Building just the right lead accessory for a DIY electronics project can be challenging, but the range of products available from suppliers like Cal Test Electronics can help. Over the past few months, the company has announced new products to supplement its already-extensive inventory of items such as test lead wires, alligator clips, and banana plugs and jacks.
Among the highlights is CT4403, a colorful six-pack of the company’s popular silicone-jacketed test lead wire. The multiple colors — yellow, red, black, green, blue and white — are designed for ease of tracking multiple connections. Each of the 2 m, 18 AWG (0.75 mm2) wires features a center conductor comprised of 195 strands of bare copper, covered by a highly flexible silicone jacket; according to Cal Test, this combination makes for one of the most flexible test lead wires on the market. The silicone jacket is also fabricated to be thicker than standard hook-up wire, and it includes a white inner layer to serve as a wear or damage indicator.
Additional specifications include a higher temperature rating than PVC (180° C versus 80° C), 12 A capacity and an IEC rating of 1,000 V CAT IV suitable for higher-energy test environments. All features are outlined in a YouTube video.
Four new insulated alligator clip models were also recently introduced. These include a large clip rated to 20 A with a 4 mm sheathed banana jack, as well as medium clips rated to 10 A and available in three different connect options: 4 mm sheathed banana jack for sheathed or standard banana plugs; 2 mm pin jack for tip plugs or standard DMM probes; and DIY solder connection for user choice of test lead wire. All four models are rated to 1,000 V CAT III and 600 V CAT IV. The new clips are also illustrated in a YouTube video.
Rounding out the offerings are three new BNC-to-banana jack adapters, which are uniquely positioned as offering an attenuating capacity to provide 1,000 V CAT II and 600 V CAT III protection. According to Cal Test, the attenuating values — which range from 10x to 100x, as identified by BNC insulator color — are ideal for lower-frequency (less than 100 kHz), higher-voltage applications where standard oscilloscope probes are insufficient to ensure safety. The adapters can be used with 4 mm digital multimeter (DMM) probes and/or insulated alligator clips to provide a handheld test setup that is both safer and more durable. Once again, more information can be found in a YouTube video.
