Salt Lake City, August 16, 2012 — LiveWire™ Innovation (www.livewireinnovation.com), a leading provider of advanced handheld test equipment for the aerospace, cable/telecommunications, datacom/networking, electrical design and maintenance, and residential/CEDIA custom install markets, has announced that launch of the new SparkChaser™ Fault Finding and Cable troubleshooting field test equipment. The SparkChaser is available for immediate shipment.
“The LiveWire SparkChaser is the first portable TDR fault finding and locating tester that is capable of identifying and pinpointing the location of wiring faults, including intermittent arc faults, on live or unpowered electrical systems in all types of aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopters,” explained Ron Vogel, LiveWire Innovation CEO. “The SparkChaser has been successfully tested on commercial aircraft, such as 747, 777, and 737 types. In addition, it has performed successfully on every tester helicopter configuration that is has been used on. It has found fault locations in both aircraft cabin wiring as well as on engine systems, such as Bleed Air sensor assemblies. It has the potential to save aerospace repair facilities millions of dollars in down time, as well as eliminate frustration, by finding events on cable that only occur during field use and when the electric systems are actually carrying voltage and current. It is a fabulous diagnostic and discovery tool for any repair facility connected with the aerospace industry.”
The SparkChaser Dynamic TDR utilizes advanced Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry (SSTDR), which allows it to work on live cables, energized at industry typical voltages, to find exact locations of faults, opens, shorts or intermittent arc faults that can delay an aircraft repair and add costs to the process of identifying the problem. SparkChaser features a touch screen interface, easy-to-use controls, and is housed in a water- and dust-proof case that can withstand heavy industrial abuse. Able to find faults in cable up to 8,000 feet, SparkChaser can be configured for specialized cable types and adapted in the field for all types of wire or cable environments. It is both a safety aid as well as a time and money saver.
The SparkChaser is operated via a menu-driven touch screen interface. It is remarkably simple to use and connects to wires, cables, or harness wiring connectors quickly via standard test leads. Specifically designed as ruggedized, portable support equipment for use at the operational level, the SparkChaser is a simple, accurate, and reliable maintenance tool, perfect for open and short circuit analysis. The SparkChaser portable wire tester’s revolutionary SSTDR technology provides technicians a unique advantage in quickly locating and repairing damaged wiring, including hard-to-duplicate intermittent failures. The type of fault, distance to fault, fault amplitude, and time of occurrence is displayed and recorded. Test results can also be downloaded for diagnostic purposes and trend analysis.
Additional product features include:
- Simple easy-to-use touch screen interface for electrical fault analysis
- Detection and location of wiring faults on live and de-energized systems
- Location of hard faults, for both open and short circuit conditions
- Detection and location of intermittent faults
- Allows testing of wires up to three miles (five kilometers)
- Results are recorded and can be downloaded for trend analysis
- Rugged design for use in industrial applications
- Measurement Method: Spread Spectrum Time Domain Reflectometry (SSTDR)
- Maximum Input Ratings for Powered Cables: 300V CAT II Rated
- Power: Built-in Rechargeable Battery & 120/240V Power Adapter
- Dimensions: 14.2in.x 11.4in. x 6.5in. (36 x 29 x 16.5 cm) – 13 lbs. (5.9 kg)
- Supplied Cable Connectors: Banana jack connections with alligator clips
- Distance-to-Fault Accuracy: ±1 percent with known VOP and consistent cable parameters
- MSRP: $7,995
“No other piece of aerospace/avionics test equipment can do what the SparkChaser does and do it on all types of aircraft frames and configurations,” concluded Vogel. “The SparkChasers’ ability to monitor energized cables allows the user to detect, identify, and accurately capture the position of intermittent faults, while recording the event on a USB flash drive is truly revolutionary. In addition to the handheld products that LiveWire now offers, we are in the process of developing fully embedded systems that will be able to be added to aircraft wiring systems for 100 percent monitoring of electrical systems while in the air. SparkChaser represents the new generation of TDR equipment for the 21st century.”
For more information and to see video demonstrations and to request a live demonstration, please visit www.livewireinnovation.com.
About LiveWire Innovation
LiveWire Innovation provides customers with groundbreaking fault detection and location technology to increase revenue, reduce maintenance costs, and provide a safer operating environment for their employees and customers. LiveWire Innovation products quickly identify and pinpoint the location of faults in both live and de-energized metallic wiring. Technology is available in both portable diagnostic and embedded platforms.
