While the meat of roadtested products come down to development boards or test equipment, I'd like to find some way to roadtest electric or electronic connectors. Now this may be in conjunction with a tool (e.g., crimping tool)...
| 539635-1539635-1Crimp Tool Ratchet AMP MCP Series | 8-968970-18-968970-1Connector Housing MCP Series | 1241392-1 - Contact, MCP 2.8 Series |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
...or another product. I am experimenting with different options. But, the connector testing is central to what I want to do.
Sure, connectors may not seem exciting to many of you makers. But the fact is they are neccesary for interconnection, termination, and/or environmental protection
So, I would like to ask the roadtest group to respond to some of my ideas regarding the roadtesting of connectors. These ideas are not meant to prescribe how a connectors roadtest should be accomplished; rather, it is to offer a variety of options for testing them.
If you have any comments about this topic, feel free to include them in the comments below. Thanks.
1. The connectors were visually inspected for correct use of materials, proper construction, correct part number and insert markings and overall quality of workmanship.
2. Mate connectors and measure contact resistance.
3. Build circuit with variable current source, connector and standard resistive load. Increase current up to rating. Measuring contact resistance.
4. Measure insulation resistance.
5. Build a test bed such that the connector's IP rating and or vibration withstand capability can be tested.
6. For connectors that are user assembled with housing and custimizable contact system, conduct experiments on the ease of assembling the connector
7. Conduct experiments to review the contact rention capabilities of the connector
8. In the event a roadtester has access to a hi pot tester, measure the dielectric withston voltage. (This really would be beyond the capabilities of most roadtesters. So, not that important to me.)
9. Maintenance aging -- re-instertion test -- durability test: reinsert the plug and receptacle "x" number of times to verify their functionality with use. (I added this because I was curious about the snarky comments I would get. I would not expect any roadtester to re-insert something 100 or 1000 times! Although maybe one of you could design a rig to do it!)
10. Temperature test to maintain continuity
11. fretting corrosion test--vibration test
12. immersion test (water/salt spray/oil/other lubricant)
13. cable pull test
