Tuesday, 12 March 2013

New to our hire fleet, the Fujikura 12s fusion splicer

*New* Fujikura 12S Fusion Splicer Hire


Testerhire.co.uk are very pleased to announce the introduction of the Fujikura 12S fusion splicer to it's hire fleet. The 12S is the smallest, lightest, and most portable fusion splicer in the world and is the very latest product from Fujikura Europe. The ruggedized chassis features shock, dust and moisture protection while the two camera observation system provides for accurate fiber alignment and loss estimation calculations.
Weighing less than two pounds and having a footprint of approximately 6" x 5", the 12S provides users with an unprecedented level of flexibility for the most challenging splicing applications. The functional transit case also serves as a workstation when needed. The large 4.5" scratch resistant monitor is viewable in direct sunlight. Software updates are accomplished via the internet, allowing users to quickly and conveniently update their software as new splice programs become available. The Fujikura 12S is also fully compatible with the FuseConnect line of fusion installable connectors. To cap off all these great features, a long life battery and extended life electrodes keep you up and running when you need it most.

World's smallest & lightest single fiber splicer
121W x 162D x 57Hmm, 776g including battery
Fixed v-groove, Dual-axis observation system
Reliable 0.05dB SM & 0.02dB MM splicing performance
Quick & Easy operation with 15sec splicing in SM-AUTO mode
30sec Tube-heating with Single 60mm sleeve
4.47 inch color LCD for outdoor / indoor use
Long battery life, 100 splice / tube heating cycles
Working table included as a standard accessory
Fiber holder system to accommodate various type of cables
Robust design : 30inch bottom-surface drop proof, dust-resistance, rain-resistance.
5mm short cleave length splicing
Accommodates all "splice-on-connectors" in the market.
Compact splice capability with "micro-sleeves"
PC software in standard package with easy data management
Easy firmware update via internet
Long electrode life : 3000 splices

 

 
Hire this great new splicer for just £295 per 7 days plus delivery, collection & vat from www.testerhire.co.uk or for more information call 01275 542 528

Friday, 15 February 2013

DTX PLA002s cable hints & tips from testerhire.co.uk

Following our recent hints and tips feature for Fluke DTX users we have been asked to highlight a common issue with the PLA002s permanent link adaptor cables for our rental customers and owners alike so here goes :-

A common question relates to the average life expectancy of the PLA002s permanent link adaptors. In short there is no definitive pre-determined life cycle of a cable although Fluke indicates around 5,000 insertions. However at www.testerhire.co.uk we have observed cables with good use to over 10,000 but on the flip side we have seen brand new cables damaged within just a few hundred. The main area for concern is the RJ45 tip with the eight gold coated contacts as these take the brunt of the insertion forces so are prone to damage and more often just wear. What happens is either the gold contacts became heavily tarnished and removes the highly conductive gold plating making contact with the RJ45 socket less than ideal and or the raised plastic profiles that separate each of the eight gold contacts becomes worn and damaged leading to cases where the plastic can "lean" to one side which makes good mating contact almost impossible. This usually happens to either pin1 or pair 1 or pin 8 or pair 4.

The Black sprung latch on top of the RJ45 housing also takes it's fair share of wear and often "rounds" the top edge and loses its firm spring action resulting in a less the positive seating in the RJ45 socket and often the "click" you use to hear when mated has no all but gone.





 
 
The remedy is simple but often not readily achievable in the field which is when and where most have the first indications of a fault with the tip. A simple plug replacement part is available DTX-PRP  and comes with a new PCB 8 way tip, black sprung RJ45 latch and retaining screw. Fit these and your PLA002s will be as good as new. In an effort to reduce this issue with our rental fleet each cable and tip is inspected visually and the self test and set reference function is the first line of defence but unfortunately not definitive as the very next field test could be the one where the tips decide enough is enough.

You can see the current autotest count of each PLA002s and channel adaptor by entering the special functions sections > Version. This will indicate the insertions of the cable or adaptor however a not of caution in that once you replace the DTX-PRP tip the autotest count will not reset so you need to keep a note of the autotest count when you changed the tip.

