ECN Forum
Posted By: KJay Terminating Jacks. - 12/31/07 02:05 AM
What do you use to terminate your CAT5 and CAT6 jacks?
I usually just use a 410 punch down tool and place the jack on a block of wood.
Is there something better to save the hands and thigh from impacts?

Have you ever tried the Harris/Fluke Jack Rapid tool?
I have one for Leviton Cat5 jacks, but since I don’t really use Leviton anymore, I hardly get a chance to use it.
Is Fluke now making Jack Rapid heads for other brands of CAT5 and CAT6 jacks?

TKX
Posted By: wacked Re: Terminating Jacks. - 12/31/07 03:30 AM
As an electrican doing alot of work for the IT department I switched to the panduit brand of data jack... no tool for punching down is required. Alot easier I find.
Posted By: EV607797 Re: Terminating Jacks. - 12/31/07 06:09 AM
Most jack brands come with caps for the terminations that work with simple fingertip pressure to seat the wire pairs. You then simply snip off the ends of the individual wires. Punch down tools (I've never heard of a 410 tool) are not necessary if the device comes with caps.

Honestly, I've seen the use of punch-down tools actually harm some jack modules since not all 110-type units are designed to tolerate the impact.

I have not heard of the Jack Rapid tool head being compatible with any brand of jack module except Leviton. I can tell you that there are plenty of manufacturers that make their modules in an identical footprint, in fact I believe that Leviton actually copied another manufacturer's design when their patent rights ran out. Then again, since I advocate not using tools to install IDC devices, my advice might be a bit skewed.
Posted By: e57 Re: Terminating Jacks. - 12/31/07 08:48 AM
Originally Posted by EV607797


Honestly, I've seen the use of punch-down tools actually harm some jack modules since not all 110-type units are designed to tolerate the impact.


You need a newer impact tool - one that has a "low" setting... The little caps method will only cause call backs over time IMO - if they can call you...... They are meant as strain reliefs.
Posted By: Jim M Re: Terminating Jacks. - 12/31/07 02:37 PM
I have used the steel toe of my boot.

I am trying to find out who makes the puck sized plastic disk that I got in a structured wiring class. It fits in the palm of your hand and the keystone clips in. I think it was the Leviton class, but I do not see it on their website.

Here is one I did find

http://cableorganizer.com/EZ-grip-ruck/
Posted By: KJay Re: Terminating Jacks. - 12/31/07 03:34 PM
Jim,
I think you are right about that disk. I believe it was part of a Leviton terminating kit from around 2001. I remember it had a punch down tool, that black disk and jacket stripper with a handful CAT5 jacks in a zippered black case. I haven’t seen one in years and don’t know if they even sell that disk separately. The one in your link looks like it could be a close match.
Posted By: pauluk Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/01/08 04:22 PM
I use one of these for the Krone terminals on our jacks -- Terminates and trims the wire to length in one operation:

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/GPT107.JPG
Posted By: hbiss Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/01/08 06:38 PM
The ONLY keystone jacks I use are Leviton simply because I can use the Fluke Jack Rapid tool. I've had 110 blades damage both the jacks and patch panels. With some patch panels it's necessary to just push the wire in with the blade and rock the tool back and forth to cut the wire. If you use impact the crummy plastic gets broken.

As far as I'm concerned, I'll only do small jobs. This kind of work is getting less and less installer friendly to make it worthwhile. Another example of something designed by people who never have to do it. To me it's just one big PITA.

And Pauluk, that's a KRONE blade for a KRONE block, not a 110 blade. Use that and you are certain to damage a 110 block. I also agree that those caps on the jacks are dust/retainer caps and not to be used for terminations.

-Hal
Posted By: EV607797 Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/02/08 12:59 AM
Originally Posted by hbiss
I also agree that those caps on the jacks are dust/retainer caps and not to be used for terminations.

-Hal


Interesting. ICC, ATT/Lucent/Avaya, Ortronics, Suttle and even Leviton provide instructions right on the packaging showing the use of the caps to terminate the wires. The only mention I've ever seen of them being used for retention/dust protection (?) has been as an optional item that is sold for use on patch panels. In my 25+ years playing with these things, I've never used a punch tool on a single jack, not even a non-impact or one on a low setting.

wink
Posted By: KJay Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/02/08 05:36 AM
pauluk,
I'm not sure if I’ve seen the Krone connection blocks before. Are they primarily a European device?
How do those differ from the 110 punch down blocks and jacks?


