Choosing Which Standard Cirris Connector to use on Your Cable Tester

Choosing Which Standard Cirris Connector to use on Your Cable Tester

Note: this article addresses options for sharing interfacing between Cirris’ Signature series, Easy-Wire® CR and CH2 harness testers. For information on interfacing options on our Signature line of stand-alone testers, click here.

Several benefits may be had by standardizing to one connector for your cable testing interfaces. These benefits include:

  • Using the same fixturing on a CR for low voltage guided build followed by high voltage tests with a CH2 test system.
  • Reducing the variety of adapting cables needed for your cables and/or harnesses.
  • Reducing overall cost by standardizing to one type of connector.
  • Sharing the same fixturing across all Cirris tester platforms.

You may already have adapting cables and fixturing and want to adapt your cable tester to a connector that is not standard for connections to the device under test (DUT).  Cirris provides full flexibility and conversion with the following:

Desired Standard Connector Style Available Signature Adapter options for Touch 1, 1100 Series and Easy-Touch® Testers. CH2 VME (Eurodin) Style Options Available CR (AHED-64) Options

32-pin VME (Eurodin) style connector on the CH2

ch2connector

CH2 Connectors

A1KM-64 Adapter

H1KM-64 Adapter

a1 km adapter

Standard as shipped The option for the 32-pin VME (Eurodin) style connector on the CR tester is the CH2-CR Converter.

cr-ch2converter

CR-CH2 Adapter Part #ACR-CH2

64-pin header of the CR

cr front

Front View of the CR tester

AHED-64 Adapter

ahed 64

The option for the 64-Pin Header on the CH2 is the CR-CH2 converter.

ch2 cr2

CR-CH2 Converter Part #ACH2-CR

Standard as Shipped

Another standard connector

connectors

Misc. connector types

usa-cover-275px

Adapter box

CH2 Custom Connector Interfaces

adapterpanel

An example of a custom connector interface to the CH2 is the Cirris adapter panel that is designed to mate to any connector you may presently use.

CR Custom Connector Interface

1st-side-cr-350

CR with custom connector interface

If you are still making the choice or already have a choice in place and need to manage some limitations, see the following:

32-pin VME (Eurodin) CH2 Connectors 64-pin Header Custom Connector

Cost of interfacing

A1KM-64 Adapters are an inexpensive option for connecting CH2 (Eurodin) Style Connections to an 1100 series, EasyTouch, and Touch 1 Units.

a1 km adapter 1

A1KM-64 Adapter

Ribbon Cable comes in at perhaps the lower cost and is a good option for CR Interfacing.

ribboncable

A non-standard connector already in use might even be less expensive.

Mating Life Cycles

A connector saver can be used with the connector and is inexpensively replaced when connectors need repair.

adcs-c2-700 1

CH2 Connector Saver Part Number ADCS-C2.

The male pins of the 64-pin header have a very long life on a tester like the CR. While the female pins on the ribbon cables are easy and cost-effective to replace when repair is necessary. Custom Connectors such as DL connectors can have a potential for very long life.

Adapters desired for each DUT connector. Small number of contacts in DUT connector.

Can only have half the number of contacts compared to a 64-pin header. Possibility of fewer contacts per connector.

Performance

These style connectors have an excellent overall performance. #28 AWG wire in IDC connectors will add to fixturing resistance. PVC insulation is substandard for high IR performance at voltages above 1000VDC.

Use discrete 64-pin header when HV or Insulation Resistance requirements are demanding.

discrete

Discrete 64-pin header

Custom connectors will need further evaluation on performance when choosing the style of connector.

Speed of connect/disconnect

The screw attachment of a VME (Eurodin) style connectors will take more time to change over. Use connector savers that have ejector handles on the CH2 when needed.

adcs-c2-700

CH2 Connector Saver Part Number ADCS-C2

Ejector ears of 64-pin headers allow for quick change overs.

ahed 64 1

AHED 64 Signature Adapter

Custom connectors will need further evaluation on speed of disconnect and connecting when choosing the style of connector.