Maintenance Indicators or Diagnostic
Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Maintenance
indicators or LEDs provide you a readily visible
indication to tell you when the equipment is operating
normally and when it is operating abnormally. Refer to
your computers technical manual or owners manual
for their locations and operation.
Test Points. Test points are usually located on the
outer edge of pcbs. They can provide you with status
or operational information with voltage levels and/or
waveforms. Refer to the computers technical manuals
for details.
COMPUTER CONNECTORS AND
CABLES
Computers must have an organized way to
exchange and route data and power signals internally
and externally. Computers must have a place where the
signals leave the computer externally and talk to other
computers and/or other equipments, peripherals,
displays systems, and/or communication systems. The
computers technical manual or owners manual
provides parts replacement information, recommended
tools and test equipment, internal and external signal
distribution, and I/O interface.
The following
documents also provide information useful in the
maintenance of computer connections and cabling.
They define the standards and specifications of the
interface(s) that the computer uses as well as the
standards and specifications of the actual repairs to the
internal and external connectors and cables.
l MIL-STD-2000, Standard Requirements for
Electrical and Electronic Assemblies Provides
associated standards and specifications that can be used
when making solder repairs to connectors and their
conductors. MIL-STD-2000 provides the standards for
the actual solder terminations.
l MIL-STD-2036, General Requirements for
Electronic Equipment Specifications Provides a list
of the standard external interfaces; parallel and serial
interface formats and metallic and fiber optic cabling.
The interfaces listed in MIL-STD-2036 define the
requirements of each standard: mechanical, elec-
trical, functional, procedural, and any other
requirements that do not fall into any of the four listed
categories.
l NEETS, Module 4, Introduction to Electrical
Conductors, Wiring Techniques, and Schematic
Reading Provides information on conductor and
cable (includes coaxial) architecture and
characteristics, wiring and repair techniques, and signal
interpretation and distribution.
* NEETS, Module 19, The Technicians
Handbook Provides connector and cable information;
references, types and construction/description, gen-
eral application data, identification, and insert
arrangement.
l NEETS, Module 24, Introduction to Fiber
Optics Provides fiber optic theory and operation and
connector and cable information.
l EIMB, Installation Standards, NAVSEA
0967-LP-000-0110 Provides connector and cable
information; references, identification for
interpretation and distribution, and installation and
repair (includes MIL-STDs of specialized tools).
. Naval Shore Electronics Criteria, Installation
Standards and Practices, 0280-LP-900-8000
Provides connector and cable information; references,
identification for interpretation and distribution, and
installation and repair (includes MIL-STDs of
specialized tools).
l Miniature/Microminiature (2M) Electronic
Repair Program, NAVSEA TE000-AAA-HBR
010/2M, Vol. 1; 020, Vol. 2; 030, Vol. 3 Provide the
same type of information as MIL-STD-2000
concerning solder repairs to a connectors and their
conductors.
Remember, when making repairs to the connectors
and cables, use identical replacement parts or suitable
substitutions. This is very important. Lets start with
the computers internal connectors, then external
connectors, and finally the cables.
Connector Architectures
In electronics, connectors are designed to terminate
pcbs, conductors, and cables between electronic
circuits within a system, between systems and
subsystems and their power sources. Connectors
interconnect circuits on circuit boards with
backplanes/backpanels, motherboards, or wiring within
a frame or cabinet of a computer (set). Connectors also
terminate the cables interconnecting the external
equipment and the computer. They come in many
shapes and sizes.
The interfaces listed in
MIL-STD-2036 dictate the requirements needed for
connectors.
A connector consists of a connector
2-15