Fluke TS 90 User manual

TS90
Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
PN 2448335
October 2005, Rev. 2 9/2015
©2005, 2009, 2015 Fluke Corporation
All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF
LIABILITY
Each Fluke Networks product is warranted to be free from defects in
material and workmanship under normal use and service unless stated
otherwise herein. The warranty period for the mainframe is 18 months
and begins on the date of purchase. Parts, accessories, product repairs and
services are warranted for 90 days, unless otherwise stated. Ni-Cad, Ni-MH
and Li-Ion batteries, cables or other peripherals are all considered parts or
accessories. The warranty extends only to the original buyer or end user
customer of a Fluke Networks authorized reseller, and does not apply to
any product which, in Fluke Networks’ opinion, has been misused, abused,
altered, neglected, contaminated, or damaged by accident or abnormal
conditions of operation or handling. Fluke Networks warrants that
software will operate substantially in accordance with its functional
specifications for 90 days and that it has been properly recorded on non-
defective media. Fluke Networks does not warrant that software will be
error free or operate without interruption.
Fluke Networks authorized resellers shall extend this warranty on new
and unused products to end-user customers only but have no authority to
extend a greater or different warranty on behalf of Fluke Networks.
Warranty support is available only if product is purchased through a Fluke
Networks authorized sales outlet or Buyer has paid the applicable
international price. To the extent permitted by law, Fluke Networks
reserves the right to invoice Buyer for repair/replacement when a product
purchased in one country is submitted for repair in another country.
For a list of authorized resellers, visit www.flukenetworks.com/
wheretobuy.
Fluke Networks warranty obligation is limited, at Fluke Networks option,
to refund of the purchase price, free of charge repair, or replacement of a
defective product which is returned to a Fluke Networks authorized
service center within the warranty period.
To obtain warranty service, contact your nearest Fluke Networks
authorized service center to obtain return authorization information,
then send the product to that service center, with a description of the
difficulty, postage and insurance prepaid (FOB destination). Fluke
Networks assumes no risk for damage in transit. Following warranty
repair, the product will be returned to Buyer, transportation prepaid (FOB
destination). If Fluke Networks determines that failure was caused by
neglect, misuse, contamination, alteration, accident or abnormal
condition of operation or handling, or normal wear and tear of
mechanical components, Fluke Networks will provide an estimate of
repair costs and obtain authorization before commencing the work.
Following repair, the product will be returned to the Buyer transportation
prepaid and the Buyer will be billed for the repair and return
transportation charges (FOB Shipping point).
THIS WARRANTY IS BUYER’S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AND IS IN
LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT
NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. FLUKE NETWORKS SHALL NOT BE
LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL
DAMAGES OR LOSSES, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, ARISING FROM ANY
CAUSE OR THEORY.
Since some countries or states do not allow limitation of the term of an
implied warranty, or exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential
damages, the limitations and exclusions of this warranty may not apply to
every buyer. If any provision of this Warranty is held invalid or
unenforceable by a court or other decision-maker of competent
jurisdiction, such holding will not affect the validity or enforceability of
any other provision.
4/15-18
Fluke Networks
PO Box 777
Everett, WA 98206-0777
USA

i
Contents
Title Page
Introduction ....................................................................1
Registration .....................................................................1
Contacting Fluke Networks ............................................1
Safety Information ..........................................................2
Design Features ...............................................................3
Physical Characteristics ...................................................4
Line Cords and Accessories .............................................5
Operation ........................................................................5
Installing Batteries ...................................................6
Turning on the Tester ..............................................7
Automatic Power-Down ..........................................7
Testing Cables ..........................................................7
SmartTone™ Positive Identification System ..........8
Velocity of Propagation (VOP) ................................10
Applications ....................................................................12
Testing Wire in Conduit ..........................................14
Testing a Wire Pair in a Conduit ......................14
Testing a Single Wire in a Conduit ..................14
Inventory Management ..........................................14
In Case of Unstable or Unusual Readings ..............19
Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) Technology ............19
VOP Variations .........................................................22
Maximum Length ....................................................23
Frequently Asked Questions ..........................................24
If Something Seems Wrong with the Tester .................28
Maintenance ...................................................................29
Specifications ..................................................................30

