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What is "Near Continuous Voltage Drop"?

Near Continuous Voltage Drop is the frequent, periodic monitoring of voltage drop across energized contacts in the test environment. Measurements are typically taken from 1 to 5 minutes apart , non stop, during the duration of the test. Measurements may be taken on only a few samples, with a dozen or so data points, or many samples with hundreds of data points. Temperature measurement are taken along with the voltage measurements to track the affects of temperature change on the readings.

Why Would I Use Near Continuous Voltage Drop?

Near Continuous Voltage Drop will give massive data on connector performance in an environment, especially during temperature transitions.

How is Near Continuous Voltage Drop Performed?

Sample test points must be wired to a wiring harness which extends outside the environmental chamber. Energized circuits in the sample are generally hooked in series, powered through a constant current source. Thermocouples are also placed in the chamber and/or on the samples. The wiring harness and thermocouples are then connected to a scanner / meter system under the control of a computer. The harness is usually constructed by Contech Research personnel. Sometimes, test boards are designed and manufactured to facilitate testing.

A Real World Example.

A manufacturer of farm equipment wanted to evaluate several different connectors for use in their vehicles. Six different connector types were placed in the environment chamber, with switched current flowing through the contacts. Voltage drop was measured every 3 minutes.

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