ACX SERIES
AIRCRAFT CABLE TENSION METER
USER’S GUIDE
www.cooperinstruments.com
PH: 540-349-4746 • FAX: 540-347-4755
CONTENTS
1.0 SAFETY .................................................................................................................................3
2.0 CHARGING INSTRUMENT BATTERIES ..............................................................................3
3.0 OPERATION: QUICK START................................................................................................3
4.0 ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION..........................................................................4
5.0 FEATURES ............................................................................................................................5
5.1 STANDARD INSTRUMENTS ........................................................................................................... 6
6.0 AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS:..............................................................6
7.0 SPECIFICATIONS..................................................................................................................6
8.0 SETUP....................................................................................................................................6
8.1 Custom Calibrations for the ACX-Series of Digital Tension Meters ..........................................6
8.2 Performing a 5-Point, Multilinerization Calibration...................................................................... 6
9.0 WARRANTY REPAIR POLICY ..............................................................................................7
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1.0 SAFETY
WARNING: When using cordless, electronic instruments, always follow basic safety precautions to reduce the risk
of fire, electric shock and personal injury.
READ AND SAVE ALL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE USE. Before use, ensure all users read and understand
this manual, as well as any labels packaged with or attached to the instrument.
1. KNOW YOUR INSTRUMENT. Read this manual carefully to learn your tension meter’s applications and
limitations, as well as the potential hazards associated with this type of instrument.
2. AVOID DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENTS. Do not use your instrument in the presence of explosive
atmospheres (gaseous fumes, dust or flammable materials). Do not submerge your instrument in liquids.
3. USE THE RIGHT TOOL OR INSTRUMENT. Do not use this instrument to do a job for which it is not
recommended.
4. CHECK FOR DAMAGED PARTS. Inspect instrument before use. Check for any binding of moving parts,
improper mountings, broken parts and any other condition that may affect operation. Do not use a damaged
instrument. Tag damaged instrument “DO NOT USE” until repaired. For repair, send instruments directly to
Cooper Instruments.
5. GUARD AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCK when connecting power supply to voltage source.
6. MAINTAIN INSTRUMENT CAREFULLY. Keep handles dry, clean and free from oil and grease. Do not
lubricate. All roller bearings are sealed.
7. DO NOT USE INSTRUMENT IF it has received a sharp blow, been dropped or damaged in any way. Do not
disassemble. Incorrect reassembly may result in the risk of electric shock, fire or exposure to battery fluids. If
instrument is damaged return it to Cooper Instruments for repair.
8. STANDARD POWER SUPPLY IS RATED FOR 100-240 VAC and includes several “blades” allowing use with
European, US, Australian and other plug configurations.
9. DO NOT USE INSTRUMENT WHEN TEMPERATURE is below 35°F or above 115°F. Charging in direct
sunlight or near a heat source will not produce a full charge and may permanently damage battery pack.
10. STORE INSTRUMENT AND CHARGER in a cool, dry place. Do not store where temperatures may exceed
120°F or fall below 35°F for storage times less than one month. Never let LCD display or battery pack
assembly freeze.
11. WARNING: Only use battery pack assemblies provided by Cooper Instruments, with your meter (P/N: ACX-60).
Other types of batteries may leak or explode, causing personal or property damage if charged in this device.
2.0 CHARGING INSTRUMENT BATTERIES
1. Connect power supply cable to instrument.
2. Plug the power supply into a 100 – 240 VAC outlet.
3. Full charge of battery assembly takes approximately eight hours.
4. Battery pack assembly cannot be overcharged, however instrument will remain on while plugged into power
supply.
5. Fully charged battery assemblies will operate approximately six hours +/- 20% depending upon usage and
backlighting intensity.
6. Battery charge level is indicated in the upper, right-hand corner of display.
3.0 OPERATION: QUICK START
1. TURN UNIT ON by pressing ON button. Display shows: Tension (Lbs, Newtons, or Kilograms), Cable size
selected and battery charge level.
2. MEMORY FUNCTION. Depress the MEMORY button to store and display up to five separate tension readings,
plus the average (AVG) of these stored values.
3. MOVE BETWEEN SCREENS by pressing either the
ENTER key. To exit a setting, depress the ESCAPE key.
4. ZERO THE INSTRUMENT before taking readings by holding the instrument in the attitude in which it will be
used, and with no load applied press the button marked ZERO.
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↑ or ↓ arrows. To make, or enter a selection, depress the
5. READING OF TENSION. Variations in materials and sizes affect tension readings. It is essential to select the
correct material and size from the calibration menu before use, or values may be incorrect.
