cable repair

Maybe some of the real techs in here knew that, but I didn't. Thanks! What kind of capacitance range are we talking about? I've got a non-auto-ranging capacitance meter with quite a few ranges...

Dont feel bad, we have some REAL techs at work with 30 years experience that didnt think about doing it.

Hmmm, never really noticed. Mine is auto ranging. Suffice it to say you will notice after playing with it a little.. When I find an open there is little difference if any than when Im not touching the cable.

Jimmie

I've used this method especially with CAT5 cable meters that can actually tell you how for down the line the break is.

In message , Michael A. Terrell writes

But 'slightly' more expensive!

Yeah, Is that anything like the incandescent light bulb trick being used in place of a fuse while looking for that short? :)

broken

Better for who?

I've never had any problems with the meter we used. Besides I never pulled wire, just verified a problem existed and called the sub who did the rest. And I'm not so sure the meter we used wasn't a TDR as I no longer work for that company. I know it was expensive, a couple grand so it may have been a TDR.

Don't forget to replace the light bulb in your head with a Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL).

I got a rather nice little tester off Ebay for a few quid which broadcasts a an RF signal down the cable which you pick up with a directional receiver. Mainly to identify concealed cable runs under floors or bunched together etc, but can also be used to find breaks. A useful tool that a few years ago would have been very expensive indeed.