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Adapting to Connectors on Your Cables
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Can different types connector boards be used at the same time (for example CB15 on the left and CB4 on the right), or must you use like boards on each side of the tester?
You may mix and match boards in whatever combination you require to test the cable. Each CB board as an ID jumper built into the board that identifies it to the software allowing the proper choice of a connector graphic.
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The connector boards generally have two or more connectors mounted on a single board. Can I use more than one at a time when checking multi-headed cables?
Generally you may use only one connector at a time on each board. The connectors usually share a certain number of test points on each board, and it is the shared test points that cannot be employed simultaneously. There are exceptions, though. For example, the CB1 board you see on the right has two BNC connector that were layed out on the board to have independent test points, and thus these two connectors may be used at the same time. In this case, you would mount a CB1 on each side on the tester and would have a total of four BNC connectors available for your multi-headed cable. A similar situation exists for the CB18A board which has eight independent RJ45 connectors.
To test multi-headed cables, you may mount three or more boards by using an expansion module, use adapter cables, or build a panel connected directly to CableEye and having all the connectors you need pre-mounted.
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How do I interface unusual connectors to the tester?
One approach would be to use our CB8 board. Three different connectors are mounted on the CB8 board you see on the right. The connectors may be removed and the board reused for one-time applications. We are pleased to design and build custom interfaces for you at very reasonable rates. Contact us for details. See more examples of customized CB8 boards.
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Is it possible to design and build our own CB interface board?
Yes. We will happily provide you with the routing pattern for the board as shown on the right (the data we give you will have exact dimensions). We can provide suggestions too for laying out the board and positioning the connectors.
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How do I set up CableEye for wire harness testing?
Depending on the size of the harness, you may (a) build a mating harness as shown on the right, (b) construct a panel with all of your connectors present, (c) build "pigtail" cables, or (d) mount mating connectors on the CB8 custom interface board. Our PinMap software (Item 708) lets you add custom labels to all of your connectors and pins. We are pleased to advise during the construction of your harness interface.
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Electrical Measurements on a Cable
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Does one connector board serve as a signal driver and the other as a receiver?
No. Although this kind of design is used in some very inexpensive cable testers, it does not provide a comprehensive test. In CableEye, every test point serves as both an input and an output at different times during the measurement of a cable. This permits us to measure current in both directions, and thus detect diodes. Every test point is measured with respect to every other one. So, for the 128 test point address space of a CableEye M2-Basic, 128*128 (=16,384) measurements are made. The fact that we divide the 128 point space between two 64-pin headers is a matter of physical design only. It could just as well have been divided between four 32-pin headers.
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Can CableEye measure a jumper between two pins of the same connector?
Yes. Any physically possible network of wiring may be measured and stored in the database as a reference for future testing.
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What is a "resistance threshold" and how does it affect testing a cable?
The Model M3 CableEye permits you to set two resistance thresholds, a "conduction" threshold and an "isolation" threshold. The "conduction" threshold is the highest resistance value you allow for a good connection. Typically, you would set the value to about 2 ohms, in which case any wire whose resistance is less than 2 ohms is consider a "good" connection. For long cables, this value would increase to allow for the natural resistance of wire (typically 0.1 ohms per foot). If this threshold is violated during a test, the cable will be flagged as faulty.
The "isolation" threshold is the lowest value of resistance you allow for wires in a cable that are not connected. Typically, you would set this value to 1 Megohm or higher. When wires that are not suppose to be connected show leakage resistance less than this threshold, say 100 K ohms rather than 1 Megohm, the cable will be flagged as faulty. Isolation failures rarely occur with the cable body itself, but are more likely found within a connector as a result of solder or crimp terminations being too close, or contamination being present (such as solder flux or sugar residue from a beverage).
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What are the benefits of setting resistance thresholds?
Improper crimps, partially broken conductors, corrosion, and wear are some conditions that will cause high resistance on a pin when the cable is attached. Setting a threshold for maximum allowable resistance (generally 2-10 ohms) flags any suspect connections. In addition to testing for good connections, our CableEye Model M3 also permits you to set an isolation threshold up to 10 Megohms to ensure that insulation is not compromised (low voltage test). Contamination between pins by solder flux or moisture could cause an isolation failure.
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Can you set thresholds on the Model M2 tester?
The Model M2 tester has a single fixed threshold of 42 K ohms that cannot be changed. This threshold value makes the M2 very sensitive to short circuits, the most serious and most likely kind of problem within a cable.
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What voltage is applied to the cable during testing?
Model M2 applies 5 volts at 0.3 milliamp current when measuring a cable. Model M3 applies 10 volts at 1 milliamp current during measurement.
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How long does it take to measure a typical cable?
For a cable of 64 conductors or less, the measurement time on an M2 tester is about one-half second. On the M3 tester it is about one second. When you measure cables with a large conductor count, such as a 100-pin SCSI cable, the measurement time will increase.
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What is the maximum length of the cable I can measure?
That depends on the cable's capacitance and inductance. This is affected by the amount of wire twisting in the cable, and whether a shield conductor surrounds the wires. For unshielded Cat 5 ethernet cable which has twisted pairs, we have successfully measured cables 1000 feet long. For 25-pair Telco shielded Telco cable, we have customers who regularly test cables of several hundred feet long. Both M2 and M3 testers have a "dwell time" adjustment that affects how long a test signal is applied to a conductor during measurement. The dwell time may be increased as necessary to permit measuring extremely long cables.
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Are "test points" the same as wire connections?
