Workstation Shorts Test.

[jvthorsley]

The manual for Workstation 4.3 doesn't appear to be to specific as to the maximum resistance range possible on the Shorts Test.
I may have this wrong and if so hope JB or Alan Howard (Huntron Tech Support) will let me know.
I did some tests to find the maximum resistance that could be set to show up as a short.
This test is very thorough and checks every pin against all the other pins for a short.
No need to set a COM pin.
The maximum shorts value is set in Tools / General Settings.
To find the maximum accepted value I tried various resistance settings by altering the resistance value in Tools settings and putting a Resistor across two pins (3 & 4)  on a connector as shown on attached photo see IMG_6803.JPG.
I found the maximum allowable setting in tools was 94 Ohms.
As shown on photo IMG_6802.JPG.
And with a 100 Ohms Resistor across the two pins the Shorts Test picked it up.
For some reason and hope JB or Alan Howard can explain this anything above a setting of 94 Ohms resulted in all 25 pins as showing shorted together. As shown on IMG_6801.JPG.
In this case the test was on 25-way SIL connector.
With the connector not plugged into anything and the other end of the ribbon cable plugged directly into my 3200S IDC connector plug.
Ideally I would like this test to look for shorts up to 150 K Ohms or higher.
To achieve this sort of high resistance test I use an adaptor as discussed on a previous message on this Forum.
Or as also discussed on this Forum connect the output from my 3200S to a DMM.
And with this method resistance as high as required can be measured.

[admin]

Hi James,

It appears based on your testing that 94 Ohms is the maximum allowable setting. We do have it on our software update list to improve the Shorts test feature sometime in the future.

[jvthorsley]

Hi Admin or Tech Support or even JB & Alan.
As said on this Forum I work on a lot of agricultural electronics and if Farmers your side of the pond leave all there expensive Combine Harvesters & Forage Harvesters out in all weathers as Farmers do here in Old Blighty / U.K. They shouldn't be surprised when things go wrong!
The circuit boards on this sort of Agri equipment get wet to say the least.
Plus a few Rats & Mice peeing on everything.  Urine has a low electrical resistance.
This can cause short circuits under connectors.
So to run you shorts test at the full resistance range that a Tracker can handle would be of great assistance in tracing problems or problems that are likely to develop.