What would happen if something wrong happens to your wires? If you are using a cable, but it does not pass the current, think about where the current is going? How to overcome this situation? The only way to know about these defects is to use a cable tester.
What is a Cable Tester?
A cable tester is an electronic device that verifies the electrical connections in a cable, either single or complex ones. The basic cable tester verifies an electrical connection between the ends of the cable. While advanced cable testers help the user measure the cable’s signal transmission properties like resistance, noise, interference, and signal attenuation.
Different testers are used for different reasons, some on a small level while others on a commercial level. A multifunction cable tester is a necessary thing for cable installers, computer networks, metal lead circuits, or employees of telecom and LAN environments.
How a Basic Tester Works?
Before going into its working process, I will tell you what this battery-operated portable instrument has in it:
● one or more voltage indicators to check voltage
● To check several conductors sequentially, it has a switching or scanning arrangement.
● microcontroller
● Features to automate the testing process
● display to show the testing results
To check, connect the cable tester to both ends of the cable simultaneously. Indication and current source portions should be separately connected, allowing injection of a test current at cable’s one end and detecting the results at the other called distant end.
Process:
The process of its working occurs in 2 steps. The first test is called the “Opens test,” It checks all of the intended connections that exist by doing continuity tests and resistance tests.
The second step is the “Shorts test” to check if there are any unintended connections in the cable? It is done through low voltage tests and high voltage tests.
Results:
1. Open: When an intended connection is missing.
2. Short: When an unintended connection exists.
3. Miswired: When the connection goes to the wrong place.
Should I Buy a Multifunction Cable Tester?
When you search in the market, you will find many companies that offer multifunction cable testers. But before entering into the discussion of either buying it or not, let’s discuss it as a primary term.
What is a Multifunction Cable Tester?
Many companies manufacture multifunction cable testers with different features; some add brilliant, some add common. They are used in various fields, from small to large ones, from houses to companies and factories.
Although they offer many functions, I will tell you some of them here.
● With the help of a multifunction cable tester, you can test open, short, cross and reverse connections.
● It can also check broken wire positioning.
● With the help of a multifunction cable tester, you can measure the length of cables.
● network cable
● coaxial cable
● telephone cable
● USB cable
● It allows tracing of cable, continuity testing, PoE, and PING functions.
● It helps find the target wire or cable quickly and easily among all kinds of wires.
● Some multifunction cable testers contain liquid crystal displays (LCD), so the users can see the test results visually.
● Some have automatic delay power on-off. Moreover, have a backlit function.
● Most have two scan modes:
● ordinary switch
● PoE switch
● Some have storage and memory functions for calibration data.
The Final Thought:
For efficient working of your cable, it is necessary to check them from time to time. For that reason, you will search the market to buy a cable tester. But for testing electrical cables instead of the internet, a multifunction cable tester should be your choice.