ii
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide

1
TS®90 Cable Fault Finder
Introduction
The TS90 Cable Fault Finder is a portable handheld device
used by installers, repair technicians and other authorized
personnel for locating problems on installed cable pairs and
for managing cable inventory.
Registration
Registering your product with Fluke Networks gives you
access to valuable information on product updates,
troubleshooting tips, and other support services. To register,
fill out the online registration form on the Fluke Networks
website at www.flukenetworks.com/registration.
Contacting Fluke Networks
www.flukenetworks.com
[email protected]
[phone] or 1-800-283-5853
 Australia: 61 (2) 8850-3333 or 61 (3) 9329 0244
 Beijing: 86 (10) 6512-3435
 Brazil: 11 3759 7600
 Canada: 1-800-363-5853
 Europe: [phone]
 Hong Kong: 852 2721-3228
 Japan: 03-6714-3117
 Korea: 82 2 539-6311
 Singapore: 65-6799-5566
 Taiwan: (886) 2-227-83199
Visit our website for a complete list of phone numbers.

2
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Safety Information
The following IEC symbols are used either on the tester or in
the manual:
WWarningX
If this product is used in a manner not specified
by the manufacturer, the protection provided by
the product may be impaired.
WWarning: Risk of personal injury. See the manual
for details.
Caution: Risk of damage or destruction to
equipment or software. See the manual for
details.
XWarning: Risk of electric shock.
.Earth ground
PConformité Européenne. Conforms to relevant
European Union directives.
)Meets safety requirements of North America
~Do not put products containing circuit boards
into the garbage. Dispose of circuits boards in
accordance with local regulations.

3
Design Features
Design Features
Design features of the TS90 Cable Fault Finder include:
 Easy to use
 Tests all common cable pairs
 Provides low cost protection against lost time due to
cable and connector problems
 Single button operation
 Up to 2500 feet, dependent on cable type
 Accurate to ±2 feet for short cables
 Accurate to ±5 feet for cables from 10 feet to 200 feet
and ±3% and ±5 feet for cables longer than 200 feet
 Bright 0.4 inch LED display
 Up to 4 readings per second
 Audible indication of shorted wires and external
voltage greater than 15 Vac
 Automatic adjustments
 Tone injection with the SmartTone™ positive
identification system
 Input protected to 250 Vac
 Components protected against damage from moisture
 Fifty hour battery life, intelligent auto-off
 Low battery indicator
 Uses 4 AA batteries (included)
 High strength plastic (ABS) housing

4
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Physical Characteristics
See Figure 1.
cab01.eps
Figure 1. Physical Characteristics
 Power button, which turns the tester on and off.
 Low battery LED.
 Female BNC (British Naval Connector).
 LCD display with units indication (feet).

5
Line Cords and Accessories
 The battery compartment is on the back of the tester.
The battery cover includes a label showing some
common velocity of propagation (VOP) values.
 The two smaller buttons are used to adjust the tester’s
VOP up or down. See “Velocity of Propagation” on
page 10.
Line Cords and Accessories
Use only line cords (test leads) approved by Fluke Networks.
Other cords may cause incorrect measurements. For
information on availability of additional line cords and
accessories, contact your local Fluke Networks authorized
distributor.
Operation
WWarningX
DO NOT USE the tester to test cables that may
have hazardous voltages present. When the
tester indicates the presence of high ac
voltages, CAREFULLY DISCONNECT
IMMEDIATELY to prevent any personal injury.
Hazardous dc voltages can be present on any
cable at any time. The tester does NOT detect or
indicate the presence of dc voltages. Use care
when connecting to cables.
Do not use the test set if it is damaged. Before
you use the test set, inspect the case. Look for
cracks or missing plastic. Pay particular
attention to the insulation surrounding the
connectors.

6
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Always handle the clip leads and the cables by
their insulation, NEVER directly by the
conductive wire. Use only the insulated clips
provided to connect to any wire or cable.
WCaution
Use only line cords approved by Fluke
Networks. Other cords may cause incorrect
measurements.
Legal requirements may exist regarding
permission to connect equipment to a Telecom
network operated by a public network
operator.
Installing Batteries
The tester uses 4 AA batteries (included). Install the batteries
in the battery compartment on the back of the tester.
WWarningX
To avoid electric shock, disconnect measuring
terminals before opening the battery door.
To remove the battery door, push the plastic tab in the
direction of the arrow and lift off the door. Observe correct
polarity when inserting the batteries. The polarity is marked
on the inside of the battery compartment. Reinstall the
battery door before connecting the tester to anything.
Note
To extend battery life, remove batteries when the
tester is not in use.

