LiveWire Innovation FaultChaser User manual

Fault Finding/Cable Length Measurement TDR
User Manual
Accurately finds cable length, impediments in the cable, and
conditions at the end of every wire in your data, power, or
communications/video system up to 3,000 ft.
Memory:
Holds up to two different NVP
values for multiple cable tests.
Calibration:
Ability to calibrate NVP for any
known cable length.
Test:
Tests length, opens, or shorts
present on the cable up to 3,000 ft.
Tone Generation:
Produces four different tones for
locating cables.

Table of Contents
About this Manual....................................................................................................................................................................4
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................................4
Symbols and Icons..............................................................................................................................................................4
Terms and Descriptions .....................................................................................................................................................5
Safety Information...............................................................................................................................................................6
Equipment and Accessories..................................................................................................................................................7
Design Features......................................................................................................................................................................8
FaultChaser Description.........................................................................................................................................................9
F-Connector.........................................................................................................................................................................9
LCD Display Screen..........................................................................................................................................................10
Test Mode...........................................................................................................................................................................10
Memory Storage................................................................................................................................................................10
Tone Mode.........................................................................................................................................................................10
Calibration Mode ...............................................................................................................................................................10
Cable Faults.......................................................................................................................................................................13
Battery Life Indicator.......................................................................................................................................................103
Voltage Detected Warning.............................................................................................................................................103
Error...................................................................................................................................................................................103
Keypad................................................................................................................................................................................14
Operations..............................................................................................................................................................................16
Turning the Unit On/Off....................................................................................................................................................16
Automatic Power Down....................................................................................................................................................16
Cable Testing General Guidelines..................................................................................................................................17
Using Memory Storage.....................................................................................................................................................17
Recalling Stored NVP Values..........................................................................................................................................18
Adjusting NVP Values ......................................................................................................................................................19
Using Calibration Mode....................................................................................................................................................20
Using Test Mode...............................................................................................................................................................23
Using Loop Testing...........................................................................................................................................................25
Using Tone Mode..............................................................................................................................................................26
Maintenance...........................................................................................................................................................................27
Battery Replacement........................................................................................................................................................27
Cleaning..............................................................................................................................................................................27

Storage................................................................................................................................................................................27
Customer Service..................................................................................................................................................................28
Contacting LiveWire Innovation ......................................................................................................................................28
Additional Accessories .....................................................................................................................................................28
Warranty Information........................................................................................................................................................29
Product Registration .........................................................................................................................................................29
Disposal..............................................................................................................................................................................29
Returns................................................................................................................................................................................29
Specifications.........................................................................................................................................................................30
Appendix A.............................................................................................................................................................................32
3
Patents/Intellectual Property...........................................................................................................................................29

About this Manual
Introduction
The FaultChaser is a self-contained, hand-held, battery powered test unit operated by
contractors, repair technicians, and other authorized users. This device is used to
accurately test voice, data, and video cables. The FaultChaser determines cable length,
identifies cable faults, and quickly discovers the Nominal Velocity of Propagation (NVP)
for a cable using Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry (SSTDR).
Symbols and Icons
The following symbols are used throughout the manual or in the display screen of the
FaultChaser to help you avoid personal injury and potential damage to the test
equipment (Table 1).
Table 1. Symbols and Icons
Symbol
Definition
Warning: Potential for personal injury.
Caution: Potential for damage or destruction to equipment.
Voltage! Voltage detection symbol. Appears when the voltage on the cable is unsafe
and exceeds 60 Volts peak AC or DC.
Conformité Européenne. Conforms with European Economic Area
directives.
Disposal information.
4

