Measuring Resistance

looks like hired the wrong guy

You mean like this stuff?

http://www.metalcladfibers.com/metal-clad-fibers/

ref....

http://www.google.com/patents/EP2596149A2?cl=en

testers...

http://www.cirris.com/support/pchk.html

>check the ohms per foot

Put your meter on "ohms".
Put the probes one foot apart.
Take a reading.
Write the reading down.
Do the same thing on the next tow (whatever a tow is)
Go back to your break.

That's how I'd do it too. But I don't take breaks.

I'd start at one end and just measure the first foot of each one.

Be sure to fully document your equipment brand, type, model number, the test environment, and the step-by-step procedure you use so that it can be reproduced. Take pictures, sign and date each test. The more professional it looks the more professional you will look.

You might even use more than one meter and average the readings for added accuracy/confidence.

Or, you can really complicate it (make it more accurate) by measuring the total resistance over the entire length of tow and dividing that resistance reading by tow length. This only works if the tows are electrically isolated from each other.

Also verify the meter is calibrated within the past year. There should be a sticker attached stating name of facility, date and possibly the tech. No one else asked, but what is a tow?

I think a tow is one of a number of fibers in a bundle.

That's why I cautioned about being able to isolate one tow electrically when measuring resistance.

I thought he meant row.....

tows plural

1. The coarse and broken part of flax or hemp prepared for spinning
2. A bundle of untwisted natural or man-made fibers

This question must be about boat/ship electrical wiring. Specifically it is tug boat wiring. Where else do you find a tow used as a noun and not a verb? Also the meter would be a depth sounder or the lead in wire for a VHF radio.

Good Luck, Old Salt

What is the expected range of ohms? If your measuring low milliohm, you need a meter and probes designed to make such measurements. And the probes need to be correct to 'bite' through any surface insulator. i.e. they may need to be custom for the material, if there are many parallel fibers, how are you going to ensure your measuring them as 'one' solid material.

You do need to provide more information! Is the resistance measurement part of an acceptance material property test?

Is the resistance properties for high frequency, or low to DC usage?

Be sure to use Kelvin clips for this type of measurement, as the contact resistance of conventional ohmmeter probes will very likely swamp the actual resistance you are attempting to measure (milliohms).

Wow this stuff is like the wire of the future.....Strong, flexible, lightweight....I wonder can you use it for communication on the inside and electricity on the outside?....the only other question is cost....and of course that comes down with quantity....

The Wire of the Future is that electrically *and* thermally superconductive stuff in L. Niven's 'Ringworld' series.

'Scrith' ain't too bad, either, it having a tensile strength on the order of the Strong nuclear force.

:))

Yeah, the problem is that's fiction.....

Of course it is, but I've thoroughly read CR4's posting guidelines and could not for life of me find any stipulations against having a little fun. And besides, I've already posted a serious reply, that of using Kelvin clips to accurately measure miniscule resistances.

Yes but you were responding to my post, and provided no thoughts on the viability of widespread use of this type of wire for both communication and electrical transmission...Your previous reply cited was to the OP...The suggestion of a viable alternative would have been acceptable, had it not been fiction.....

Perhaps you should post your own, special guidelines for replies to Solar Eagle - or start your own forum with these strictures clearly delineated right up front.

Over and out.

just perhaps http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-06/nuos-sri060611.php

with no thermal conditions specified -- you can call your gramma -- to tell them ??? something

Lay out 100 feet of the material, measure resistance and divide by 100.

If the measured resistance is too small increase the length measured until you get a meaningful measurement and then divide by the length measured.

Be sure there is no short circuit in the length laid out.

Your result will be as accurate as the tolerance of your meter and the tolerance of your length measurement.