6. SELECT MATERIAL. From the Main Display (first screen seen when unit is turned on) use the
SELECT MATERIAL is displayed. Press ENTER. Next toggle through the various selections using the
↑ or ↓ keys until
↑ or ↓
arrows until correct cable size is highlighted, and press ENTER to make your selection. If your specific material
is not listed, follow the calibration instructions included at the end of these instructions, or send a sample and
the instrument to Cooper Instruments for a custom calibration.
7. SELECTING TENSION UNITS IN LBS, KILOGRAMS or NEWTONS. Press the
↑ or ↓ keys until TENSION
UNITS is displayed. Press ENTER. Next, select: Lbs, Kilograms or NEWTONS and ENTER selection.
8. ENGAGE INSTRUMENT TO TENSIONED MATERIAL. For best accuracy hold the instrument in the attitude
the measurement will be taken in and press ZERO. Push “closure bar” away from the instrument handle to
raise the outer cable guides. Engage the tensioned material by routing the cable so that it falls under the outer
cable guides and over the center, contact point. Squeeze the “closure bar” shut until it locks into position beside
the handle, and note the tension reading.
4.0 ADDITIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION.
1. SPEEDING UP OR SLOWING DOWN DISPLAY LCD
REFRESH RATES - DAMPENING ADJUSTMENT. To either
speed up or slow down the rate at which tension values refresh
on the display. Use the
ENTER. Next select Dampening and after entering this
selection, choose the refresh rate from: 1Hz, 2Hz or 5Hz. When
new rate is highlighted, press ENTER.
2. AUDIO. Turn on or off audio beep (with key inputs) by selecting:
SETUP, then select Audio, and finally either select ON or OFF.
3. BACKLIGHTING INTENSITY. Increase or decrease backlighting
intensity by selecting: SETUP, then BACKLIGHT, and finally
intensity level.
4. DISPLAY CONTRAST. Increase or decrease LCD display
contrast by selecting: SETUP, then select CONTRAST, and
finally manipulate contrast using the
5. VERSION. Instrument Model No. along with software version information can be viewed under SETUP and
then selecting Version.
6. CUSTOM CALIBRATIONS. Calibrations are password-protected to prevent unintended changes. See Page 9
for step-by-step instructions, or contact your Metrology Department or Cooper Instruments for assistance. If you
simply want to verify your instrument’s accuracy refer to Note 1., Checking Accuracy on Page 9.
7. CUSTOM CALIBRATION NAMES. Custom Calibrations (listed as Custom 0 - 9) can be renamed so that the
Main Display indicates your name for the calibration instead of Custom 1, 2, etc. From the Main Display use the
↑ or ↓ keys until SETUP is selected. Press ENTER. Using the ↑ or ↓ keys select Custom Names. Press
ENTER. Next, using the
ENTER. Using the
Press ENTER. Follow the same procedure for each sequential letter or space of your new description. Continue
pressing ENTER until all spaces in the description have entered values. Once your new name has been
entered you will be returned to the SETUP screen. To select your new calibration follow the procedures
outlined in Sec.3.6.
8. MONITORING TENSION THROUGH THE ANALOG OUTPUT (Optional feature). Output values are: 0 – 5
VDC or 4 – 20 mA. Connect Analog Output Cable to receptacle located on the bottom side of instrument.
Connect output cable leads to the analog input of your measurement or control device. The RED lead is
Voltage +, the WHITE lead is mA, and the BLACK lead is ground. From the main display use the
until you reach SETUP. Press ENTER. Next using the
Using the
↑ or ↓ arrows select from: ANALOG TENSION CURRENT OR ANALOG TENSION VOLTAGE.
Once correct selection is made press ENTER.
↑ or ↓ keys, select SETUP, and press
↑ or ↓ keys. Remember to ENTER your new setting.
↑ or ↓ arrows select calibration number, or previous name you wish to rename. Press
↑ or ↓ keys select the number, letter or character for the beginning of your new name.
↑ or ↓ keys
↑ or ↓ arrows select ANALOG OUTPUT. Press ENTER.
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9. CALIBRATION OF ANALOG OUTPUT. (Optional feature) From Main Display press the ↑ or ↓ keys until you
reach SETUP. Press ENTER. Press the
Using the
↑ or ↓ keys adjust display to show the value at which the instrument reads maximum current or
↑ or ↓ keys until you reach CALIBRATE ANALOG. Press ENTER.
voltage. Press ENTER.