Terms and Descriptions
Table 2 defines the terms used throughout the document and provides information to
assist you with proper operation and understanding of the unit and its functions.
Table 2. Terms and Descriptions
Terms
Description and Uses
Nominal Velocity of
Propagation (NVP)
Also known as the Velocity of Propagation (VOP), NVP is
the speed of an electrical signal traveling through a cable,
measured as a percentage of the speed of light.
Safety Extra Low
Voltage (SELV)
•A rating determined by the International Electrotechnical
Commission that defines safe voltage standards when
using electronic devices.
•SELV is 60 Volts for DC systems or 42.5 volts RMS for
AC systems.
F-Connector Connector for a coax cable.
Spread Spectrum Time
Domain Reflectometry
(SSTDR)
•Spread spectrum is the technological foundation of cell
phone communications and is used to transmit a small,
but nevertheless recognizable, signal in a high noise
environment.
•By combining spread spectrum with TDR technology,
SSTDR allows for a length test on cables without
interference from voltage.
5

Safety Information
To ensure safe operation of the FaultChaser, follow the instructions carefully and
observe the warning and caution messages listed in Table 3. Failure to observe
warnings can result in severe injury or death and can damage the unit.
Table 3. Safety Information
Notification Definition
The FaultChaser is designed for use on cabling systems with or without
voltage.
•The Voltage! Icon turns on when the voltage exceeds Safety Extra
Low Voltage (SELV) rating of 60 Volts peak AC or DC.
•Internal components are protected up to 400 Volts peak AC or DC.
•Operating the FaultChaser when a voltage source exceeds 60 volts
peak AC or DC may pose a safety hazard for the user.
Do not place equipment and its accessories in the trash. Items must be
properly disposed of in accordance with local regulations.
It is not recommended to use the FaultChaser when the Voltage! Icon is
present.
6

Equipment and Accessories
The following list of equipment and accessories are used with the FaultChaser in order
to properly test cables. The items illustrated and described in Table 4 are provided with
your purchase of the FaultChaser. Refer to the Additional Accessories section for a
listing of additional products that can help make testing easier.
Table 4.FaultChaser Equipment and Accessories
Accessory
Product
Number
Description
LW-AD001
F-connector Coupler,
High Performance F81
LW-AD002
Adapter, F-Jack to BNC
Jack
LW-CA001
Cable Assembly,
Insulated Push-On F to
RJ45 Plug
LW-CA002
Cable Assembly,
Insulated BNC to
Alligator Clips
LW-CA003
Cable Assembly,
Insulated Push-On F-
Connector to Alligator
Clips
7

Design Features
Distance to Fault Accuracy:
oControlled Impedance Cables
+/- 1 ft. (length < 50 ft.)
+/- 1 % (length > 50 ft.)
oUncontrolled Impedance Cables
+/- 2 ft. (length < 50 ft.)
+/- 2 % (length > 50 ft.)
Ability to measure cables with voltage
Stores up to two NVP values
Displays length reading in feet or meters
Easy to Operate
Extra-large seven-segment, back lit LCD screen with icons that clearly display test
results
Tests any copper cable including data, voice, video, lamp wire, and Romex cables
Discovers NVP value for cables with known length
Automatic pre-test voltage checks
Identifies cable faults
Tone generator with selectable tone cadence to easily trace cables
Conserves power and supports long battery life with Auto-off feature and battery
life indicator
8

FaultChaser Description
The FaultChaser, illustrated in Figure 1, has 3 main parts: the F-Connector, LCD display
screen, and the keypad.
Figure 1. FaultChaser
F-Connector
One F-Connector is located at the top of the FaultChaser. The connector enables you
to test and measure single cables.
Note: Additional accessories are provided with your purchase of the FaultChaser for
use with twisted pair, coaxial, and two wire cables. Refer to the Cable Testing
General Guidelines section of the manual for more details.
9

LCD Display Screen
The FaultChaser has a high contrast LCD display screen, shown in Figure 2 below. The
LCD display screen shows the following: modes and related icons, cable length,
memory storage and related icons, NVP value, cable faults, error message, voltage
detection warning, and battery life indicator.
Figure 2.LCD Display Screen
Test Mode
When the TEST button is pressed, the measured cable length (in units of feet or meters)
appears at the top of the LCD display screen. The following values and icons display in
the screen when a single test is run:
•Storage Location – The selected storage location (M1 or M2) appears in the lower
left corner of the display screen above the NVP value.
•NVP Value – The value saved in the selected storage location appears in the lower
left corner of the screen. This value is used to calculate the displayed cable length.
10

