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Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => SR Forum Archives => Installed Sound/Contracting FUD Forum Archive => Topic started by: Stan Loughridge on June 19, 2004, 04:31:16 AM

Title: Electronic wire measure
Post by: Stan Loughridge on June 19, 2004, 04:31:16 AM
I think I read about a device that would measure wire on a
spool just by cliping this unit on it and it tells the
left over footage or was I dreaming.

Thanks Stan Loughridge
Title: Re: Electronic wire measure
Post by: Alex-Skip-Welti on June 19, 2004, 10:15:17 AM
I heard about that too - it sends a pulse into the wire - the pulse reflects off the far end, and the device calculates the length by measuring the time it takes to detect the reflection.

I've heard about it - but I don't know who makes it - you might ask at www.techaudioservice.com - I think that's where I heard about it...

Good luck and please post if you find out what it is!
Title: Re: Electronic wire measure
Post by: Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC on June 19, 2004, 02:38:39 PM
They have been around for a long time. It's actually a simple TDR (Time Domain Reflectometer). Send a pulse down the cable, time the returning pulse reflected off the open end, plug the number into a formula with the velocity of propagation for the cable and you have a pretty good idea of the length. Kind of like RADAR.

If you want to see where every ding, connector, splice or damage is as well as the overall length you can go for a full blown TDR with a scope type display.

I'm not sure who makes them either but if you look in the Specialized Products catalog (or website) it's probably in there.

-Hal  
Title: Re: Electronic wire measure
Post by: Karl P(eterson) on June 19, 2004, 03:34:49 PM
Greenlee makes some of them, as do other companies, but many of them are for electrical work (IE, requires to large of a guage to be of use to use.) The one you probably are most interested in is the JTE-1001. Here is a little flyer thing for them. Look around online, they should be able to be had for ~300$

Now if you want a full featured TDR unit, then be prepared to spend a fair ammount more.

Karl P
Title: Re: Electronic wire measure
Post by: Rob Warren on June 23, 2004, 11:48:34 AM
I've used the short stop before.  I thought it worked wonderful.  This is great for wire inventory.  Will tell you how much wire is left on a spool.  Measure the conduit then use this thing to measure the wire to go in the conduit.  Several uses.  If I remember right you had to have at least 2 conductors stripped back to bare copper in order to work.  

Rob