Whether it’s for curiosity or at-home diagnosis, a hobby, or testing for work purposes, Plugable’s new USBC-VAMETER multimeter can come in handy. It allows you to check for power issues by reading voltage and amperage to see how much power a device is using.
The second generation of the voltage and amperage meter is portable and easy to use. You can see how fast a USB-C device is charging with three specific pieces of information: voltage, amperage, and the direction of the electrical current. Once you see this information, you can then look at how much power the device is receiving and find and fix power issues in real-time.
Plugable says the multimeter will come in handy because the technology driving USB-C devices is still maturing. “Everyday users may find it challenging to find a combination of chargers and devices that charge effectively and safely while avoiding issues down the road,” says Plugable.
Compared to the first-generation device, the new version features an enhanced bidirectional nature and an added button to rotate the screen orientation to make switching between the two easy. It also features a brighter and easier-to-read screen, and created an overall more robust design with strengthened USB-C Connectors.
The meter will not interfere with the USB data, USB-C Alternate Mode, video, or USB-C charging because of its transparent interposer, and supports 4-20V, 50mA-10A operating range and all USB data (1.1 through 3/1 Gen 2). The device only taps into the power (VBUS) and ground connections, leaving data lines untouched and avoiding interference with normal USB-C operation.
With the above in mind, the USBC-VAMETER is ideal for anyone looking to connect a phone or laptop with a charger or virtually any USB-C device and a computer, dock, or hub, says Plugable.
At roughly the size of a USB flash drive, the rugged USBC-VAMETER comes with a two-year warranty and is available for $30.95.