Memory Storage
When the MEM button is selected, a series of values and icons appear in the LCD
display screen. See Table 5 for a description of the display screen updates when
Memory Storage is in use.
Table 5. Memory Storage Icons and Values
Icons and
Values
Description
Memory Storage
Locations
The unit has two memory storage locations: M1 and M2. The
selected storage location appears above the NVP value in the
lower left corner of the LCD display screen.
NVP Value The NVP value for the selected storage location appears next to
the “NVP” icon in the lower left corner of the LCD display screen.
Adjustment Indicator
The adjustment indicator icon demonstrates that the NVP value
can be adjusted.
•The icon, displayed as two Up/Down arrows, appears to the
left of the NVP value.
Cable Length The cable length, displayed in feet or meters, appears in the upper right corner of the display screen. When a cable is not
attached to the FaultChaser the length will read “0”.
Note: Refer to the Using Memory Storage section to learn how to store multiple NVP
values for testing purposes.
Tone Mode
When the TONE button is selected, two musical notes blink in the lower right corner of
the LCD display screen to demonstrate the unit is set to tone tracing. The following
icons appear in the display screen when Tone Mode is in use:
•Cadence – There are four cadence options: HI, LO, HL1, and HL2. The last selected
cadence appears in the top row of the display screen.
•Adjustment Indicator – Two arrows appear to the left of the selected cadence to
indicate that cadence can be adjusted.
Note: A tone probe is used for the tone tracing functionality of the FaultChaser. This
item is sold separately. Refer to the Additional Accessories section for a listing of
available products. 11

Calibration Mode
When the CAL button is pressed, the “Cal” icon appears in the lower left corner of the
display screen. The icons and values described in Table 6 appear in the LCD display
screen when unit is set to Calibration Mode.
Table 6. Calibration Mode Icons and Values
Icons and Values
Description
Cable Length
The last entered cable length appears (in units of feet or
meters) in the top row of the LCD display screen.
Adjustment
Indicators
The adjustment indicator icon, denoted by two Up/Down
arrows, indicates that cable length can be adjusted while in
Calibration Mode.
•The icon displays to the left of the last inputted cable
length.
NVP Icon
The “NVP” icon appears in the bottom row of the LCD display
screen.
•Three dash lines “- - -” appear to the left of the “NVP” icon
demonstrating that the NVP has not been calculated for
the entered cable length.
Note: Refer to the Using Calibration Mode section to learn how to calculate the NVP
of a cable.
12

Cable Faults
The device checks for two cable faults during testing: Open and Short. The cable faults,
explained in Table 7 below, appear in the middle of the LCD display screen.
Table 7. Cable Faults
Cable Faults
Description
Open
An “Open” error indicates a wire connection
within the cable is not continuous throughout
the length of the cable.
Short
The “Short” icon appears when the two wires
within a cable are electrically connected. This
is also known as a short circuit.
Battery Life Indicator ( )
The battery life icon appears in the lower right corner of the LCD display screen to
demonstrate the approximate remaining battery life. A new battery shows three bars.
The number of bars decreases as the battery is nearing depletion. The icon begins to
flash at 4 volts when the battery needs to be replaced. Results may be unreliable at this
point.
Note:The FaultChaser will turn off if the power supply goes out of regulation from a low
battery condition.
Voltage Detected Warning (Voltage!)
The “Voltage!” icon appears in the lower right corner of the display screen when the
voltage detected on a cable exceeds SELV rating of 60 volts peak AD or DC. If the icon
appears, the FaultChaser should be disconnected immediately from the source of
voltage.
Note: The FaultChaser continually checks for the presence of voltage on a
connected cable.
13

