TRIPLETT Fox & Hound 3 The Instruction Manual 1
Fox and Hound 3 Instruction Manual Table of Contents 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 - 3 2. FOX Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 3. HOUND 3 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4. Safety Warnings and Cautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 - 6 5. Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 - 10 6. Control Locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
When used together, the FOX and HOUND 3 aids in identifying, locating, and tracing wires, cables, and other conductors. When the FOX is used to apply a “tone” to a wire, the HOUND 3 can usually locate the wire inside of, or behind electrically non-conductive surfaces (plastic, wood, drywall, etc), up to 12 inches away. The HOUND 3 does not have to contact a wire to identify it . . . i.e. no stripping needed.
3: Key Features of the HOUND 3 • New Headlights to help light your way in dark areas and reduce florescent light noise! • Streamlined Design allows for better access in hard-to-reach areas • New Shielded Design to suppress “Feedback Squeal” • Bandpass Filter to suppress 60Hz and Hi Frequency Noise • Earphone Jack for use in quiet or noisy environments.
4: Safety Warnings and Cautions 4.1 Do not connect FOX or HOUND 3 to any source of AC power. AC voltages above 30 volts can be dangerous, and may result in user injury. The FOX and HOUND 3 is not intended to trace live AC power lines. The FOX will be damaged if connected to a live AC power line. 4.2 Use care when using the HOUND 3 to probe any wire or cable. An unexpected dangerous voltage may be present, which may result in injury to the user. 4.
4.5 Use caution when working with telephone lines. They can support dangerous voltages. 50VDC is often present, and 100VAC may be present during ringing. Additionally, telephone lines may support dangerous levels of common mode voltages. In some circumstances, user injury may result. 4.6 Use caution when working with any long unconnected wire or cable. Under some conditions, unconnected wires may “float up” to dangerous potentials, and touching them may result in user injury. 4.
5: Specifications 5.1: FOX Specifications 5.1.1: Telephone Loop mA and Line Polarity Test: Indication: Red LED lights to indicate presence of Loop mA in correct polarity Load: Approx. 13mA at 50VDC (usually less than off-hook recognition current) 5.1.2: Visual Ring Indication: Indication: Red LED flashes to indicate ringing 5.1.3: Tracer Tone (with fresh battery): Waveform: Square Wave or Differentiated Square Wave Level: Approx.
5.1.5: Visual Continuity: LED lights when continuity is established Open Circuit Voltage: 10v max. Test Current: 35mA max 5.1.6: Talk Power: Open Circuit Voltage: 10v max. Current (Short Circuit): 35mA max Current with 1K Loop: Typically 6mA with new 9v battery 5.1.7: Protection: Will withstand 56V with 400 Ohms series resistance applied across outputs. Will withstand 175V peak with 100 Ohms series resistance, superimposed on 56V, for 100mS (standard telco “ring” signal).
5.1.9: NiCad Charging Current: Approx. 9mA 5.1.10: Dimensions: Case: 3.7"H x 2.4"W x 1.1"T (93mm x 61mm x 28mm) Leads: Alligator Clips: Typically 11 inches long RJ-11: Typically 9 inches long 5.1.11: Weight: Less than 7 ounces including battery 5.2: HOUND 3 Specifications 5.2.1: Amplifier High impedance bootstrapped FET input for high gain and sensitivity. Incorporates a bandpass filter to improve sensitivity to FOX signals while suppressing 60Hz. 5.2.2: Sensitivity Detects FOX’s tone up to 12 inches away.
5.2.5: Earphone Jack Accepts standard 1/8" (3.5mm) mini phone plug, either mono or stereo. For use with electromagnetic (dynamic) earphones from 8 Ohms to 2000 Ohms. Automatically mutes loudspeaker when earphone is used. An earphone with a shielded cable is suggested to reduce the possibility of feedback from the cable to the probe tip. 5.2.6: Signal Strength Indicator Bright red LED signal strength indicator maintains sensitivity, even when the earphone is used. 5.2.
6: Fox and Hound 3 Control Locations (See Figures 1 and 2) A TRIPLETT CONTINUITY TALK B TONE HI WARBLE LO C OFF / LINE POLARITY A LED D B Function Switch C Tone Switch D Modular Plug E E Alligator Clips Figure 1 FOX Control Locations 11
AA Conductive Plastic Duckbill Tip BB Metal Conical Tip BB AA CC CC LED Lights DD Signal Strength Indicator EE Power Button FF Sensitivity Control GG Earphone Jack FF DD HH II GG JJ EE HH Battery Connector Battery Strap JJ Battery Cover KK Battery (not included) LL Speaker Cover LL Figure 2 Hound 3 Control Locations 12 KK II
7: Getting Started 7.1: The FOX 7.1.2: Installing a standard 9 volt battery in the FOX Remove the screw on the back of the case. Remove the case front. Install / replace the battery. Reassemble the case. 7.1.3: Using a rechargeable battery in the FOX The FOX can recharge a 9 volt Nicad battery by using telephone Loop Current (CO power). To use this feature, simply replace the standard 9 volt battery with a 9 volt Nicad battery.
