[Cialug] OT: continuity test

[Bryan Baker]

For those a multi meter should be pretty easy to use, just set to  
continuity, touch one lead to each tip, then each ring then each sleeve.

You could also build something w/ 2 1/8" stereo jacks, a battery, some  
LEDs and iirc, you'll also need some resistors, to get the LEDs to  
work, but it should be a pretty easy circuit to just light an LED for  
each of the conductors if contact is made. I'm just rusty enough, I  
can't draw you the schematic, but it should be pretty basic.


On Jul 2, 2009, at 3:23 PM, David Champion wrote:
> For you electronics gurus out there...
>
> For our SCCA autocross timers, we have a set of cables that go from  
> the
> timer head unit, to a photo sensor head out on the course (similar  
> to a
> garage door safety sensor, bounces a light off a reflector). The  
> cables
> have 3 conductors, we're using a fairly light gauge stranded wire,
> probably about like what's in ethernet cable. The connectors are 1/4"
> stereo headphone jack style (3 connectors). The cables may be up to
> about 250 feet in length.
>
> Occasionally someone will get off course and run over one of the  
> cables
> with their car, and they get some rough treatment at times, may get
> kinked, and get dragged around parking lots. I'd like to have some  
> kind
> of way to do a quick cable test on them during setup to help shorten  
> the
> troubleshooting time, so we'd know whether or not it's a cable  
> issue, or
> another issue with the photo sensor.
>
> Anyone have an idea of a simple device we could build to test the
> cables, or would we be better off using a multi-meter, or another
> pre-existing device?
>
> -dc
>
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