| Products > Test Equipment |
| I started a new job and have some questions about meters and test equipment. |
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| LewisS:
Hello all, I just started a new job as an arcade game / vending machine technician. I have a basic piece of junk $50 Craftsman / Mastech meter (the pcb says mastech on it) that is about a dozen years old. I plan on getting a nice meter to start with. I've been looking at the Agilent U1242B. So far to me is seems to be one of the best meters for around $220 since the Flukes around $200 have less overall accuracy when comparing the spec. sheets. Maybe some of you would have some advice and or recommendations. I would like to stay under $250 for the meter. Also my boss said something briefly about network testing equipment since a growing number of the arcade games have internet (RJ45) network connections for online gaming, scoreboards, and other stuff. Does anyone know what kind of equipment would be best for this application? I would like some recommendations for equipment and brands / models if possible. My first thoughts are something that can test network status, a meter, LCR meter, maybe something for EMI also. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Lewis |
| Bored@Work:
One of my principles is that an employer has to pay for all equipment I need for my work. PC, laptop, phone, measurement instruments, software, tools, ... If it is for the job then The Man has to pay. That is part of being an employer. If I want to pay for my own stuff I would be self-employed. So I am surprised that you want to get a meter and network tester on your own. (I make an exception for pens and pencils, as my employer's seem to magically end up in my pockets and at home. Therefore I occasionally bring some from home, which might anyway belong to my employer). But OK, regarding network testers, just like multimeters, there is everything available. From simple cable continuity testers, to complex protocol analyzers with all sorts of measurement and analysis features. Beyond continuity testing things get expensive, fast. You need to figure out what the most common faults are in your job and then look for a network tester with the ability to identify those (and a few more). For protocol analysis stuff a combination of a laptop, Wireshark, and often a small switch capable of port monitoring is also common. However, that setup is bulky in the field, any you don't really see what is going on on the wire, just what the laptop's (or switch's) network interface make out of the signal level on the network cable. .g. you don't see bit error rates. |
| ColinA:
Today, yes I agree that the employer should provide the necessary tools but, leave it up to the employer and they'll buy the cheapest crap they can get away with. Spend the money and buy yourself a good meter. Over the years I bought myself the books and tools I wanted, they are mine and the man can't take them from me. I've had the same fluke for almost 20 years, beat the crap out of it doing service work for tens years straight and it still works great. Back in the day when we bought our own tools I would judge a tech by the meter he carried. As far as other meters go, a LCR or ESR are a must these days. |
| PetrosA:
Yeah, it sucks that your employer isn't buying you the test equipment, but that's becoming more common nowadays :( The Agilent sounds like a good choice for the DMM. For cable testing (basic go/no go and simple fault finding) I use this: http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=33-856&div=2&l1=testers&l2=testers_twisted_pair&l3=33-856 Other options for something similar: http://www.amazon.com/Platinum-Tools-MapMaster-Voice-Tester/dp/B004QIQPRY/ref=sr_1_cc_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1300541382&sr=1-2-catcorr http://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-NC-100-NETcat-Digital-Wiring/dp/B0010B6LJC/ref=sr_1_cc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300541382&sr=1-1-catcorr I don't have any experience with Platinum Tools, but I have had Greenlee stuff and it's well made. |
| alm:
Not sure how useful a LAN tester will be. Most of them are designed to test cables/installations, not the equipment connected to it. Plugging it into a switch should confirm if it establishes link and if auto-negotiation works (assuming the switch indicates link speed), and plugging a laptop into the wall is an easy test to see if the problem is on that end. Swapping patch cables is less work than bothering to test them. But if your work involves pulling cables and documenting network installations, a tester will be a useful tool. |
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