Cable testing enables you to verify the installation of any wire with respect to the terms and conditions of the contract as well as the industry standards.
There are a variety of tests that technicians conduct on copper cables to check their quality and functionality. Testing enables them to ensure whether the cable will hold up during usage in the field.
Before testing a copper cable, it is essential to understand and follow three phases of visual inspection, measurement, and documentation. The visual inspection includes inspecting all the spaces, pathways, closets, and areas of installation. Also, technicians need to have the required equipment for testing cables before actually beginning any testing.
Let us check in this post all the types of diagnostic tests that can be conducted on copper cables to check their quality and functionality.
Usually, the technicians in any business test the cables during three critical times – installation, acceptance determination, and maintenance.
Testing while Installation.
Testing the cables at the time of installation is important to ensure that the wires are in new condition and not damaged before installation. In most cases, a contract is involved and testing the cables while installation helps you to determine that they are certified and designed to perform as per the requirements and industry standards.
Acceptance determination.
It is a compatibility test conducted by technicians to check how the copper cable connects with the software and other required elements.
Maintenance.
Cables are also checked during routine maintenance to ensure they are working properly, and the quality is not compromised after a set time period.
Now let us explore all the types of tests used to test a copper cable.
Continuity test.
It is the most common type of test conducted by technicians to test the continuity and connectivity of a wire using a multimeter. A multimeter is an easy-to-use device that you can use to check the resistance voltage and current in a circuit.
Resistance test.
Technicians use the resistance test to measure the current and voltage resistance in a copper wire. After measuring the current and voltage resistance, you can compare the readings with the expected values to check the performance of the cable. Ohmmeters are used to measure the resistance in a copper wire. They pass a small amount of current through the copper wire and measure the voltage drop to determine the resistance.
Isolation test.
Isolation tests are used to check how well isolated the copper wires are from each other within a cable. Technicians use a megohmmeter or megger to check the leakage of current with a low voltage.
Short tests.
A short test makes use of high voltage to determine the near-shorts within the wire that are not revealed if you use a low voltage. These tests are also called voltage withstand tests and are used to determine the shorts in copper cables.
Qualified and Certified Technicians
Whatever the type of test technicians used to check the performance of copper wires, it is essential that the technician conducting the test should be qualified and trained to perform testing. As working with electricity is dangerous and can cause serious injuries to workers if proper precautions are not used for safety.
Therefore, only qualified and certified technicians should be allowed to conduct testing of electrical cables and networks. Also, the right equipment like Vivai Cable Certifier should be used to perform a test according to the type of testing.
Final Words.
Testing a copper cable or optical cable is a complex process as there are a variety of methods to perform the testing. Technicians can choose a method of testing depending on the requirements of the contract and industry standards. Also, the purpose of testing should be considered, and a relevant type of testing should be used to check all the required parameters to ensure the performance and durability during installation, acceptance determination, and maintenance stages.