian EMC standards.
	Double Insulated		Certified by TÜV SÜD Product Service.
	Do not operate within external low frequency magnetic fields >30A/m.		Conforms to relevant South Korean EMC Standards.
	China metrology certification mark for measuring instruments manufactured in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
	Measurement Category III is applicable to test and measuring circuits connected to the distribution part of the building's low-voltage MAINS installation.
	Measurement Category IV is applicable to test and measuring circuits connected at the source of the building's lowvoltage MAINS installation.
	This product complies with the WEEE Directive marking requirements. The affixed label indicates that you must not discard this electrical/electronic product in domestic household waste. Product Category: With reference to the equipment types in the WEEE Directive Annex I, this product is classed as category 9 "Monitoring and Control Instrumentation" product. Do not dispose of this product as unsorted municipal waste.

Before You Start

This section is information to know before you use the Clamp.

To prevent possible electrical shock, fire, or personal injury:

Power On/Off

The Clamp has a power on/off button:

If Auto-Off Power is turned on, the Clamp turns off after 20 minutes of no use. See Power Auto-Off for more information about how to set this feature.

Display Features and Controls

See Table 2 and Table 3 for the display features and button controls.

Table 2. Display Features

	Item	Description	Item	Description
	1	Fluke Connect	10	Measurement value or custom setting
	2	Hold	11	Ohms function
	3	ID#	12	Current in mA or A
	4	Alarm	13	Current type is AC
	5	Set Time	14	Memory in use
	6	Indicator for noise in ground electrode/rod	15	Filter is on (bandwidth 40 Hz to 70 Hz)
	7	Battery	16	Logging Interval settings
	8	Date/Time format	17	Jaws open
	9	Date/Time/ID number	18	Setting or explore for LOG

Table 3. Controls

	Item	Description
	1	Jaw
	2	Tactile barrier
	3	Fluke Connect (radio) on/off
	4	Record measurements
	5	Hold the displayed value
	6	LCD
	7	Backlight
	8	Filter on/off
	9	Enter
	10	Value increment/decrement
	11	Change Clamp settings
	12	Select type of measurement
	13	Power on/off
	14	Alarm
	15	Jaw trigger
	16	Jaw trigger lock

Setup

Push to change these settings:

• Log interval
• Alarm threshold
• Time
• Clamp settings

Log Interval

The time interval for data logging is the time between measurements.
To set the log interval:

1. Push until LOG INTERVAL shows in the display. See Figure 1.
   The interval is shown in minutes: seconds format and is adjustable from 00:00 to 59:59.
2. Push to enable the change mode. The digits start to blink.

Alarm Threshold

In alarm mode, the display shows ALARM and the beeper sounds when the measurement is outside the set threshold. The Clamp compares the reading with the high and low values. If the reading is larger than the high value, the Clamp beeps and shows on the display. If the reading is less than the low value, the Clamp beeps and shows on the display.
To set the alarm threshold:

1. Push until ALARM shows in the display. See Figure 2.
   
   
2. Push to select the type as Amps HI, Amps LO, Ohms LO, or Ohms HI.
3. Push to increment/decrement the value.
4. Push to confirm the current input and move to the next setting.
5. Push to go back to the measurement mode.

Time/Clock

The Clamp has a time setting that is used as a timestamp for logged data.
To check or adjust the time setting:

Clamp Settings

The Clamp has a Setup menu for these subfunctions:

Backlight Auto-Off

A backlight on the display improves visibility in dim light. To conserve battery power, turn off the backlight.
To change the backlight option:

Power Auto-Off

To save battery power, you can set the clamp to automatically turn off the power after 20 minutes of no use.
To change the Auto-Off option:

Firmware Version

To view the firmware version for the Clamp:

How to Use the Clamp

This section is about how to set up the Clamp for Earth resistance tests, AC leakage current measurements, and the Fluke Connect Wireless System.
The Clamp includes a trigger lock on the trigger. Push the jaw trigger lock and trigger together to open the jaw.

