Qualifier Tests Single Pair Cable
Telebyte offers a portable test system specifically for single pair cables, to determine if those cables can support Ethernet-APL and 10Base-T1L. The company says its Cable Qualifier “provides a technically innovative method to test and document performance of 10Base-T1L and Ethernet-APL applications for network planners, cable installers, and network technicians.” The company adds that “end users can now determine in advance if their existing installed cables can be used for these emerging Single Pair Ethernet technologies.”
The tester is designed to ensure a cable pair will support data as well as power. It tests for a variety of cable faults in Ethernet-APL and 10Base-T1L applications where data packet loss has the potential to cause failures. “The verification of cables installed in manufacturing and industrial SPE networks is crucial, as that environment may subject them to a variety of conditions such as electromagnetic interference from surrounding equipment, vibrations, moisture, temperature changes, and more,” Telebyte adds.
“The primary legacy cable faults in SPE are excessive insertion loss or cable voltage drop due to high DC loop resistance. Over time the single pair cables experience damage from extreme temperatures, moisture, physical stress, signal loss, inline connector damage, as well as open and short circuit conditions,” the company further notes. “These issues may result in instability and data packet loss, which can cause a machine to shut down or a critical device to fail. The ability to assess cable reliability during installation or to identify and troubleshoot issues quickly and easily when they occur is essential to peak operation. A portable cable tester is the ideal solution.”
The company says Cable Qualifier requires minimal training to operate. It allows users to test per the IEEE’s 802.3-2022 10Base-T1L and 802.3dd-2022 Ethernet-APL standards that define cable limits for data and power over data lines. Through a mobile app, the user selects the standard to be tested, data only or power class, and displays simple pass/fail indicators.
Telebyte’s president Michael Breneisen comments, “Our goal was to make this device ideal for field testing and easy for techs to use. That requires portability, a fast and reliable pass/fail result, and low cost. We are pleased to have achieved that in our new Cable Qualifier.”