How do you manage your test leads? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 09:41:07 pm
content: Hi guys, I'm in the final stages of finishing my new bench.(photos in the 'show your bench' thread later.)Like all of you, I have test leads coming out of my proverbial. Different types, lengths, stiffness... you know the situation.What tricks have you found to keep them accessible, untangled and out of the way? Straight? Coiled? Hung? In a box? In many boxes?Edit: Fix dickhead typo in subject

author: jancumps
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 10:20:25 pm
content: 1 shoe box for banana and meter leads + their accessoires,1 shoe box for probes, coax and crocodilesThat's it for me. I don't have more.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 10:23:20 pm
content: Mine get hung off various hooks and spare lengths of wood that protrude from the upper shelves of my workbenches.I can also guarantee that the one lead I need is in the last place I look

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 10:30:43 pm
content: Quote from: KJDS on August 15, 2014, 10:23:20 pmYea. And bloody tangled with something.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 10:32:50 pm
content: The most organised I have seen is using wall holders.http://nz.rs-online.com/web/c/?sra=oss&r=t&searchTerm=test+lead+holder&x=0&y=0

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 10:52:35 pm
content: The commercial holders are good, but pricey.Being cheap, I bought some aluminium angle bracket and cut a bunch of slots in it.The croc clip leads at the bottom of the picture live in an earlier effort made from plastic, which was a bit too flexible.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 11:03:44 pm
content: Pomona racks for me, from memory they where only $15 a piece, they come in 3 sizes which limits you slightly, but they work well,As its related to the topic, any suggestions on how to make croc-clip leads that wont have the ends break off in 6 months time?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 11:07:12 pm
content: Quote from: Rerouter on August 15, 2014, 11:03:44 pmLayers of shrink sleeve progressively shorter as a strain relief.Spreads the bending "moment" over a longer distance.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 11:15:02 pm
content: I already see the theme here. Hanging straight seems like the way to go. Slots look good too. Lots of them. I've been using hooks, and not enough, hanging the cables by the middle. This method fails big time.Quote from: tautech on August 15, 2014, 11:07:12 pmYes. That's what I was going to suggest.

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2014, 11:42:27 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on August 15, 2014, 11:07:12 pmUsing "extra flexible" test lead wire with 55 or more thin strands helps, too.The usual failure mode for my old leads is worn/bent hinges, resulting in annoyingly sloppy and unreliable clips.

author: edpalmer42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 04:35:31 am
content: Take a piece of wood and two 20 cm. lengths of threaded steel rod. Attach the rods to the wood with a gap between them. Slip something like clear vinyl tubing over the rods to help hold on to the cables and protect them from the threads. Extend the tubing beyond the end of the rod to form a cushion for the inevitable time when you'll bang your head on the end of the rod. Space the rods so that there's enough room in between for the cable, but not the end. Repeat until you run out of wood, rods, or cables to hang.Hang the result on something sturdy. Be sure it's solidly attached. Cables can be heavy. If you're attaching it to a wall made of drywall/sheetrock/gyprock (pick whatever term you're familiar with), be sure to use long screws into the studs.By changing the gap between the rods, the diameter and length of the rods, and the number of pairs of rods, you can hang anything from scope probes to booster cables at a much better price than any commercial solution and the result will be one that's just right for you.Ed

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 09:12:47 am
content: Desk drawer organizers can be handy for your connector ends, BNC adapters, terminators, ...

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 09:41:19 am
content: The best way to store leads is a cable rack. Storing them is a draw is the poor man's alternative. Probe kits can be stored in a small components box.Each electronics engineer at my place has their own set of oscilloscope probes (company purchased of course). The rule is: Use your own bloody CRO probes. This works really well and everyone looks after their own CRO probes much better than they would look after communal CRO probes.In other workplaces, I have seen the following time and time again: Borrowed probes returned without probe tips (hidden behind coffee mugs or under paperwork), coloured rings missing (vaporised into thin air), open circuit cables (stretched after being extruded though chair leg castors), bent crocodile clip jaws (after being rolled over by a chair castor).

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 09:50:08 am
content: There was a thread like this last year I think. Lots of good suggestion in it IIRC.

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 10:34:55 am
content: I have been trying different types to add to the rack style. This can be 1 way, and has a potential to be arranged in layers using cloth hanger.http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0000TQIFM/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_10?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 01:37:30 pm
content: I use bridle hooks for hanging my cables as they do not kink the leads.http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/221514155587?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tfGC7tOlrdk/TVAfSjVFd9I/AAAAAAAALLA/9tSP0XCCfNc/s400/Bridle-hook-museum-useful-things.png

author: Yago
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 07:57:14 pm
content: Could use some of these:http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/plumbing-central-heating/pipes-plumbing-fixings/pipe_fittings/-specificproducttype-pipe_clips/PlumbSure-Pipe-Clips-Suitable-for-15mm-Pipe-100Pk-11477589

author: Galaxyrise
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2014, 11:48:06 pm
content: I use a wall hanger like Rolycat for my larger leads (meter+) and I use a small section of wire duct for the smaller leads.The problem I've been fighting with lately is deploying them without tangles and confusion. I haven't made any progress on the rat's nest tangle, but I did do something that helped a lot with confusion: I wrapped some colored wire on the ends of each pair, so I can color match from leads to meter:

author: kolbep
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 12:10:47 am
content: Roll them up, and squeeze into old toilet roll tubes

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 10:14:24 am
content: Quote from: Rerouter on August 15, 2014, 11:03:44 pmI also use the Pomona racks. They are cheap and work really well for all kinds of test leads. IMHO best value for money if you want to buy something which is ready to go.

author: Terabyte2007
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 03:34:23 pm
content: This is my main area where I manage my test leads. There is a secondary near my benches where I keep about a dozen leads also.No comments about the safety issue of using my fire extinguisher for test leads!

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 10:29:50 pm
content: If you are a BNC clean freak like me you may want to put a dust flap over whatever you use. My dust flap shown below over a stock Pomona hanger.

author: apelly
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 10:51:07 pm
content: The Pomona holders are the most reasonably priced. Some of the others are just insanely expensive for their function. I think I'm going to just make one though. Shouldn't take very long and might be therapeutic.Nice flap robrenz. Must have taken a while to machine that off the end of an 8x8 block, and polish it. Look forward to the video. But seriously, thanks for the tip. I will do something similar.

author: Galaxyrise
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 17, 2014, 11:21:16 pm
content: Probemaster has a cheap, small one. They even included one free in my last order with them:http://www.probemaster.com/product_info.php?cPath=7&products_id=54