Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

LocoNet Cable Tester

Pictures by Les Halmos (Kodak DC215 Digital Camera)

Tester Single Line Diagram (Rev 1.0)

Time Saver but mostly Sanity Saver is the LocoNet Tester that you see above. Troubleshooting is a lot easier if one starts off with the assurance that at least the cables used to connect the LocoNet are all correct.

I started off by always wondering whether a cable was "Telco pin 1 to pin 6" or "Data pin 1 to pin 1" and every time I tested one it was a pain. So after a while I came up with this Tester which is basically very simple.

First of all I started off with a Wall Plate with two RJ12 (6 pin) connectors on it from the local Electronics shop, then a 3"x 5"x2" aluminium project box which could have been plastic also. Then I assembled the following components:
6 x PC Board mount LED's
2 x N/O Momentary Push Buttons
6 x Suitable resistors for LED's
2 x diodes
1 x PC Board
1 x 9V Battery Clip
4 x Standoff's & assorted mounting screws

The design is quite simple, the 9V battery is routed through two momentary push buttons through 1 diode to 3 LED's each, one for the left group and one for the right group. This way when a cable is tested pushing the left button lights the left hand LED's and pushing the right button the right hand LED's, this is true when you have a correct (Data) cable for the LocoNet.

If on the other hand you have a "Telco" cable then pushing the left button will light the right hand group of LED's and the right button, the left hand LED's. Should you have a bad crimp it will tell you which of the 6 wires is improperly crimped.

Now the old adage "Two wrongs don't make a right" is not true in this case, if you have an in line cable connector, these are usually "Telco" type, then using a "Telco" cable and the in line connector on one end and a "Data" cable on the other make the two wrongs.....right. This is because you have two inversions Ex: Pin 1 to pin 6 on the connector and then pin 6 back to pin 1 on the "Telco" cable....and Voilà !

Crimping Tools

To avoid bad crimps use a quality Crimping Tool it will save you time, money and a whole lot of frustration. Above you can see different crimping tools, the red handled ones are the least expensive type. Look at the broken teeth on one of them. The green one is a quality Greenlee crimping tool, the jaw allows you to crimp 4P 6P and 8P plugs and has a ratchet action so you cannot make a bad crimp. It also has a cutting and stripping blades which assures proper stripping length, well worth it's cost if you are making a lot of cables.

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Electrical and Mechanical Engineering

Les Halmos, Surintendant / Superintendent CB Rail. lhalmos@sympatico.ca Copyright © 1996-2005 par / by CB Rail. Tous droits réservés / All rights reserved. Revisé / Revised: 08 May 2007 02:53 AM

Les Halmos, Surintendant / Superintendent CB Rail. lhalmos@sympatico.ca
Copyright © 1996-2005 par / by CB Rail. Tous droits réservés / All rights reserved.
Revisé / Revised: 08 May 2007 02:53 AM