Error
The “Error” message appears in the lower right corner of the LCD display screen under
the following circumstances:
•Calibration results in an invalid NVP value outside of the 20 to 99.9 NVP value
range.
•SSTDR reflection was not detected due to a properly terminated cable or excess
signal loss.
Note: Refer to the Using Calibration Mode and Using Test Mode sections for trouble-
shooting the “Error” message when using either of these modes.
Keypad
The FaultChaser is equipped with seven buttons, illustrated in Figure 3. Four buttons,
appearing in the top two rows of the keypad, are used with Test and Tone Modes. Two
Up/Down buttons are used to edit. One button is used to power the unit On/Off. The
button functions are explained in Table 8.
Figure 3. Keypad
14

Table 8. Keypad
Button
Function
Memory
The Memory button is used to store up to two NVP
values for testing purposes.
•Short presses of the Memory button toggles
between the two memory storage locations: M1 and
M2.
•A long press (two seconds) of the button stores an
NVP value in the selected storage location.
•A long press (two seconds) of the Memory and
Calibration buttons simultaneously toggles between
units of measurement (feet and meters).
Calibration
The Calibration button allows you to discover the
NVP value based on an inputted cable length.
•Short presses of the Calibration button adjust cable
length in increments of 50 ft or 20 m within the
range of 50 ft to 1,000 ft or 20 m to 300 m.
•A long press (two seconds) of the Calibration button
aborts Calibration mode and enters Test Mode.
•A long press (two seconds) of the Memory and
Calibration buttons simultaneously toggles between
units of measurement (feet and meters).
Test
The Test button initiates length testing on the
connected cable.
•A short press runs a single test on demand.
•A long press (two seconds) of the button starts
continuous testing. Pressing any button (except
Power) stops loop testing (or the unit turns off after
3 minutes).
Tone
The Tone button allows you to trace cables by sound.
•A short press of the button transmits an audio tone
from the unit through the connected cable.
•Subsequent presses of the Tone button toggles
between Test and Tone Modes.
Up/Down
•In Tone Mode, the Up/Down buttons allow you to
select a cadence (HI, LO, HL1, and HL2).
•In Calibration Mode, the buttons are used to adjust
the measured cable length within the following
length ranges: 10 m – 300 m or 25 ft to 1,000 ft.
•In Memory Storage and Test Mode, the Up/Down
buttons enable you to adjust the NVP value for the
selected memory storage location (M1 or M2).
Power
•A short press of the Power button turns the
FaultChaser On.
•Subsequent presses of the button toggle the
backlight On and Off.
•A long press (two seconds) of the Power button
turns the unit off.
15

Operations
To ensure safe operation of the FaultChaser, follow the instructions carefully and pay
attention to the warning and caution symbols. Failure to observe warnings can result in
severe injury or death and can damage the unit.
Turning the Unit On/Off
Turn Unit On
•Press the POWER button to turn the unit ON.
•The FaultChaser immediately runs a length test when powered ON.
Turn Unit Off
•Press and hold down the POWER button for two seconds to turn the unit OFF.
The display screen goes blank.
Automatic Power Down
The FaultChaser automatically turns off after a period of inactivity to conserve battery
power. The automatic power down feature is dependent on which mode is in use and if
voltage is detected on the cable being tested (see Table 9).
Table 9.Automatic Power Down.
Mode
Time
Test Mode
1 minute
Loop Testing
3 minutes
Tone Mode
15 minutes
Calibration Mode
1 minute
16

Cable Testing General Guidelines
The FaultChaser determines the length of a variety of cable types, calculates the NVP
value of a cable with a known length, and identifies cables by sound.
Important Points to Note
The Accessories provided with the FaultChaser must be used to properly connect
cables.
•For coaxial cables, affix the F-Connector Coupler to the F-Connector on the top of the
unit. Then connect the end of the cable to be tested to the other side of the F-
Connector Coupler.
•When testing a cable with an RJ45 jack, connect the F-Connector Coupler to the F-
Connector on the top of the unit. Then attach the Insulated Push-On F to RJ45 Plug.
•To run tests using the Alligator Clips, first affix the F-Connector Coupler (or F-Jack to
BNC Jack) to the top of unit. Then attach the proper Cable Assembly to Alligator Clip
accessory.
Important Safety Points
The Voltage! Icon appears when the voltage surpasses SELV rating of 60 volts peak AC or DC. It
is not recommended to operate the FaultChaser on cable systems exceeding a voltage value of 60
volts.
If the Voltage! icon appears the FaultChaser should be disconnected immediately from the
source of the voltage.
Internal components of the FaultChaser are protected to 400 volts peak AC or DC. Connecting
the unit to cabling systems with voltage above 400 volts peak AC or DC may damage the test unit and
pose a safety hazard for the user.
Using Memory Storage
The FaultChaser features two memory storage locations (M1 and M2) allowing you to
save two NVP values for cable testing.
Note: For the first use of the Memory Storage feature, the default NVP values for both M1 and M2
storage locations is 84.6 NVP. This is a common value for testing RG6 coax cables.
When Memory Storage is in use, the connected cable is tested for the presence of voltage. If
detected, a dynamic voltage warning displays until the unit is disconnected from the voltage source.
17

