atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring cat5 cable jack color standards in us? white data blue voice?

IS there any current or past discussions on blueprint specifications and what they could mean? What pack pole cat6 plates should be used? This site will have some pack poles...but really, for a goverment office? That is what I see in the blue prints.

What do you mean by "pack poles"?

Sam

I assume you are referring to "Tele-Power" poles which is a Wiremold trade name or Hubbell Premise Wiring aluminum service poles. These are usually specified when through the floor outlet access is restricted or not possible. As far as a "standard color" is concerned, that is totally left up to the architect, electrical installers or the telecommunications installer. As far as cover plates, the company (Wiremold, Hubbell, etc.) catalog will provide you with suitable cover plates for the metal cutouts made for the outlets and jacks.

I recently did a job for a national that actually specified black for data and white for phone. They also specified the color of patch and line cords. So, it's a mixed bag. If you are reading a print, then there should be some accompanying documentation explaining things like fit, trim and color. If that is missing or was never done, then you should have a list of questions for the pre-bid meeting. If this is a government bid, there should be meetings and lots and lots of drawing revisions and specification changes.

Rcaman

As RCaman said - it's all up to the Architecht (or decorator).

I did a large job for ATT (about 7,000. Drops) and they spec'd White for Digital Voice, Blue for Data, Green for Analog Voice (Fax etc,) and Red for Analog Voice phones that were for backup ( fed by microwave).

Was this a standard? It was for them.

At least on that job.

Sam

It was a colorful installation for sure.

Sam, that reminds me of many of the pictures Mike Andruschak posted over the years. They used quad cat 5 cable in red/blue/white/green with corresponding jacks.

Just thinking reading this that some of our buildings have different coloured cable going to the drop point depending on if its being feed from the north, south, east or west wiring closet on the floor.

Clever idea. Reminds me that years ago (pre structured wiring/cat anything) I had a job to do in Utica, NY. New construction, about 1000 locations, each one getting one voice, on connection to the IBM mainframe and one connection to the DEC minicomputer. All done with UTP. I was most concerned with the cable going to the right place, so I came up with a novel idea - multi colored cable! At the time cable only came in two colors, grey and beige. I made special arrangements with a cable company (Mohawk, I think) and as long as I bought a minimum of 100,000' I could get any color I wanted.

I had the local electricians (who were running the wire) run the grey cable to the voice closets, the blue to the IBM cluster controllers at one end of the data center and the beige to the DEC equipment at the far end of the data center. We had no problems with any wire winding up in the wrong place.

It seems funny to think about a problem getting a third color wire. This was in 1987 or '88 as I recall.

I also had special jacks made up. Almost all locations were to be fed by underfloor raceway and there would be "doghouses" at every location. Each little doghouse could accommodate two, duplex jacks (one on each side). Voice needed a duplex for itself (one phone one modem or fax machine) and I still needed an IBM and a DEC connection. I got one of the manufacturers to create a duplex jack, half RJ-12 (to feed a Balun panel)and half DEC MMJ. They were color coded black so there was no confusion.

Seems like a million years ago.

Sam

BTW, Beldon makes light blue patch cables. I wanted dark blue cable. Who makes what in what color for patch cables?

I know systemax makes dark blue horizontal cable but cannot recall the the color sceems of these cables.

General only makes grey patch cable..as shown in there catalog.

Lastly, I have a site, the electrician pulled in cat6 cable for POS terminals. Waste of money and over kill. If I had the job, everything would be cat5e.

Do resteraunts normally use stainless steel wall plates covers so they are easy to clean? I did not think of this during my jack/plate purchace.

If you are doing for a chain or a designer provided plan, there should be somewhere in the specs what type of cover plate they want.

That being said a stainless plate won't hurt in the prep area if its not spec'd.