shortening of the battery’s life may result. DO NOT connect to the line in Normal Polarity. Damage to the battery may result. 7.1.4: Testing the Battery in the FOX After installing the battery, a basic test can be performed to verify that the battery is powering the FOX. Set Function Switch (B) to its CONTINUITY / TALK position. Whiles observing LED (A), short alligator clips (E) together. If the battery is OK, the LED will light. A bright LED indicates a fresh battery . . .
tery to be fully inserted. The finger tab on the Strap should be sticking out of the Battery Compartment. This tab is used to remove the battery. Fold the tab over, and secure the Battery Cover to the case by inserting the end near the Earphone Jack (GG) first, and snapping the opposite end of the Cover to the case. 7.2.2: Testing the battery in the HOUND 3 The battery in the HOUND 3 will not last as long as the battery in the FOX. The LED Lights (CC) can be used as a rough indication of battery charge.
gator clips. Notice how the loudness of the warble sound increases, and how the brightness of the Signal Strength Indicator (DD) increases as the probe approaches the alligator clips. In general, the HOUND 3 is used by bringing it into proximity with the wire/cable that the FOX is connected to, listening for the TONE signal from the FOX, and moving the HOUND 3 in such a manner as to increase the loudness of the TONE signal from the HOUND 3’s speaker . . . i.e. searching for the loudest TONE signal.
rescent lights off and using the HOUND 3’s built in lights (which do not produce any noise). 7.4: Choosing a Probe Tip The HOUND 3 is supplied with 2 Probe Tips. The metal conical tip provides the strongest signal in most cases, because it can make a metallic electrical connection with a wire carrying the FOX signal. In some cases, the metal tip can be a safety hazard . . . because it might short out a live circuit that the user is “probing”.
Helpful Hint: Almost any type of earphones whose plug will fit into the Earphone Jack will work. Some types will work better than others. An earphone with shielded wires is recommended. Use of earphones with unshielded wires may cause a squealing sound to be heard. 7.6: How it works The HOUND 3 works by capacitively sensing the electrostatic field radiated by wires carrying a signal from the FOX. The greater the radiated field, the better the HOUND 3’s ability to locate a wire.
If the target wire is connected to other wires and circuits, for example, to switches, lights, relays, transformers, etc., the FOX TONE will pass through these devices and out onto other wires connected to these devices . . . making tracing of the target wire very difficult, if not impossible. In general, the FOX and HOUND 3 cannot be use to trace wires buried underground or in concrete.
General Rules for Effective Tracing: …. Do what works best. Try both LINE/GROUND and LINE/LINE tracing (see following text). …. Separate wires when possible. …. Move wires away from shielding when possible. …. Un-terminate wire if necessary. …. Turn off noise sources to reduce buzzing OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS: 8: Detailed Product Information 8.1: FOX Details (Refer to Figure 1) The Function Switch (B) sets the basic operating mode. The 3 positions each have several testing functions associated with them.
Helpful Hint: Although the FOX does not require a battery when generating a tone when Loop Current is present, if a battery is in the FOX, it will be used as part of the FOX’s power source. Due to the FOX’s internal circuitry, less battery power is used if the FOX is connected to the line in Reverse Polarity, i.e. Tip to Negative, Ring to Positive. Therefore, for greatest battery life, connect to a powered line in Reverse Polarity. 8.1.
the modular jack to be tested, or connect the Alligator Clips (E) to the line to be tested (Do not use the Modular Plug and the Alligator Clips simultaneously). If Loop mA is present, and in the correct polarity, the FOX’s CONTINUITY/TALK LED (A) will light. If the polarity is incorrect, or Loop mA is not present, the LED will not light. Helpful Hints: If using the Alligator Clips, and the LED does not light, try reversing the positions of the clips.
nect the alligator clips or the modular plug to the line to be tested. The FOX will not seize the line on most phone systems. 8.1.3: CONTINUITY / TALK When the Function Switch is set to the CONTINUITY / TALK position, the FOX can perform basic Continuity tests, or supply Talk Power to several “talksets”. 8.1.3.1: Continuity Testing: The FOX can be used as a visual continuity indicator. Set the FOX’s Function Switch to CONTINUITY / TALK.
NOTE: Some handsets may not operate properly at the power level supplied by the FOX.
8.1.4: TONE: Wire Tracing, Identification, & Open Faults The uses of the FOX Tone mode can usually be divided into three categories . . . tracing, identification, and locating open faults. 8.1.4.1: General Wire Tracing Information: The FOX and HOUND 3 will not trace “live” AC or DC power wires. The only type of “live” circuit that the FOX and HOUND 3 will trace is a telephone circuit. The FOX’s tracer tone will not penetrate electrically conductive materials . . . like any kind of metal or wet earth.