7
Operation
Turning on the Tester
Turn the tester on by pressing the ON/STANDBY button. The
tester performs a self test each time it is turned on. During
the self test, the tester displays 8.8.8.8.
Automatic Power-Down
To save battery power, the tester automatically turns off
after five minutes if it is not connected to anything, or one
hour after you connect to a cable. Also, if the ON/STANDBY
button is held down for more than 20 seconds, the tester
turns off. This prevents battery drain should some object in
your tool box be leaning on the button.
Testing Cables
WCaution
When testing telephone cables, connect only to
non-working circuits. If accidentally connected
to a working ADSL or hi-cap circuit, the tester
will cause an outage.
To test a cable, attach line cord clips to a pair of wires at one
end of the cable you are testing.
The tester displays the distance (in feet) to the closest fault it
finds. Table 1 describes the tester’s display and beeper
indications.

8
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
SmartTone
™
Positive Identification System
See Figure 2.
The tester injects a tone onto the connected pair
concurrently with fault locating signals. This tone is
compatible with most tone probes. When you are using a
tone probe to identify a wire pair, the tone volume from
nearby wires may be indistinguishable from the tone from
the target pair. The SmartTone Positive Identification System
lets you positively identify the wire pair. The tone has 5
frequency and cadence options.
Table 1. Display and Beeper Indications
Condition Display1Beeper
Open cable2LLLL Off
Shorted cable LLLL Continuous On
Cable is too long to
measure
–Err Staggered
A dc load (light bulb, TV,
etc.) is detected
–Err Staggered
>15 Vac is detected 8888
Flashing
Rapid
Low battery, open cable L.LLL Off
Failed self test 8888 Off
Cable cannot be
measured
–Err Staggered
1. LLLL = the length to the fault.
2. An open may be a break in a wire or a separation between the
wires in the pair. If one wire in the pair separates from the other
wire for 1 ft or more, the tester indicates an open at the
separation.

9
Operation
To use the SmartTone System:
1 Connect the tester to a wire pair; then turn on the
tester.
2 At the other end of the cable, use your tone probe to
find the wire pair by probing for the pair with the
loudest tone.
3 Short the wire pair together, then release the short.
 If you DO NOT hear a change in the tone, then you
have not found the correct pair.
 If you DO hear a change, then you have POSITIVE
CONFIRMATION that you have found the correct
pair.
Note
The tone is not audible on the tester’s beeper.
cab02.eps
Figure 2. SmartTone Positive Identification System

10
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Velocity of Propagation (VOP)
VOP is a cable specification indicating the speed at which a
signal travels down the cable. A VOP of 66 means the signal
travels at 66 % of the speed of light. The tester uses VOP to
calculate cable length. See “Time Domain Reflectometry
(TDR) Technology” on page 19 for details.
Here are some important points about VOP:
 Different cables have different VOP settings.
 The tester’s default VOP setting of 66 is suitable for most
applications.
 Using the VOP specified for a cable ensures the most
accuracy in fault location, length measurements, and
inventory management. Table 2 and Table 3 show VOP
values for common cables. Some common VOP values
are also listed on the tester’s battery door.
You can set the tester’s VOP to a known value, or you can use
the tester to determine the VOP for a known length of
cable.
To set the VOP to a known value:
1 Turn the tester on while holding down the UP or DOWN
button. In this mode, the display alternately shows the
VOP setting (-VV-) and the calculated length (LLLL).
2 When the VOP setting is displayed, press the UP or
DOWN button. This keeps the VOP value on the display
for adjustment.
3 Use the UP and DOWN buttons to set the VOP to the
desired value.
4 To exit the VOP adjustment mode, turn the tester off.