10. SERIAL DATA COLLECTION (RS-232 option). (Optional feature) Instruments outfitted with the optional RS232 feature (designated with a –E in the part number) support serial communications as follows:
a. The baud rate is 9600 with no parity bit, 8 data bits and 1 stop bit (9600 8N1).
b. Serial communications will work with most PCs with a cable up to 15 feet long.
c. Setting the dampening rate on the instrument to “1 Hz + Serial”, “2 Hz + Serial” or “5 Hz + Serial” will cause
the instrument to output the tension values at a rate of once, twice or five times per second, respectively. The
dampening rate can be set by going to the SETUP menu, selecting DAMPENING, adjusting the value of the
dampening rate with the
↑ or ↓ buttons and then pressing the ENTER button.
d. The units output serially will be the same units that are selected in the “Tension Units” menu. The currently
selected tension units (such as Lbs, Kilograms or Newtons) are also displayed on the main tension screen.
e. Perform the following steps in order to log serial data from the instrument using Hyper Terminal on a PC and
put it into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet:
1) Ensure that the dampening rate is set to “1 Hz + Serial”, “2 Hz + Serial” or “5 Hz + Serial”.
2) Connect the serial cable from the instrument to a serial port on your PC.
3) Go to the Windows® Start Menu and choose Programs- >Accessories->Communications->Hyper
Terminal®
4) In the Connection Description dialog box that pops up, type in a name for the new connection (you can
use any name you wish to describe this file) and press the OK button.
5) In the Connect to dialog box that pops up next, go to the drop down menu labeled “Connect Using:” and
select the serial port you connected the cable to in step 2. It is most likely that you are connected to
COM1.
6) In the COMx Properties dialog box that pops up next, set the “Bits per second:” to 9600, the “Data bits:”
to 8, the “Parity:” to none, the “Stop bits:” to 1 and the “Flow Control:” to none.
7) Click the Apply button and then click the OK button.
8) You should now see tension values appearing in the Hyper Terminal window.
9) When you are finished collecting data, close Hyper Terminal.
10) To save the data in Microsoft Excel® format, use Microsoft Excel® to open the file you saved the data
log.
5.0 FEATURES
• Large, easy to read, graphic display with adjustable backlighting and contrast.
• Display shows Tension, Battery Charge Level, and Cable Size selected.
• Push the MEMORY button to activate the Memory Function to store and display up to five separate tension
readings plus the average value (AVG) of these stored readings.
• Select tension value to indicate either in lb, Kilograms or Newtons.
• Accuracy is +/- 2% full-scale for all menu-selectable calibrations. Accuracy for custom calibrations is material
specific.
• Up to 10 calibrations can be programmed into instrument. (All calibrations are password protected to provide due
diligence against unauthorized changes).
• Adjustable LCD refresh rates allow for stable, digital readings.
• All models typically available from stock.
• All models factory calibrated and ready for use.
• Includes easy to use, cable diameter gage to accurately determine correct cable size.
• All calibration values traceable to National Standards. Calibration certificate included.
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5.1 STANDARD INSTRUMENTS
MODEL RANGE RESOLUTION STANDARD CABLE SELECTIONS
ACX-250 20-250 LBS 0.5 LB 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32"
ACX-500 40-500 LBS 1.0 LB 3/32" 1/8", 5/32"
ACX-CWT 20-250 LBS 0.5 LB CWT-5, CWT-10, CWT-15, CWT-20, CWT-25
ACX-CMB 20-250 LBS 0.5 LB 1/16", 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", CWT-5 thru CWT-25
6.0 AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS:
Note: Add option designator to the end of the part number. (For example, a Model ACX-250-E denotes a standard,
ACX-250 with the optional RS-232, serial output function installed).
• -A Analog Output option.
0-5 VDC or 4-20 mA with Software-definable ending sequences. Provided with
10’ sequences. Provided with 10’ cable. Data outputted at 40 Hz.
• -E RS-233 Serial Output option.
Provided with 10’ cable to Interface with your receiving device. Select data
sampling rate from 1, 2 or 5 Hz.
Input Real-Time Serial Data into any Windows® application using the optional
software WinWedge Pro® for Windows, or configure your Window’s® operating
system to capture the data via Hyper Terminal®.
7.0 SPECIFICATIONS
• Approximate weight is 1-1/2 lbs (Weight varies depending upon instrument configuration).
• Re-chargeable NIMH battery with power supply provided. Approximately 6 hours of operation per battery charge
depending upon backlighting intensity.
• Power Supply operates with input voltages from 100 – 240V and includes several, interchangeable “blades”
allowing use with European, US, Australian, and other plug configurations.
• Automatic shutoff after 10 minutes of non-use.
• Instruments may be operated continuously while connected to power supply.
• Durable, lightweight carrying case with protective foam inserts.