Recalling Stored NVP Values
1. Connect one end of the cable to the FaultChaser. Use connection accessories
according to the type of cable you are testing.
2. Press the POWER button to turn the unit ON.
3. Press the MEM button to recall the stored NVP Value. The LCD display screen,
illustrated in Figure 4 below, shows the following:
•The current storage location (M1 or M2) and the NVP value last saved in the selected
location.
•The adjustment indicator icon appears in the screen indicating NVP is editable.
•The cable length calculated during the last test.
Figure 4. LCD Display Screen in Memory Storage
Note: Single presses of the MEM button toggles between the two memory storage
locations.
Cable length does not update automatically when toggling between the two memory
storage locations. To achieve an accurate length measurement when selecting a
different stored NVP value, a test must be run. Refer to the Using Test Mode section
for instructions on measuring cable length.
18

Adjusting NVP Values
1. Power the unit ON.
2. Select the memory storage location you would like to adjust (M1 or M2) through
short presses of the MEM button.
3. Press the UP and DOWN buttons to increment or decrement the NVP value.
Press and hold the UP or DOWN buttons to quickly increase or decrease the NVP
value.
Note: If the NVP value is unknown, you can determine the NVP value for the cable you
are testing in the following ways:
•View the listing of common NVPs by cable type on the backside of the FaultChaser.
•Refer to Appendix A for an extended listing of NVP values.
•Calibrate the NVP value if the length of the cable is known. Refer to the Using
Calibration Mode section for instructions on calculating NVP.
4. Press and hold down the MEM button for two seconds to save the adjusted NVP
value. The adjusted NVP value will be stored in the unit’s memory for the specified
storage location.
Note: A short press of the MEM button or selection of any other buttons during editing
will discard the adjusted value.
If the unit is turned OFF prior to saving the edited NVP value, the FaultChaser will
recall the adjusted NVP value. However, the adjusted value will not be saved in either
of the two storage locations.
19

Using Calibration Mode
Use Calibration Mode to calculate the NVP value for a known cable length between 25 ft
- 1,000 ft or between 10 m - 300 m. The determined NVP value can be stored in the
unit’s memory allowing you to easily test cables without recalibrating the NVP every test.
Note: Calibration Mode is used with unterminated cables only.
For the first use of Calibration Mode, the unit defaults to a cable length of 50 ft, when the unit is set
to feet, or 20 m when the FaultChaser is set to meters.
When Calibration Mode is in use, the connected cable is tested for the presence of voltage. If
detected, a dynamic voltage warning displays until the unit is disconnected from the voltage source.
1. Connect a cable to the FaultChaser. Use connection accessories according to the
type of cable you are testing.
Note: The FaultChaser cannot be calibrated without a cable attached to the unit.
2. Press the POWER button to turn the unit ON.
3. Press the CAL button. The LCD display screen, illustrated in Figure 5 below, shows
the following upon entering Calibration Mode:
•The last entered cable length, in units of feet or meters.
•The adjustment indicator icon appears in the screen indicating the cable length is
editable.
•The “Cal” icon appears in the lower left corner.
•Three dashes “- - -” are displayed to demonstrate that the NVP value has yet to be
calculated.
Figure 5. LCD Display Screen in Calibration Mode
20