Cable Tester - Revision history

Admin at 16:49, 5 February 2015

2015-02-05T16:49:32Z

Admin at 16:48, 5 February 2015

2015-02-05T16:48:33Z

Admin at 16:45, 5 February 2015

2015-02-05T16:45:44Z

Admin: /* Common connections for cat5 cables */

2015-02-05T16:34:18Z

Common connections for cat5 cables

Admin: /* Common connections for cat5 cables */

2015-02-05T16:33:49Z

Common connections for cat5 cables

Admin at 16:30, 5 February 2015

2015-02-05T16:30:18Z

Admin: /* Making a Data Cable */

2015-02-05T16:28:41Z

Making a Data Cable

Admin: /* Making a Data Cable */

2015-02-05T16:20:33Z

Making a Data Cable

Admin: /* Making a Data Cable */

2015-02-05T16:20:14Z

Making a Data Cable

Admin: /* Making a Data Cable */

2015-02-05T16:13:33Z

Making a Data Cable

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 5 February 2015
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	Another kind of tester is one designed specifically for the hobby that's designed to test cabling for remote SSRs and can also test the SSRs themselves by sending a control signal to them to turn them on. This unit tests connections on pins 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7 and 8, the only pins that are normally used to control SSRs:		Another kind of tester is one designed specifically for the hobby that's designed to test cabling for remote SSRs and can also test the SSRs themselves by sending a control signal to them to turn them on. This unit tests connections on pins 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7 and 8, the only pins that are normally used to control SSRs:

−	[[File: Ssr-catxtester.jpg \| center \| ~~250px~~]]	+	[[File: Ssr-catxtester.jpg \| center \| 200px]]

@@ Line 13: / Line 13: @@
 When an LED doesn't com on at all, try recrimping both ends of the cable and retest. Sometimes that fixes the problem. If not, try a close examination of both plugs to see if you can discern which one might be bad. If you can't tell, well, you have a 50-50 chance on selecting the bad plug: cut one off, replace it and test the cable again. If you end up replacing both plugs and still the same line doesn't come on, the cable likely has an internal break somewhere. Those are much harder to find, and it's usually much faster just to replace the cable.
-Another kind of tester is one designed specifically for the hobby that's designed to test cabling for remote SSRs and can also test the SSRs themselves by sending a control signal to them to turn them on:
+Another kind of tester is one designed specifically for the hobby that's designed to test cabling for remote SSRs and can also test the SSRs themselves by sending a control signal to them to turn them on. This unit tests connections on pins 1, 2, 4 ,6, 7 and 8, the only pins that are normally used to control SSRs:
-[[File: Ssr-catxtester.jpg | center | 300px]]
+[[File: Ssr-catxtester.jpg | center | 250px]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:45, 5 February 2015
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	When an LED doesn't com on at all, try recrimping both ends of the cable and retest. Sometimes that fixes the problem. If not, try a close examination of both plugs to see if you can discern which one might be bad. If you can't tell, well, you have a 50-50 chance on selecting the bad plug: cut one off, replace it and test the cable again. If you end up replacing both plugs and still the same line doesn't come on, the cable likely has an internal break somewhere. Those are much harder to find, and it's usually much faster just to replace the cable.		When an LED doesn't com on at all, try recrimping both ends of the cable and retest. Sometimes that fixes the problem. If not, try a close examination of both plugs to see if you can discern which one might be bad. If you can't tell, well, you have a 50-50 chance on selecting the bad plug: cut one off, replace it and test the cable again. If you end up replacing both plugs and still the same line doesn't come on, the cable likely has an internal break somewhere. Those are much harder to find, and it's usually much faster just to replace the cable.
		+
		+	Another kind of tester is one designed specifically for the hobby that's designed to test cabling for remote SSRs and can also test the SSRs themselves by sending a control signal to them to turn them on:
		+
		+	[[File: Ssr-catxtester.jpg \| center \| 300px]]
		+

	:NOTE: Before you toss the bad cable out, remember that controllers, SSRs and communication gear don't always use all 8 wires in a cat5 cable. If the "dead" line is one that's unnecessary anyway, the cable can still be useful! So it pays to know how your equipment interconnects -- it can save money!		:NOTE: Before you toss the bad cable out, remember that controllers, SSRs and communication gear don't always use all 8 wires in a cat5 cable. If the "dead" line is one that's unnecessary anyway, the cable can still be useful! So it pays to know how your equipment interconnects -- it can save money!

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:34, 5 February 2015
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	Here's a link to an excellent source of documentation on making Renard Data Cables		Here's a link to an excellent source of documentation on making Renard Data Cables
−	[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=Renard_Data_Cables Renard Data Cables]	+	[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=Renard_Data_Cables '''Renard Data Cables''']

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:33, 5 February 2015
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	::Pin 7 - brown/white - no connection		::Pin 7 - brown/white - no connection
	::Pin 8 - solid brown - no connection		::Pin 8 - solid brown - no connection
		+
		+	Here's a link to an excellent source of documentation on making Renard Data Cables
		+	[http://www.doityourselfchristmas.com/wiki/index.php?title=Renard_Data_Cables Renard Data Cables]

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 :NOTE: Before you toss the bad cable out, remember that controllers, SSRs and communication gear don't always use all 8 wires in a cat5 cable. If the "dead" line is one that's unnecessary anyway, the cable can still be useful! So it pays to know how your equipment interconnects -- it can save money!
 == Common connections for cat5 cables ==
@@ Line 59: / Line 68: @@
 ::Pin 7 - brown/white - no connection
 ::Pin 8 - solid brown - no connection

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 == Making a Data Cable ==
-:There's no rocket science involved here, it's just a simple electrical connection. You connect the source of the signal, i.e. the sending equipment to the RJ45 pin that goes to the receiving equipment, observing the desired Ground and data signal lines. You'll need an RJ45 crimper tool to fasten wires to RJ45 plugs. There are many flavors of crimpers, prices vary widely and are available in stores on on eBay:
+:Making a correct cable is likely the #1 problem for newcomers to this hobby and the first cause of failure when something doesn't work. There's no rocket science involved here, it's just a simple, good electrical connection, but you must take care to do it carefully and well. You essentially connect the source of the signal, i.e. the sending equipment to the proper RJ45 pin that goes to the receiving equipment, observing the proper ground and data signal lines for the kind of connection you're making. That's all it is.
 [[File: Rj45crimper.jpg | center | 300 ]]
 :The trickier part can be the plastic RJ45 plugs themselves because some are designed to work with solid cat5 wire while others are designed for stranded cat5 wire. To check the kind of wire that you have, strip off a bit of the insulation of some of the internal wires inside your cat5 cable to discover whether each has only one, solid wire inside or whether there are many thinner wires (stranded type) that make up each of the 8 internal wires. Then purchase the plugs for the kind of wire you have. Plugs are rather inexpensive and many DIYers keep both types on hand so they're prepared for both types.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:20, 5 February 2015
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	[[File: Rj45crimper.jpg \| center \| 300 ]]		[[File: Rj45crimper.jpg \| center \| 300 ]]
		+
		+	The trickier part can be the plastic RJ45 plugs themselves because some are designed to work with solid cat5 wire while others are designed for stranded cat5 wire. To check the kind of wire that you have, strip off a bit of the insulation of some of the internal wires inside your cat5 cable to discover whether each has only one, solid wire inside or whether there are many thinner wires (stranded type) that make up each of the 8 internal wires. Then purchase the plugs for the kind of wire you have. Plugs are rather inexpensive and many DIYers keep both types on hand so they're prepared for both types.