The FOX’s tracer tone can be shorted out by any loads on the target wire. All loads must be disconnected from the target wire. Crosstalk may occur in multiwire cables, in wires bundled together into a harness, or in wires that run parallel to each other for long distances . . . making identification of the target pair difficult. Crosstalk is the bleeding of the tracer tone from the target wire onto adjacent wires. A tracer tone applied to a target wire or wires may crosstalk onto adjacent wires.
8.1.4.2: Wire Tracing Methods: There are two basic wire tracing methods . . . “floating” and “grounded”. In the floating method (also called Line to Line), the tracer tone is applied to two wires (a pair) in the cable or wire harness to be tested. See Figure 4. The FOX’s red clip is connected to one wire and the green clip is connected to the other wire. This method is often used on telephone, intercom, or alarm wires.
MULTI-WIRE CABLE TERMINALS TARGET WIRES TRIPLETT CONTINUITY TALK TONE HI WARBLE LO OFF / LINE POLARITY Figure 4 Floating or Line-to-Line Tracing 28
In the grounded method (also called Line to Ground), one clip of the FOX (either the red or green) is connected to earth ground or a “fake ground”, and the other clip is connected to the target wire. The target wire can be one wire of a pair or a multiwire cable. See Figure 5. This method creates the strongest tracer tone, and is often used when wires are traced through walls or ceiling. It is also useful for identifying a specific wire within a bundle of wires.
MULTI-WIRE CABLE TERMINALS TARGET WIRE TRIPLETT CONTINUITY TALK TONE HI WARBLE LO OFF / LINE POLARITY Figure 5 Grounded or Line-to-Ground Tracing 30
Helpful Hints: Extension pieces of wire, or long clip leads, can be used to connect the FOX to a ground or fake ground. The extension wire can be hundreds of feet long if necessary. To test a fake ground to see if it can be used for wire tracing, connect one clip from the FOX to the candidate object (like a metal desk) and the other clip of the FOX to the target wire. Hold a HOUND 3 near the object. A “good” fake ground will not radiate much tracer tone.
nect to the phone line and ground. To identify the wires, if using the floating method, momentarily short the suspected wires together while listening to the FOX signal with the HOUND 3. If the FOX signal is completely killed (not heard on the HOUND 3), the selected pair is probably the target pair. If the signal is not completely killed, the wrong pair has been selected, or there is an open fault in the pair, and crosstalk is being picked up from the other wires.
At the other end of the wires, connect one of the clips of the FOX to a good earth ground. Experimentally connect the other clip of the FOX to one wire and then the other, while listening to the tracer tone on this clip with a HOUND 3. If the level of the tracer tone drops significantly when the clip is connected to one of the wires, this wire is probably OK and the other wire is open. That is, the open wire is the one that doesn’t drop the level of the tracer tone.
or fake ground. This will boost the tracer tone, and may provide an adequate trace. The strongest trace will be obtained when using the grounded method and the clips (as described above), but if the hint works, the user won’t have to open the modular jack housing to gain access to the wires. STRONG TONE OPEN FAULT WEAK TONE TRIPLETT CONTINUITY TALK TONE HI WARBLE LO OFF / LINE POLARITY Figure 6 Locating an Open 8.1.4.
It can be done, but the HOUND 3 must be held very close to the end of the cable to pick up any signal. To apply a floating signal to a coax, connect one clip of the FOX to the center conductor of the coax, and the other clip to the shield of the coax. The grounded method often works better for tracing coaxial cables. Connect one clip of the FOX to a ground or fake ground, and the other clip to the shield of the coax.
It is not unusual for the loose turn-able part of a coaxial connector to have poor electrical contact to the cable shield until it is screwed on to its mating connector. Consider this when making connection to a coax. Because of the way that coax is constructed, it is not possible to find an open in the center conductor. It is possible to find an open in the shield, if the shield is not shorted to the center conductor or ground. Connect the center conductor of the coax to earth ground.
8.1.4.5: Power Wires: The FOX and HOUND 3 cannot trace or identify “live” power wires. To use a FOX and HOUND 3 to trace a power wire, power must be removed from the wire, and all loads must be removed from the wire. This may be as simple as turning the circuit breaker off, and turning off all of the loads. NM-B (Non-Metallic wires, sometimes called “Romex”) can be traced by putting one clip of the FOX on the ground or neutral, and the other clip on the hot wire.
ably the target wire. If the signal is not completely killed, the wrong wire has been selected, or there is an open fault in the wire, and crosstalk is being picked up from the other wires. (This will not work if a fake ground is being used. An actual ground is required to perform this test). 8.1.4.6: Resistance Heating Wires: The FOX and a HOUND 3 can be used to trace the path of a resistance heating wire in a plaster wall or ceiling. This is usually performed to find an open in the wire.
to the other wire. Notice that at approximately the midpoint between the wires, the tracer tone becomes very weak. This is the “null point” . . . the place where the signal from one wire cancels the signal from the other wire. Notice how this null differs from simple loss of signal . . . that is, there’s a very narrow zone where the null occurs, and the signal gets stronger quite rapidly on either side of the null.
