Using a Clamp-on Ammeter for Automotive Diagnostics

In the automotive electrical diagnostic world, it's very common to use a DVOM (Digital Volt Ohm Meter) to measure voltage and resistance. With a DVOM, measuring amperage can be more difficult or impossible because of the range limitation of the typical DVOM. If you need to measure battery Cold Cranking Amps, Starter Amp Draw or Alternator Charging Amperage, it can't be done with a typical DVOM, however, with a clamp-on ammeter, these things are very possible. This video will use a Zoyi ZT-QS9 Digital Clamp Meter for some basic amp tests that can be done on most automobiles. Up until recently, clamp-on ammeters were limited to AC testing only without spending a lot of money. For automotive use, a clamp-meter that measures DC is required. Now you can find clamp-on meters that will measure AC and DC for under $25. At the time of this posting (July 2025) the Zoyi ZT-QS9 can be found on Temu for $22.04 plus tax and shipping. You can also find it on Amazon along with many on-line sellers. It's a pretty good tool. You can get a better tool, but you'll have to pay quite a bit more money. Hopefully this video will give you enough information to decide if you want to invest in a tool like this. I hope this helps and thanks for watching.