Ground Resistance Measurements

The Clamp generates a voltage to the system under test and the induced current in the system is measured by the Clamp. The Clamp uses Ohm's Law (R=U/I) to automatically calculate the resistance measurement.
To check the Clamp before ground resistance measurements:

1. Position the Jaw on the Standard Loop Resistance. See Figure 7.
   

2. Verify that the display reading is within specification, see Table 4.
   • If the reading is not within specification, clean the heads of the Jaw and repeat step 1 and step 2.
   • If the reading is within specification, remove the Jaw from the Standard Loop Resistance. The Clamp is ready for a ground resistance measurement.
     Table 4. Display Reading Specifications

     Input (Ω)	Minimum	Maximum
     0.474	0.417	0.531
     0.5	0.443	0.558
     10	9.55	10.45
     100	96.0	104.0

For ground resistance measurements:

1. Open the jaw and make sure the jaw is free of dust, dirt, or any foreign substances.
2. Turn on the Clamp.
3. Push to select the Ω function.
4. Attach the Clamp to the electrode or ground rod to be measured.
5. Read the value of R_g (ground resistance) from the display. Figure 8 illustrates the ground resistance measurement principles.
   

AC Leakage Current Measurement

Based on the electromagnetic induction principle, the Clamp has a ring-shape current transformer comprised of a metal core and coil winding. The current transformer senses the magnetic field produced by the current or by the vector sum of the currents flowing in the conductor under test. The current transformer then produces a current proportional to the current flowing in the conductor.
For an AC leakage current measurement test:

Logging Measurements

The Clamp records data over time and saves >2000 measurements in memory at the set logging interval.
To start logging measurements, push . The display shows to indicate that measurement logging is in progress See Figure 10.

Measurements are recorded at the sampling interval you specified. See Log Interval for more information.

Logging stops when:

Note
If the sampling interval is set at 0 seconds, only one data point is recorded. To record the next data point, press again. The memory location is also displayed for about 1 second.

Hold

Push to freeze the measurement value on the display.
Push again to continue and take measurements.

Filter

Push to toggle the filter on and off in the leakage current measurement mode. When shows on the display, the clamp can isolate the 50/60 Hz fundamental frequency from the harmonics.

Fluke Connect Wireless System

The 1630-2 FC supports the Fluke Connect Wireless System (may not be available in all regions). Fluke Connect uses low-power 802.15.4 wireless radio technology to connect the Clamp with an app on your smartphone or tablet. The wireless radio does not cause interference with meter measurements.
The app shows measurements from the connected Clamp on your smartphone or tablet display, saves to Fluke Connect Cloud™ storage, and shares the information with your team.

Radio Frequency Data
Note
Changes or modifications to the wireless 2.4 GHz radio not expressly approved by Fluke Corporation could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
For complete information about radio frequency data, go to www.fluke.com/manuals and search for "Radio Frequency Data Class B".

Fluke Connect App
The Fluke Connect app works with Apple and Android mobile products. The app is available for download to your smart device from the Apple App Store and Google Play.


To use Fluke Connect:

1. Turn on the Clamp.
   
   
2. Press to activate the radio on the Clamp. shows on the display.
   
   
3. On your smartphone, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Verify that Bluetooth is turned on.
   
   
   
4. Go to the Fluke Connect App and in the list of connected Fluke tools, select 1630-2FC.
   You can now take, save, and share measurements with the app. Go to www.flukeconnect.com for more information about how to use the app.
   
   
5. 
   
6. 
   

Memory

You can log >2000 measurements in the Clamp memory.

View Memory

To view logged measurements in memory:

1. Push and hold >2 s to go the view memory mode. The most recent logged measurement shows on the display with an ID#. See Figure 12.
   

Clear Memory

To clear the memory:

Maintenance

To prevent a possible electrical shock, fire, or personal injury:

Clamp Care

To avoid damaging the Clamp, do not use aromatic hydrocarbons or chlorinated solvents for cleaning. These solutions will react with the plastics used in the Clamp.
Clean the case with a damp cloth and weak detergent. Do not use a solvent or cleaners with abrasives.

Battery Replacement

To avoid false readings that could lead to possible electric shock or personal injury, replace the batteries as soon as the low battery indicator appears.
To replace the battery:

Parts and Accessories

Read this manual to make sure the Product is used correctly. If the Clamp does not turn on, check the battery.
Replacement parts and accessories are shown in Table 5. For more information about parts and accessories, see How to Contact Fluke.

Table 5. Accessories and Replacement Parts

Item	Description	Fluke Part or Model Number
1	AA Alkaline Battery, IEC LR6 (requires 4)	373756
2	Battery Door Assembly	4779851
3	Standard Loop Resistance	4799496

Electrical Specifications

General Specifications

Conductor Size: 40 mm approximately
Dimensions (L x W x H): 283 mm x 105 mm x 48 mm
Weight: 880 g