No. For each wire, you need two test points, one on one side of the wire and one on the other. To test a 40 conductor cable, you need 80 test points. Add two more test points if there is a shield. The CableEye Model M2-Basic, with 128 test points, can check a cable as large as 64 conductors.
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How many test points do I need for my application?
Simply add the total number of pins on all connectors of your largest cable. Be sure to include the shields. For example, if you had a two-ended cable with DB25 connectors at each end, you need 26 test points for each end (25 pins plus a shield), and thus a total of 52 test points would be needed. For a wire harness having ten connectors of 30 pins each, you would need 300 test points. CableEye Model M2 and M3 testers have 152 test points in their base units. You may add Expansion Modules of 128 points per module up to a maximum of 1024 test points.
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Can Model M3 measure resistor values?
Yes. In addition to checking cable conductors against resistance thresholds, embedded resistors between the range of 0.5 ohms and 10 Megohms may be checked with a tolerance you choose.
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Connector Graphics
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With two or more connectors on a single plug-in board, how does CableEye know which connector to use for the graphic wiring display?
Although we mount several connectors on each board, we designed the board so that at least one test point is uniquely assigned to each connector (typically the shell conductor). Thus, when CableEye detects a signal on this unique test point, the connector we know which connector is being used.
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Can I create my own connector graphics for CableEye?
Not at this time, however, if you need a connector graphic that is not in our extensive library, we will create it for you at no charge.
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If I mount my own connector on the CB8 prototyping board (Item 738), what graphic does CableEye use and how can I change it?
Because the CB8 board is a generic board designed for any connector type, the software defaults to a 64-pin dual-row header as seen on the right. The pin numbers match the pad numbers on the board, and the wiring will be shown accurately, but the geometric shape of the connector will be rectangular. With the optional PinMap software (Item 708), you may replace the rectangular header graphic with anything else in the library.
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Can I change the pin labels on a connector graphic?
Yes. You would use the PinMap software (Item 708) for this purpose and can have up to a seven character alphanumeric label on each pin. When testing wire harnesses or multi-headed cables, you would typically incorporate the connector name into the pin number. For example, connector J3 pin 28 might have a pin label J3:28.
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Computer Requirements and Options
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What kind of computer and operating system do I need to run the CableEye software?
Any Windows-based machine will suffice running Windows® 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, or XP. CableEye requires one serial port. There are no memory or disk requirements above those necessary to run Windows. You may use a network printer or printer connected directly to the printer port on the computer. Two or more printers may be used simultaneously. For example, you may wish to have one for printing reports and another for printing labels. Laptops work well with CableEye. Measurement speed will not be significantly different when using slower computers.
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Can I load the CableEye software on two or more computers at a time?
Yes, however, the test fixture must be connected to the computer's serial port for the software to operate. You have permission to load the software on as many computers as you wish, and then move the test fixture around as needed to different work stations for testing cables or wire harnesses.
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Can I install the CableEye software on a network so that two or more workstations can share the same cable database and log files?
Yes. Set up a shared folder with the CableEye database contained therein.
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Is it possible to use the software without the test fixture connected if all I want to do is look at cable schematics, design cables, view reports, or print labels?
If you purchase the optional Software Site License (Item 729), you may do so. In this case, any computer on your network may start the CableEye software and use any of the software functions, including report printing, that do not require the test fixture.
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Once a good cable has been learned, can the tester be disconnected from the computer and used independently?
No, the connection to the computer is necessary to control the tester and to display test results.
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Is is possible to use two or more testers with a single computer as long as one serial port is available for each tester?
Technically, yes, but this is not recommended. Each operator needs their own controls and video display to operate the tester and see results.
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Choosing the Right CableEye Model
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Which model tester would be best for my application?
You may choose from three models of CableEye with varying prices. Answer a couple of questions using our System Selection Guide to find the best match to your needs.
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Could you provide references to people currently using the CableEye tester?
Yes, we will happily do so. Call us at one of the numbers shown below and ask for a reference list of customers in your area.
Tel: 800-776-0414 (USA), or
Tel: +1-978-266-2655 (International)
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Learning to Use CableEye
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How long will it take to learn how to use CableEye?
Most people have the hardware connected, the software installed, and begin testing within about 10 minutes. To set up scripts for automatic production testing, to customize reports, or adapt to custom cables, you would first review the relevant sections in the CableEye User's Guide. The software is very easy to use and should not pose any problems for unskilled operators.
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How can I ensure that unskilled operators in a production environment test the cables consistently and cannot tamper with the settings?
CableEye's software includes a simple scripting language that lets the test engineer set up the desired test sequence including report generation and label printing, in advance. The operator needs only to press the TEST button on CableEye to trigger a test sequence.
You may also set up operator names with passwords and privilage controls to write-protect the database, threshold settings, and scripts.
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Tech Support
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What if I need help with the equipment or software?
The one-year warranty provided with each new tester includes free tech support and free software upgrades. Call us at 800-776-0414 (or 978-266-2655) or use the access codes provided with your tester to refer to the Customer Services section of our web site for the latest software, new product announcements, and our technical library.
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In the event that a repair is needed, what kind of turn-around can I expect?
We generally complete repairs within 24 hours of receiving the equipment. If we receive it early enough, we will ship the unit back the same day. Our warranty includes free two-day return shipment.
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Warranty Coverage
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What are my service options after the first year?
You may renew the warranty at the end of the first year of ownership for $150 per year to maintain your hardware coverage, free tech support, and free software upgrades.
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