Agilent Technologies N8201A manual Proper Connector Torque, Connector Wear and Damage

Preventive Maintenance 5

•Do not bend cables near the connectors.

•If any of the cables will be flexed repeatedly, buy a back-up cable. This will allow immediate replacement and will minimize system down time.

Before connecting the cables to any device:

•Check all connectors for wear or dirt.

•When making the connection, torque the connector to the proper value.

Proper Connector Torque

•Provides more accurate measurements

•Keeps moisture out of the connectors

•Eliminates radio frequency interference (RFI) from affecting your measurements

The torque required depends on the type of connector. Refer to Table 4.

Never exceed the recommended torque when attaching cables.

Table 4 Proper Connector Torque

Connector	Torque cm-kg	Torque N-cm	Torque in-lbs	Wrench P/N
Type-N	52	508	45	hand tighten
3.5 mm	9.2	90	8	8720-1765
SMA	5.7	56	5	8710-1582

Connector Wear and Damage

Look for metal particles from the connector threads and other signs of wear (such as discoloration or roughness). Visible wear can affect measurement accuracy and repeatability. Discard or repair any device with a damaged connector. A bad connector can ruin a good connector on the first mating. A magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe is useful during inspection.

SMA Connector Precautions

Use caution when mating SMA connectors to any precision 3.5 mm RF connector. SMA connectors are not precision devices and are often out of mechanical tolerances, even when new. An out-of-tolerance SMA connector can ruin a 3.5 mm connector on the first mating. If in doubt, gauge the SMA connector before connecting it. The SMA center conductor must never extend beyond the mating plane.

Agilent N8201A Performance Downconverter Synthetic Instrument Module, 3 Hz to 26.5 GHz 93