Hey all, Im using a Beringher CT100 cable tester and I'm a little confused with a reading im getting from acouple of cables,
Im getting an X pattern on the LED grid when testing some xlr cables...
What does this mean?
The cable is being used for microphones and is a standard two core plus sheild balanced cable,
Ive re-solderd both ends twice to be sure the wires are solderd to the correct pins and I'm still getting the same reading..
I know this reading is correct for a mono unbalanced cable or xlr-jack cable but the manual staes that I should be getting a diagonal reading on the testers LED grid...
Can anybody help??
This site has diagrams... not the best but clear enough.
PLEASE note that the pin numbering is kind of goofy... The pins of both the male and female tie to identical pin numbers.
You PROBABLY have misread the numbering at one end.
A KEY thing is to get the shield on pin 1 at both ends.
I recommend that you uncap BOTH connectors, mate them, and verify the same color goes straight across as you solder the wires..
Note: I had some brand new cables delivered that the shield had been connected to pin 3 (middle one) and I had hum ! Note that this defect would NOT be caught by your cable tester as there was conituity between corresponding pin numbers.
Very strange... Possibly someone has stepped on the cable and caused a short.
At this point the best thing is to use an ohmmeter and test it for continuity between like numbered pins. If those are all OK check for shorts between any two pins on the same connector.
NEXT use the ohmeter to look for high resistance shorts. Set meter to high resistance and test between any pair of pins.
LASTLY check if one of the connector shells MIGHT be shorted to one of the pins.
I HAVE seen an XLR cable that had gotten "stretched" that severe breakage had occurred throughout the length of the cable.
I had XLR cables delivered bran new that the shield was swapped at both ends. The weird numbering of the pins apparently confused the assembler.
×
676 views
Usually answered in minutes!
Hey fredy2, Thanks for the reply mate,
Haha i thought myself I had misread the numbering at one end too, Hence the resoldering of the same two ends twice!
Uncapping both connectors is exactly wht I do when soldering so I can be 100% sure of the connectors being lined up properly,
I even have various printouts of xlr wiring diagrams so I'm 100% sure the way I have wired them is ok,
Could it be a break in the wire somwhere or even a faulty xlr connector?
Yea Ive downloaded the ebtech swiss army version manual and I have the diagrams but the info is very minamal,
Thing is I do 3 different test tests on all my cables for shorts and intermiitance etc, On one cable in particular on the first test I got the right reading (The Diagonal) The second test was ok too but the third test..Where i was testing for Intermittent shorts between the OUT parts of the cable, I got faults.. So i did the standard XLR test again and I got this X reading???
What this is telling me is that the connector may be faulty, Or even as this X reading (that is the right reading for mono cable) maybe is not really a problem!
Whats buggung me is that I used this cable the night before at a gig and it was fine no problems, Then i test it an this happens
Maybe I'm asking stupid questions to some people but Im always very careful with my leads and I'm safety concious when it comes to gigs..
Im not really all that new to fixing XLR cables so Its not my wiring or lack of checking the pin line up is correct,
But I am new to this cable tester and the manual is pretty crap! :)
Again please help!
Thanks in advance,
John.
×