diff --git a/tests/simulator/test_diagnostic_timestamps.py b/tests/simulator/test_diagnostic_timestamps.py
index eec585362..bf6ba7393 100644
--- a/tests/simulator/test_diagnostic_timestamps.py
+++ b/tests/simulator/test_diagnostic_timestamps.py
@@ -101,43 +101,24 @@ def tearDown(self):
     def ddt_test_id(self):
         return self._testMethodName.split("_")[-1]
 
-    def test_dump_diags_timestamps(self):
-        print("test_dump_diags dim/interp:{}/{}".format(1, 1))
-
-        simulation = ph.Simulation(**simArgs.copy())
-        sim = simulation
-
-        dump_every = 1
-        timestamps = np.arange(
-            0, sim.final_time + sim.time_step, dump_every * sim.time_step
-        )
-        setup_model(10)
-
-        for quantity in ["B"]:
-            ElectromagDiagnostics(
-                quantity=quantity,
-                write_timestamps=timestamps,
-                flush_every=ElectromagDiagnostics.h5_flush_never,
-            )
-
-        Simulator(simulation).run()
-
-        def make_time(stamp):
-            return "{:.10f}".format(stamp)
-
-        for diagname, diagInfo in ph.global_vars.sim.diagnostics.items():
-            h5_filename = os.path.join(out, h5_filename_from(diagInfo))
-            self.assertTrue(os.path.exists(h5_filename))
-
-            h5_file = h5py.File(h5_filename, "r")
-
-            for timestamp in timestamps:
-                self.assertIn(make_time(timestamp), h5_file[h5_time_grp_key])
-
     @data(
         ({"L0": {"B0": Box1D(10, 14), "B1": Box1D(15, 19)}}),
     )
     def test_hierarchy_timestamp_cadence(self, refinement_boxes):
+        """
+        this test checks diagnostics are dumped at the correct timestamps
+
+        - only B is dumped
+        - we dump every 2dt, or every 3dt
+        - we check:
+            - diag file exists
+            - expected number of times in diag h5
+            - expected values of times in diag h5
+            - that we can skip init dump (t=t0)
+
+
+        This test only runs in 1D. other Dims are unnecessary
+        """
         dim = refinement_boxes["L0"]["B0"].ndim
 
         time_step = 0.001
@@ -145,10 +126,10 @@ def test_hierarchy_timestamp_cadence(self, refinement_boxes):
         time_step_nbr = 101
         final_time = time_step * time_step_nbr
 
-        for trailing in [0, 1]:  # 1 = skip init dumps
-            for i in [2, 3]:
+        for skip_init in [0, 1]:  # 1 = skip init dumps
+            for diag_cadence in [2, 3]:
                 simInput = simArgs.copy()
-                diag_outputs = f"phare_outputs_hierarchy_timestamp_cadence_{dim}_{self.ddt_test_id()}_{i}"
+                diag_outputs = f"phare_outputs_hierarchy_timestamp_cadence_{dim}_{self.ddt_test_id()}_{diag_cadence}"
                 simInput["diag_options"]["options"]["dir"] = diag_outputs
                 simInput["time_step_nbr"] = time_step_nbr
 
@@ -156,7 +137,7 @@ def test_hierarchy_timestamp_cadence(self, refinement_boxes):
                 simulation = ph.Simulation(**simInput)
                 setup_model(10)
 
-                timestamps = np.arange(0, final_time, time_step * i)[trailing:]
+                timestamps = np.arange(0, final_time, time_step * i)[skip_init:]
                 for quantity in ["B"]:
                     ElectromagDiagnostics(
                         quantity=quantity,
@@ -175,8 +156,10 @@ def test_hierarchy_timestamp_cadence(self, refinement_boxes):
                     time_hier_keys = list(hier.time_hier.keys())
                     self.assertEqual(len(time_hier_keys), len(timestamps))
 
-                    for i, timestamp in enumerate(time_hier_keys):
-                        self.assertEqual(format_timestamp(timestamps[i]), timestamp)
+                    for diag_cadence, timestamp in enumerate(time_hier_keys):
+                        self.assertEqual(
+                            format_timestamp(timestamps[diag_cadence]), timestamp
+                        )
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":