TKX
Posted By: EV607797 Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/02/08 03:57 PM
Krone is used heavily in Europe, however it hasn't really caught on in the US very much. Verizon is using their hardware sporadically, but I've only seen it in use two times in ten years in the Washington, DC area. I've been told that it's used quite a bit more in the northeastern states served by Verizon.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/02/08 04:37 PM
I have a little 10 cent plastic tool I got with some piece of equipment that does a great job on 110 punch downs. I still use my impact tool on the 66 blocks. If you have the heavy duty 110 blocks like the TelCos used you can impact punch them (low power) but I wouldn't do it on a keystone. Like they say above, most keystones I see are self punching with a little thumb pressure. I have a pretty good assortment that I have collected over the years. The easiest to use seem to be the ones with the straight row of contacts and the little gate that opens, punching them down when you close it. I imagine the best from a signal standpoint are the ones with 2 opposing rows and clips that punch them, just because you can keep the wires very short out of the jacket. They do look the best and very compact when you get a bunch in a box.
Posted By: mkoloj Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/02/08 05:13 PM
Originally Posted by EV607797
Originally Posted by hbiss
I also agree that those caps on the jacks are dust/retainer caps and not to be used for terminations.

-Hal


Interesting. ICC, ATT/Lucent/Avaya, Ortronics, Suttle and even Leviton provide instructions right on the packaging showing the use of the caps to terminate the wires. The only mention I've ever seen of them being used for retention/dust protection (?) has been as an optional item that is sold for use on patch panels. In my 25+ years playing with these things, I've never used a punch tool on a single jack, not even a non-impact or one on a low setting.

wink


I'm with the school of thought that thinks they are only for wire retention and dust blocking.
I also just read the instructions on Leviton's site for their inserts and they say to use a 110 tool, I have seen in HD they they include the little plastic 110 tool that gfretwell mentioned above in the package with the inserts.
Posted By: hbiss Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/02/08 11:32 PM
Interesting. ICC, ATT/Lucent/Avaya, Ortronics, Suttle and even Leviton provide instructions right on the packaging showing the use of the caps to terminate the wires.

What do you squeeze them with?

And they also provide that little plastic tool with wall jacks for the 630 connector. Don't forget who these guys target their products for. Pros are going to know better, DIYers won't have the correct tool and will need something like that. Hey, it's better than a screwdriver blade.

-Hal
Posted By: pauluk Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/03/08 08:35 PM
Originally Posted by KJay
I'm not sure if I’ve seen the Krone connection blocks before. Are they primarily a European device?
How do those differ from the 110 punch down blocks and jacks?


Most of our modern British blocks, jacks, and similar fittings use Krone terminals now. The blades of the connector are just straight in the vertical plane, and they are set in a plastic housing at an angle to the conductor.

As Hal rightly points out, 110 and Krone punchdown tools are not interchangeable!

Here are the Krone terminals on the back of one of our standard line jacks:

[Linked Image]


Posted By: KJay Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/03/08 09:34 PM
pauluk,
Thanks for the info.
I see what you are saying about the UDC angle to the conductor. What are the functions of those components on the PC board?
Is that 3-pair just for POTS?

Sorry for all the questions. Just interested in learning something new. smile
Posted By: hbiss Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/03/08 10:13 PM
Phones in those countries use 3 wires, Tip, Ring and ringer. The other side of the ringer is connected to either Tip or Ring in the phone. Over here that cap you see would be in the phone which is why we use 2 wires. R1 I believe is across T&R and I see a MOV surge suppressor.

I'm not sure if I’ve seen the Krone connection blocks before.

Verizon has been using 25 pair Krone blocks for RJ-21X demarcs for many years. I actually keep them in stock for when Verizon doesn't provide them. They also have test contacts built in that allows a test cord to open the block so that you can see if the problem is on the subscriber side or the OSP side without disconecting any wiring.

As a side note, the new Krone blocks can be terminated with a 110 blade as well as a Krone blade. Problem is if you don't know what new is always use the Krone blade to avoid damage.

-Hal
Posted By: pauluk Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/04/08 10:30 AM
Funnily enough, I'd just sketched out this diagram a couple of days ago which Hal will have seen already:

[Linked Image]

On the end of the phone cord, the loop/speaking/dialing circuit is across red & white, with the ringer between blue & white. Pin #4 on the jacks is unused on a basic line, but is typically the earth for recall on PBX extensions. 1 & 6 (white/green pair) are only ever used in "special" applications like line seizing for auto dialers and such like.

This wiring arrangement was only introduced in the early 1980s with the opening of the market to privately owned equipment. Prior to that the 1.8uF capacitor was located in the phone, although on multi-phone extension plans (either hardwired or jack connected) there was still another wire interconnecting the phones, plus the ringers were wired in series instead of parallel.
Posted By: hbiss Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/04/08 01:58 PM
Yup, that's the one. My memory was almost correct as to R1.

-Hal
Posted By: KJay Re: Terminating Jacks. - 01/04/08 03:12 PM
Thanks pauluk and hbiss,
Good information. It's interesting to see how our systems differ from each other.
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