Keysight Technologies 85131E, Operating And Service Manual

85131E/F/H

3-3

Use, Maintenance, and Care of the Cables

Visual Inspection

Visual Inspection

Visual inspection and, if necessary, cleaning should be done every time a connection is 
made. Metal particles from the connector threads may fall onto the mating plane surface of 
the connector when it is disconnected. One connection made with a dirty or damaged 
connector can damage both connectors beyond repair.

Magnification is helpful when inspecting connectors, but it is not required and may 
actually be misleading. Defects and damage that cannot be seen without magnification 
generally have no effect on electrical or mechanical performance. Magnification is of great 
use in analyzing the nature and cause of the damage and in cleaning connectors, but it is 
not required for inspection. Use the following guidelines when evaluating the integrity of a 
connector.

Look for Obvious Defects and Damage First

Examine the connector first for obvious defects and damage: badly worn plating on the 
connector interface, deformed threads, or bent, broken, or misaligned center conductors. 
Connector nuts should move smoothly and be free of burrs, loose metal particles, and 
rough spots.

What Causes Connector Wear?

Connector wear is caused by connecting and disconnecting the cable. The more use a 
connector gets, the faster it wears and degrades. The wear is greatly accelerated when 
connectors are not kept clean, or are connected incorrectly.

Connector wear eventually degrades performance of the cable. Replace cables with worn 
connectors.

The test port connectors on the network analyzer test set may have many connections each 
day, and are therefore also subject to wear. It is recommended that an adapter be used as a 
test port saver to minimize the wear on the test set’s test port connectors.

Inspect the Mating Plane Surfaces

Flat contact between the connectors at all points on their mating plane surfaces is required 
for a good connection. Look especially for deep scratches or dents, and for dirt and metal 
particles on the connector mating plane surfaces. Also look for signs of damage due to 
excessive or uneven wear or misalignment.

Light burnishing of the mating plane surfaces is normal, and is evident as light scratches 
or shallow circular marks distributed more or less uniformly over the mating plane 
surface. Other small defects and cosmetic imperfections are also normal. None of these 
affect electrical or mechanical performance.

If a connector shows deep scratches or dents, particles clinging to the mating plane 
surfaces, or uneven wear, clean and inspect it again. Cables with damaged connectors 
should be repaired or discarded. Determine the cause of damage before connecting a new, 
undamaged connector in the same configuration.