Another common source of failure is the retaining strain relief boots at both ends tend to became damaged and break after a period of time leading to strain being put on the pairs within either end causing a solder joint failure or such like which is almost impossible to detect or indeed repair. We have tried to eliminate this issue by strengthening each end with heatstrink and find this works well.

In summary keep an eye on your autotest count, visually inspect your RJ45 tips and strain relif boots at regular intervals and make sure you perform the self test and set reference at least once a day, all of which will help to reduce down time. We would also suggest the owners invest in spare DTX-PRP sets ready for when the need arises and our www.testerhire.co.uk customers can be sure we always have a good stock should the need arise.

Thursday, 17 January 2013

New Pricing | Before 12 Delivery | Pre-Owned DTX

We welcome in 2013 with a few changes here at testerhire.co.uk to assist our customers with the very best in network cable testing products and services.

With one eye on the business climate and with the additional of more units to what we now believe to be the largest fleet of DTX products in the UK we have made our pricing and delivery service even more attractive:

Fluke OTDR DTXHere is are just a few examples of our most popular hire products:


Fluke Networks DTX-1200 £165 per week
Fluke Networks DTX-1800 £185 per week
Fluke Networks DTX-MFM2 £155 per week
Fluke Networks DTX-SFM2 £185 per week
Fluke Networks DTX-OTDR £175 per week

Click here to view our full range of rental equipment


To compliment our new pricing structure we have also upgraded our next day delivery to a before 12 noon service at no extra cost, all of which now comes complete with text and email 1 hour ETA alert so you know when to expect your delivery.

Finally as some of you may know we have also been busy with the sale of Pre-owned DTX-1800 and DTX-1200 testers and we currently have a few remaining units at 2012 prices with OEM calibration and official transfer of ownership via Fluke Networks. Hurry before they all go!

Coming soon: Training event information, Pre-owned equipment feature, Thermal Imaging range

All prices quoted exclude vat

For more information, quotations or general enquiries please email us or call us on 01275 542 528

Monday, 17 December 2012

Fluke Networks DTX storage and stats

Being the largest dedicated data tester hire company in the UK we also like to bring you news, hints and tips on Fluke's industry leading DTX analysers to make the process of testing, certify or troubleshooting even more rewarding whether your a product owner or a regular hire customer.

News: LinkWare v7.4 free download

Fluke Netyworks have released there very latest version of there Cable Test Management Software LinkWare v7.4 which now includes LinkWare Stats.

LinkWare allows you to manage test data from multiple testers in a single software application and by downloading the newest version you have access to all the new features:

LinkWare screen shots from testerhire.co.uk
  • A full version of LinkWare Stats
  • Verification of the calibration date of your DTX-1800 CableAnalyzer™
  • Ability to re-certify DTX fibre loss results
  • New view with multiple project tabs
  • Reports fiber headroom for sorting on actual loss or margin
  • Increases the speed for loading and editing larger jobs, >10,000 records
  • Presents a new OTDR test result format
  • Presents a new zoom-in feature on graphs
  • Rename End 1 and End 2 on your OTDR reports
  • Displays screen captures as .bmp, .gif, .jpg or .png format


  • Get your free copy via our Download page (Be sure to read the release notes regarding older test equipment)

    Storage of results

    Tip 1: We always recommend that you download the LinkWare program to your PC or laptop before you commence full testing to give yourself the oppurtunity to perform some random sample testing and familiarise yourself with the downloading process. Remember you must have the software loaded first so be able to download the stored results from the tester else your PC or laptop may not recognise the file type.

    Tip 2: The DTX comes with an internal memory for storage as well as an external memory card slot for SD cards. Depending on the cable type and the required depth of result reporting very much depends on the results quantity that can be stored but as a guide the internal memory will store 250 Cat6 results. SD cards will store 1000's depending on the GB but a word of caution; the latest High Capacity (SDHC) cards are not compatible with the DTX so make sure you use the earlier MMC or SD/MMC SD cards up to 2GB. These are available to buy from us or from most high street electrical retailers.

