Telecom Tools: Cable Length Meter

Telecom tools and related accessories of all kind we have reviewed. The one we saved for last is one of the best, the cable length meter is one of the most important tools for the job and we’ll sing all its praises for you in this article. If you are at all familiar with telecom tools you were probably wondering why we were waiting so long on writing up this one. Rest easy we have finally answered your demands.

A Cable Length Meter is ideal for determining the length of a cable on a spool or within the confines of a conduit. Many of these meters come with a bevy of accessories including copper calibration bars, pads for getting rid of oxidation and even a carrying case to store all the important stuff.

The typical features of a cable length meter are:

• Milliohm measurements with resistance range

• Compensation for temperature

• User can custom calibrate

• three digit display

• Both feet and meters measurement settings, it will also measurement aluminum and copper

wires.

• Auto power off

Calibrating your cable length meter and knowing how to measure cable length are two very important guidelines for this telecom tool here are the procedures on performing these tasks.

Calibration Process:

• Turn your cable meter on by pressing the on/off switch.
• Next insert your black test leads into one pair of input jacks and the rest test leads into the opposite pair. This is crucial so that your meter will calibrate correctly. If you do the opposite of what you’re supposed to do then you will get a false reading and calibration wilt happen.
• The calibration standard will then need to have your meter’s Kelvin clips inserted. When doing this make sure you get them as close as you can for the process to initialize properly.

Press and hold you meter’s calibration button. Wait for all the segments on your meters’ display to light up. This confirms that your calibration on the meter is complete and everything is in proper working order. After that disconnect your testing leads.

TIPS: Make sure equipment you are using is clean. Kelvin clips must be in place along the calibration standard’s diameter. Cleaning with an abrasive pad will ensure the best cleaning job on your calibration standard. Make sure clips your clips stay as close as can be. With smaller wire use the tips of the Kelvin clips.

Measuring Wire Lengths:

Turn the cable meter on and perform the calibration process. You’ll want your meter to reach the same temperature setting as a wire test.

TIP: Temperature will alter a reading’s accuracy. Consult the accuracy specs to make sure there are no problems with readings. Consult the accuracy specifications in your meter’s manual for more info.

CAUTION:

Make sure the wires that you are testing are NOT energized. You want to make sure that you are not applying voltage to the meter’s inputs. This will affect performance of your meter but most importantly put your safety into jeopardy!

In closing that’s the nitty gritty to using a cable length meter. There will be some unique and interesting challenging. But judging by your telecom tool aptitude this should be a walk in the park for someone like you that has stayed the course and read our silly and often times boring rants on the wonder of telecom tool technology! Good luck!

Telecom Tools: GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) Cord Protection

Now this article may not directly deal with telecom tools, but our next topic is about an essential accessory that will allow you to properly use your telecom tools when you are on the job. So basically the use of GFCI cord protection equipment is indeed important is you want to continue using your telecom tools to their fullest extent.

Here are some examples of cord protection equipment that is used on the job.

Cord Caddies –This accessory carries around with it a fully grounded frame and optional GFCI outlets for safe use, it also has a strong material coated design for durability against high amounts of damage.

Your average cord caddies have the following:

• A cord length of 125'
• GFCI protection
• End plates that are epoxy-coated and have a yellow color to indicate safety.
• It’s completely grounded
• Steel framed
• 15- or 20-amp circuits
• Comes with essential power chords for optimal use.
• Protected from ground fault circuit
• Free of any collector rings, brushes or slip rings

GFCI Cord Protector Boxes –

These protector boxes are designed for save environments in damp or wet areas. This reduces the risk of electric shock and can also stop non-monitored equipment from initializing. It has an impact resitant case made out of polymer with spring loaded covers to protect unused ports from getting harmed or dirty. A special feature called a “fast breaker” in some models is built to prevent a power overload. A manual reset is neded in the case of power outage or trip, this is set in so no unexpected functioning of equipment starts.

Features:

• UL listed Compliance
• Meets NEMA 5 requirements
• Can handle almost any type of weather. Sites like constructions yards are perfect for this accessory.

GFCI Protected Tri-Cord

Protected tri cords are another telecom tool accessory that stands up to a lot of elements. These sturdy electrical cord protectors can stand up to tough use so they’re perfect for areas where you’ll have to you use your telecom tools outdoors. They have a rather simple configuration that takes care of a lot of safety and performance concerns.

The heavy duty cord comes with three receptacbles. As seen in its title it’s GFCI equipped. GFCI in fact protects the cords and three attached accessories that are rooted in ground fault. A gauge cord graded at 12/3 is more than adequate for places like construction sites where the majority of the time you’re exposed to the outdoors. For performance and safety reasons test and reset buttons are built in.

A manual reset features will prevent from a surprise equipment start up in the event of a power loss. Deemed compliant by the guidelines of OSHA, UL, CSA, and NEMA UL the tri-cord meets the safety requirements that is passed by all these organizations and standards.

Are you convinced that cord protection is a wise choice? We hope so, because safety is the number one priority no matter what the job is. With these accessories you and your telecom tools will be just fine.