Reposition the test wires so that they are inline with each other, with a small gap between them (1/16" to 1/8"). See Figure 8. Again, trace along the length of the wire and note how a null point occurs at the gap. This technique can be used to find the open fairly precisely, if the spacing of the wires and the location of the open lends its to this approach.
Now, attach one of the clips and the wire attached to it to a good earth ground. See Figure 9. The HOUND 3 should pickup very little signal from the grounded wire. Move the HOUND 3 along the length of the wire and note how a strong signal is picked up on one side of the open fault, and very little signal is picked up on the other side of the fault.
For the most accurate simulation, lay out a serpentine pattern on the floor similar to that in the ceiling, and locate the open in different places, using the nulling and the grounding technique. Have an assistant position the open fault while you are out of the room, and then cover the wire with cardboard, newspaper, plywood, etc. . . . and see if you can find the open. You’ll probably find that the open is sometimes found in the wrong place.
cations, the far end of the wire must be disconnected from any loads or any other wires, or the tracer tone will be shorted out, or it will migrate into other wires. Because wires adjacent to the target wire will often acts as shields, and because the wires in cars are often bundled together into harnesses, it may be difficult to follow the target wire through the harness. Try to locate the wire as it emerges from the harness.
If tracing wires in a boat that is out of the water, attach one clip of the FOX to the metal trailer frame, or to a grounded metal object. As before, an extension wire can be used if necessary. 8.1.4.9: Alarm / Security Wires: Alarm and security wires can be traced like other wires.. 8.1.4.10: Miscellaneous Multiwire Cables: Some general principles are important to keep in mind when locating and tracing wires and cables.
on the unfaulted wires, the tracer tone will be reduced in level on the unfaulted wires, and make locating the open easier. In fact, if the other wires are unconnected, it helps to temporarily connect them to earth ground, so that they suppress the effect of the coupled signals. It may also help to connect the far end of the open faulted wire to earth ground. Doing this will produce the most distinct change in tracer tone level when the HOUND 3 passes over the location of the open. 8.
“pick up” signals from electrical devices other than the FOX. Probably the most notable signal, a buzzing sound, comes from fluorescent lights. Other sounds can often be heard when the HOUND 3 is placed near a TV, computer, or other electronic device. The Signal Strength Indicator can’t differentiate between these signals…… so if the user is observing just the Indicator, without being able to hear the speaker, he may mistake an interfering signal for the target signal. This is where the earphone is handy.
which wire is the target wire. In this situation, it often helps to reduce the Control setting, so changes in loudness are easier to discern. Also, the Control may be used to reduce the loudness of the HOUND 3 in quiet office surroundings, so its use is less obtrusive to nearby workers. 8.2.4: Earphone Jack The Earphone Jack (GG) accepts a standard 1/8" mini-plug. This type is often used with portable music playing devices. The earphone may be either a stereo or mono type.
In some situations, the HOUND 3 may have a tendency to “feedback” at high Sensitivity settings. The feedback may sound like a howling or squealing sound coming from the Speaker. To suppress this effect, the Sensitivity setting can be reduced, or the user may find that touching an ungloved finger to the earphone jack may help. 8.2.5: LED Lights The white LED Lights (CC) provide light for performing tests in poorly lit areas. The LEDs do not interfere with the target signal.
use of the conductive plastic probe is recommended. The plastic probe is only slightly conductive, and usually causes no disruption of equipment operation. An additional advantage is its “duckbill” shape, which allows it to penetrate deeply into a bundle of wires. Helpful Hint When using the conductive plastic probe, greater signal pickup will be obtained if the wire being probed is laid against the flat surface of the duckbill.
10: Warranty Info ONE YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY The Triplett Corporation warrants instruments and test equipment manufactured by it to be free from defective material or workmanship and agrees to repair or replace such products which, under normal use and service, disclose the defect to be the fault of our manufacturing, with no charge within one year of the date of original purchase for parts and labor. If we are unable to repair or replace the product, we will make a refund of the purchase price.
ALL WARRANTIES IMPLIED BY LAW ARE HEREBY LIMITED TO A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, AND THE PROVISIONS OF THE WARRANTY ARE EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.
TRIPLETT Triplett Corporation One Triplett Drive 800-TRIPLETT FAX: 419-358-7956 Bluffton, OH 45817 www.triplett.