11
Operation
To determine the VOP of a known length of cable:
1 Connect a known length of cable to the tester. The
cable must be 200 feet (60 meters) or longer (such as an
unopened box of wire).
2 Turn the tester on while holding down the UP or DOWN
button. In this mode, the display alternately shows the
VOP setting (-VV-) and the calculated length (LLLL).
3 When the length setting is displayed, press the UP or
DOWN button. This keeps the length value on the
display for adjustment.
4 Use the UP and DOWN buttons to adjust the length to
the length of the cable.
5 To exit the VOP adjustment mode, turn the tester off.
Notes
While the tester is in VOP adjustment mode, tone is
not injected into the cable.
The VOP value reverts to the default of 66 when you
change the tester’s batteries

12
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Applications
See Figure 3.
The tester locates opens, short circuits, and crosses in any
two metallic conductors (twisted, untwisted, coax, copper,
aluminum, and steel).
It identifies conductors using the SmartTone feature and an
inductive probe (not included) (see Figure 2). Tone can be
sent between two technicians to ID multiple pairs. Because
the tester beeps when it detects a short circuit, it also serves
as a continuity tester.
Multi-Wire Environment
When testing wires in a multi-wire environment, such as 4
wire telephone cable, 8 wire CAT-5 cable, 12-2 with ground
ac wire, or several THHN wires inside a conduit, a short could
exist between any number of the conductors, including a
shield or the conduit. To detect the short, you must connect
the tester to the wires that are shorted. This means that to
fully test a multi-wire cable, you must check every wire
against every other wire including the shields and conduits.
While a quick way to test many conductors against conduit
or shield length is to connect all the conductors to one clip
lead and the shield to the other lead, this will reduce the
impedance of the cable, and measurements may fall below
the tester’s range. It is more reliable to test the wires
individually.

13
Applications
cab03.eps
Figure 3. Testing for Lengths, Shorts, Opens, and
Terminations

14
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Testing Wire in Conduit
There are two methods for testing wire in conduit. You can
test a wire pair or a single wire.
Testing a Wire Pair in a Conduit
To test a wire pair, connect the two test leads to the pair. If
one wire separates from the other for 1 ft or more, the tester
indicates an open at the separation. For example, if the wires
separate after exiting the conduit, the tester indicates an
open at the end of the conduit.
Testing a Single Wire in a Conduit
You can test a single wire by clipping one test lead to the
wire and the other to the conduit. The tester shows the
length up to a fault or to the point where the wire separates
from the conduit by at least 1 ft. For example, if there is a 2 ft
service loop outside the conduit, the tester shows the length
up to the service loop. This is true even if the two sections of
conduit are electrically connected.
Inventory Management
The tester is an inventory management tool. It measures
lengths of wire or cable while still on the spools.
The ability to measure the length of multi-conductor cable
remaining on its spool is valuable for both job-site and
warehouse personnel. Remember that with the TS90, you
can measure the length from JUST ONE END of a PAIR of
wires, allowing you to take inventory without unspooling
the cables or even having to move the spools at all.

15
Applications
At the job-site, you can determine if the cable remaining on
your spool or in your box will be sufficient for the job at
hand. This will save you an unnecessary trip to the
warehouse for more cable, and help you avoid running out
of cable in the middle of an installation.
There are two points to remember when measuring the
length of wire on a spool:
 The wire length must be within the range of the tester
(see Table 2).
 The accuracy of the measurement will be optimum if
the VOP is set correctly for the type of wire being
measured. See Table 2 for a list of specifically identified
cables and Table 3 for a list of VOP values for other cable
types.
In the warehouse, you can quickly measure the cable
remaining on all your spools, allowing you to select the right
spool for each job. Additionally, by keeping a record of the
prior inventory, you can determine how much wire was used
on the current job.
Note
Remember that the tester works on TWO conductors.
Single conductor spools can not be measured with
the TS90 Cable Fault Finder.

16
TS90 Cable Fault Finder
Users Guide
Table 2. Values and Maximum Length for Specifically
Identified Cables
VOP
Maximum
Length (Feet) Cable
64 2000 Lucent 1024 006ABE 6/24 W1000,
6 pair CAT3 (Blue-White)
63 1500 BICC General Aerial Service Wire
(ASW) 2/22, 2 Pair 
Drop Wire
61 2000 Superior Essex, 4 pair CAT3
Plenum (not pair dependent)
60 1500 BICC General, 24 AWG CMX
Outdoor CMR Station Wire
58 1000 BICC General cross-connect 24
AWG twisted pair on original
spool
66 2500 Berk-Tek, CAT5 (Orange-White)
68 2500 Superior-Essex Cobra CAT5 CMR
(Orange-White)
72 2500 Superior-Essex Cobra CAT5 CMP
(Orange-White)
82 1000 CommScope 5726, RG6 CATV
Coax
81 1000 CommScope 2275V, RG6 CATV
Coax
79 1000 CommScope 5571, RG59, TV Coax