Versatility

If you look hard enough, you can find a specialized tool for every task your team may have to perform. But, buying all those specialty tools is expensive, adds clutter and weight to your tool box, and will likely result in many tools that rarely, if ever, get used.

A more practical approach is to look for test tools that offer a wide range of versatility. Better still; look at a compact collection of tools that offer a wide range of functionality without a lot of bulk. Think about the services you offer, and the basic set of tools your installers need to look manageable. Your team should:

• Cut and strip various forms of cable, including UTP, coax and twin-lead;

• Terminate these cable types;

• Locate, identify, and label individual cables;

• Verify the connectivity of these cables.

This covers the basic tasks performed by almost all installers. After the basic installation work has been done and verified, you’ll need to bring your certification team in, but you’ll likely have far more installation/verification tool sets than certification testers.

Simplicity

Cable location and identification implies a toner and probe set. Verification requires a cable verification tester. Look for versions of these tools that make the job simple for your installers.

Toning a cable is one of the most basic installation tasks, but it can also be very frustrating. Tightly packed cable bundles and electrical interference can make it hard for a conventional probe to identify the proper cable. Newer probes that respond to digital pulses can save time and make the installer’s job simpler.

A tester with an easy-to-understand interface will save time and frustration over a tester that installers find hard to use. A verification tester that shows installers the four most important test results – cable length, wire map, cable ID and distance to break or short – as visual representations on a single screen, without changing setting makes testing faster and reduces the chance of human error switching between tests.

And coming back to the first point of versatility, some verification tools generate digital tone that can be read by a digital probe. Combining the toner in with the verification tester means one less tool to buy and carry.

Dependability

Job sites can be rough, messy places. One way to keep equipment costs in check is to buy from a supplier with a reputation for dependability. An equipment warranty is a must, but better still is having confidence that the tools likely won’t need a warranty replacement.

Also consider how well the tools work with your team. Handles that don’t fit people’s hands, snips and cutters that hurt when they are used, and tools that are difficult to hook on a belt or snap into a holster are all signs of tools that won’t be used. That’s a bad investment.

Every installer on your team needs installation and test tools. You can keep costs in check, and future-proof your investment, by looking for tools and kits that are versatile, simple and dependable.

Installers need to cut, strip, terminate identify and verify UTP, coax, twin-lead and other cable types. A simple yet versatile kit can help an installer with a wide range of tasks with the fewest possible tools.