    Fluke Networks does not normally recommend one brand of vendor for SD/MMCs. However, we and they have observed that SanDisk cards typically perform better than other cards.

    SanDisk SD cards from testerhire.co.uk

    Tuesday, 11 December 2012

    Tester Hire Introduce the FTK1000 SimpliFiber Pro

    The new SimpliFiber Pro Optical Power Meter from testerhire.co.uk for anyone involved in first-line optical fiber cabling installation and verification. Whether you are a fiber technician or contractor, this expertly configured tester allows you too quickly measure loss and power levels, locate faults and polarity issues. Industry-leading features such as single-port dual-wavelength testing and auto-wavelength detection, combined with time-saving capabilities such as CheckActive™, FindFiber™, and Min/Max make SimpliFiber Pro the best fiber test kit on the market.

    SimpliFiber Pro is an improved fiber test set that simplifies and shortens the front-line testing process by:
    • reducing the multiple steps and using a simultaneous dual-wavelength testing feature to measure the range of power levels in just half the time
    • allowing for a non-touch solution to check for a live fiber without having to plug into ports
    • enabling a network technician to do time-consuming procedures that normally require a team
    Supplied with SC inputs this simple but effect fibre tool can be hired for just £95 per week plus vat. Call our freephone number 0800 093 6001 for more information or vist our website

    Wednesday, 29 August 2012

    Hints & tips for DTX users

    Thought we would share a few hints & tips with our hire customers and the general Fluke DTX user community.

    Your DTX information:

    Did you know that your DTX1200 or DTX1800 has useful information stored in the actual tester which will tell you the units Serial number, Software version, Hardware version, Last calibration date, DTX Limits and DTX Cables versions. All very handy if you need to quickly establish if the unit is within calibration date and running the latest firmware and software:

    Turn the main unit dial to > SPECIAL FUNCTIONS>VERSION INFORMATION

    Set reference & self test

    A process we conduct prior to every tester hire to reference the main unit with the remote and to test the cables and adaptors being used. It's essential this is carried out to ensure your unit is functioning correctly and is equally matched to the remote, permanent link adaptors and channel adaptors.

    Firstly connect a permanent link adaptor (PLA001 or PLA002) to the main unit and a channel adaptor (CHA001 or CHA002) to the remote:

    Turn the main unit dial to > SPECIAL FUNCTIONS>SET REFERENCE>TEST>OK>SELF TEST>OK

    Then carry out the same routine using the other permanent link adaptor and channel adaptor.

    Factory default re-set

    Once in a while your tester may like any piece of modern technology require a re-boot or factory default re-set. If you ever need to use this shortcut please ensure you download all results stored in the main unit first as you are about to format the tester main and remote memory and settings to the original factory defaults. Also ensure that the audible tone is set to YES in the main unit set up.

    Connect the main unit to the remote unit and power OFF the main unit
    1. Power up the remote unit only.
    2. Hold down keys F1, F3 and SAVE on the main unit.
    3. Keeping them held down, power up the DTX main unit.
    4. Once it has finished playing a tune, let go of the keys.
    5. Rotate the dial to SPECIAL FUNCTIONS and select Self Test. Press F3 to reset the DTX CableAnalyzer.
     
    For more hints, tips and general DTX information visit the Fluke Networks knowledge base our our resources section at www.testerhire.co.uk
     

    Thursday, 3 November 2011

    Show time!

    After a successful show in 2010 we decided to take another stand at the Emirates stadium for the Networks 2011 show. Attendence was lower than in previous years but the quality of customers was excellent and it gave us chance to say hello to some regulars.
    This year we took a golf putting challenge with us to give everyone a bit of competition and interest and boy were folk competitive!
    We even had other suppliers queing up to have their marketing photo shots on our stand such was the interest! (note to the boss; maybe we should hire putting games :-)