Caring for Connectors
A
Keysight N4000/1/2A Operating and Service Manual
61
Visual Inspection
Visual inspection and, if necessary, cleaning should be done every time a
connection is made.
Metal and metal by-product particles from the connector threads often find their
way onto the mating plane surfaces when a connection is disconnected and even
one connection made with a dirty or damaged connector can damage both
connectors beyond repair.
Magnification is helpful when inspecting connectors, but it is not required and
may actually be misleading. Defects and damage that cannot be seen without
magnification generally have no effect on electrical or mechanical performance.
Magnification is of great use in analyzing the nature and cause of damage and in
cleaning connectors, but it is not required for inspection.
Obvious defects and damage
Examine the connectors first for obvious defects or damage — badly worn plating,
deformed threads or bent, broken, or misaligned center conductors. Connector
nuts should move smoothly and be free of burrs, loose metal particles, and rough
spots.
Immediately discard, or mark for identification and send away for repair, any
connector that has obvious defects like these.
Mating plane surfaces
Flat contact between the connectors at all points on their mating plane surfaces is
required for a good connection. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to
deep scratches or dents and to dirt and metal or metal by-product particles on
the connector mating plane surfaces.
Also look for bent or rounded edges on the mating plane surfaces of the center
and outer conductors and for any signs of damage due to excessive or uneven
wear or misalignment.
Light burnishing of the mating plane surfaces is normal and is evident as light
scratches or shallow circular marks distributed more or less uniformly over the
mating plane surface. Other small defects and cosmetic imperfections are also
normal. None of these affect electrical or mechanical performance.