• CE Certification complying with heavy, industrial immunity standards.
8.0 SETUP
CHECKING ACCURACY. If you want to verify the accuracy of your instrument, simulate a tension load on your
cable by suspending known weights to a sample length of the same type of cable. When you engage the meter this
weight value should display. Thus when a 100 lb weight is freely suspended from the cable, the tension will be 100
lbs, and your instrument should indicate 100 lbs.
8.1 Custom Calibrations for the ACX-Series of Digital Tension Meters
Warning: The Custom Calibration feature is password protected. In order to perform a Custom Calibration a
series of key inputs are required. If you enter the password sequence and the press Enter while an existing
calibration in the menu is selected/highlighted, it will void that current calibration selection.
8.2 Performing a 5-Point, Multilinerization Calibration
Step 1: From the Main Display press ↑ or ↓ arrows until you reach Setup. Press ENTER. Press the ↓ arrow button
until you reach Cal Tension. Press ENTER. The screen will display: Setup, Calibrate Tension, Enter Password.
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Press the ENTER button once, the ↑ arrow button once and the ENTER button once more. (These three inputs are
the password.) Now the screen will display Setup, Calibrate Tension and you will be able to scroll down the list to
select the description that you want to use for the new calibration. When this new description is highlighted, press
ENTER.
Step 2: Next you will be prompted ENTER WEIGHT 1. Using the
not use zero). Press ENTER. Select increasing weight values for WEIGHT 2 THRU 4 (No. 4 being the maximum
weight value). At each weight number select your weight value using the
Next you will calibrate the instrument to the weight values you just selected. (To simulate tension loads for
calibration, take a sample length of your material and suspend it from above. Next hang weights from your material
in the weight values you previously selected in “enter weights 1 through 4”.) Your instrument will now prompt you
PLACE WEIGHT 0. With zero tension applied to the instrument press ENTER. Next you will be prompted PLACE
WEIGHT 1. Suspend the exact weight value from your material that you previously selected. Engage instrument to
the tensioned material and then press ENTER. Next suspend weight value 2 from your material, engage the
instrument to your tensioned material and press ENTER. Repeat procedure for steps 3 and 4. Once you have
entered the value for WEIGHT 4 you have finished the calibration and will be returned to the Main Display. Your
main display will now indicate the description of the calibration you’ve just entered. This indicates you have now
selected the calibration you just performed. To change calibration use the
MATERIAL. Follow procedures outlined in Section 3.5. To change the description or name of your new calibration,
see Section 4, No. 7.
↑ or ↓ arrows select a minimum tension value (do
↑ or ↓ arrows. ENTER each selection.
↑ or ↓ arrows until you reach SELECT
9.0 WARRANTY REPAIR POLICY
Limited Warranty on Products
Any Cooper Instruments product which, under normal operating conditions, proves defective in material or in
workmanship within one year of the date of shipment by Cooper will be repaired or replaced free of charge provided
that a return material authorization is obtained from Cooper and the defective product is sent, transportation
charges prepaid, with notice of the defect, and it is established that the product has been properly installed,
maintained, and operated within the limits of rated and normal usage. Replacement or repaired product will be
shipped F.O.B. from our plant. The terms of this warranty do not extend to any product or part thereof which, under
normal usage, has an inherently shorter useful life than one year. The replacement warranty detailed here is the
buyer’s exclusive remedy, and will satisfy all obligations of Cooper whether based on contract, negligence, or
otherwise. Cooper is not responsible for any incidental or consequential loss or damage which might result from a
failure of any and all other warranties, express or implied, including implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for
particular purpose. Any unauthorized disassembly or attempt to repair voids this warranty.
Obtaining Service under Warranty
Advance authorization is required prior to the return to Cooper Instruments. Before returning the item, contact the
Repair Department c/o Cooper Instruments at (540) 349-4746 for a Return Material Authorization number.
Shipment to Cooper shall be at buyer’s expense and repaired or replacement items will be shipped F.O.B. from our
plant in Warrenton, Virginia. Non-verified problems or defects may be subject to a $100 evaluation charge. Please
return the original calibration data with the unit.
Repair Warranty
All repairs of Cooper products are warranted for a period of 90 days from date of shipment. This warranty applies
only to those items that were found defective and repaired; it does not apply to products in which no defect was
found and returned as is or merely recalibrated. It may be possible for out-of-warranty products to be returned to
the exact original specifications or dimensions.
* Technical description of the defect: In order to properly repair a product, it is absolutely necessary for Cooper to
receive information specifying the reason the product is being returned. Specific test data, written observations on
the failure and the specific corrective action you require are needed.
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