Current Sensors

Current Sensors are devices designed to detect an electric current in a circuit and to generate a signal that is proportional to that current. The signal can be measured and displayed or stored for further analysis. Current sensors can measure both AC and DC and can be divided into 2 categories:
• In-line sensors – mounted as an integral part of circuit
• Clamp type sensors – they can be clamped around the wire to be measured
Current Sensors use 3 working technology types:
• Hall Effect – Hall Effect sensors consist a core, Hall Effect device and signal conditioning circuitry. Sensors work when current conductor passes through a magnetically permeable core that concentrates the conductor’s magnetic field. The energised Hall device is then exposed to magnetic field from the core and it produces a potential difference that can be measured and amplified.
• Inductive – Inductive sensors use a coil through which a current-carrying wire passes. This causes power to flow in the coil that is proportional to the current. The current flow then can be measured or transformed.
• Magnetoresistive – a current flows through the plate and the effect is the property of certain materials to change the value of its resistance. When the current flows for a longer distance, resistance is increased and decreased at the shorter distance.