Channel vs Patch Cord Adapters

[@Peter6489]

Excellent video MIke! You’ve taught me that you shouldn't use channel adapters to test MPTL or patch cords properly, but can we use patchcord adapters in place of channel adapters? Just wondering why Fluke doesn’t just ship kits with patch cord adapters instead of channel ones? It is because they are more expensive to make or calibrate?

[@Jon-wf3tg]

So I have a foreman that swears a perm link and channel are same results - uses patch cords on testers and runs a channel test to give customer. But I say it’s going to be quite different results not just length but other parameters will change. Also when you unplug your tester ( patch ) cord the results you have are now inaccurate. Help ? ( I’m an RCDD but he’s very intelligent and has been in field line thirty years so he’s got the respect ).

[@MikePennacchi]

You are right on, once you move the patch cord the link has changed and the results are invalid. More importantly, if the contract says permanent link and you do channel, you could end up needing to retest everything. That is money out of the company's pocket and that won't be a risk I would take. I'll shoot a video on this in the next couple of weeks. Thank you for the comment!

[@Jon-wf3tg]

@@MikePennacchi thanks Mike - much appreciated.

[@mehdiansarimoud]

Appreciated for useful tips 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@slowukulele9168]

Awesome video. But look, I have 2 patch cord adapters DSX-PC6A and DSX-PC6. I tried to measure patch cord 1m with TIA for patch cords. But it works only when i choose TIA for cat 6a (like in your video). And doesnt work when i choose TIA for cat 6, 5e. Mostly i use patch cords 5e cat and cat 6. So, do you have any idea why it happening?

[@stevensardi809]

Hi, did you manage to resolve this? I am trying to test long patch leads using 1 x PC6 & 1 x PC6A adapter. Trying this today, are the 2 heads compatible?

[@PerryPeng-jg7zw]

thanks for sharing and what is the different between ISO and TIA？

[@user-ow7tb9dm6s]

What is the application below the patch cord setting used for and what type of testing performs when we use application settings. .

[@stevensardi809]

Hi Mike, I only have 1 DSX-PC6 head, I also have 1 PC6A head. I need to test some cat6 patch leads. Can I use these 2 heads together to test these? Are they compatible? I cannot find any suppliers in the UK that stock the PC6 heads

[@MikePennacchi]

To provide the most accurate measurement, the patch cord adapters are tuned to the category of cable. In order to certify the Cat6 patch cords, you will need another DSX-PC6.

[@LeitonVillage]

What a professional videos. I need your help fail test on return loss -1.7 dB

[@donschultz6483]

Cool testing and also extremely revealing about where it is appropriate to use a CHA adapter vs. a PCA adapter. Who makes that really cool purple Cat6A cable?

[@MikePennacchi]

trueCable of course! Sorry I had to do such a terrible job terminating some of your wonderful cable, but I had a point to prove.

[@donschultz6483]

@@MikePennacchi HAHAHA! I fully understand. I do the same thing, trying to force termination failures and see what the results look like. Always good to see not only PASS, but what MARGINAL PASS and FAIL look like on the graphs.

[@rickgemelli9123]

I am trying to understand because you never do a true channel test on the cables. Patch cord to panel to jack to patch cord. Does this affect the test results? Does it still not include the the patch cord ends in NEXT

[@mohammadtoha3729]

Please can you make a 1 Video for sm fiber R&M brand how to setup fluk otdr cable id please

[@haroldpalmsesq2506]

If the channel adapters are just doing wiremap, why have them at all?

[@MikePennacchi]

I might have been a bit hard on the Channel Adapters in this video. The Channel Adapter will measure things like NEXT, Return Loss, Resistance, Length, and many of the other key tests required to certify copper cabling. The key is that when testing patch cords or Modular Plug Terminated Links (MPTL), the Channel Adapter should not be used. The Channel Adapter excludes the NEXT measurement for the RJ45 plug that is inserted into the adapter. This is not an issue when you are testing the entire channel. However, when you are testing a patch cord, it is really important to know the RJ45 plugs are terminated properly. Since the Channel Adapter is only measuring the cable, you aren't getting the whole picture.

[@Eric-qx1kx]

If you can calibrate the tester with the Patch Cord Adaptors, then based on this video, there really is not much use for the Channel Adaptors, as the Patch Cord Adaptors sound superior.

[@mohammadtoha3729]

Hi