Found another bonehead issue today.....
Alarm company used their stranded wire *terminal wire* and punched it down onto a standard RJ21X block (krone). I'll put money on it they either just ran it across the clips with a needle nose and or use a 66 head on it...
Is stranded even a ~acceptable~ wire to be used on IDC connectors.
Second, what gauge rating is acceptable in IDC connectors.
The wiring was real thin. I know, stranded feels thing. This stuff was like 26 gauge I presume....
Anyhow, ripped it out, ran solid back to their RJ31X screw terminals.
Thx Arthur.
Can't deciper if it says stranded is even acceptable
Stranded wire was never to be terminated on 66 type connectors.
Mother never used stranded. That's why it's not mentioned.
When confronted with stranded wire at GTE (that had to extend to a punch down block), our practice was to put Stakons (spades) on the wire, terminate it on a biscuit jack and then run a jumper from there to the 66 block.
I'm not sure if there was a GTEP for that, but I'll look.
Sam
Since this was a security system why not keep it authentic. The beanie boys (who actually know that you can't punch stranded) use a beanie to transition from the stranded to a short piece of solid that gets punched down.
If you do that I think you are entitled to a free propeller hat...
-Hal
LOl. And that's only if they even know that you need to use a Krone tool on the block and not a 66
Actually with the new Krones you can use a 110. Problem is how do you tell if it's one of the new ones.
-Hal
LOl. And that's only if they even know that you need to use a Krone tool on the block and not a 66
I had to go look at a krone block in my junk box and pull out my 66 tool after reading this. I knew it wasn't going to work, but it tweaked my brain just right to make me go
Well, if you are used to trying to put a square peg into a round hole I guess it would make sense.
-Hal
Several years ago, I was called in to "fix" an ongoing chronic problem of phones intermittently disconnecting and reconnecting seemingly at random times. It was a Mitel EL and I narrowed it down to one area of the hospital where new offices had been built. The 120 extensions were all experiencing the same, random problem.
We had bid this job to cable but it was determined that our bid was too high and, therefore, another "qualified" bidder had placed a bid "much" lower than our bid.
I thought it really odd that this was only happening to these 120 extensions and no other phones in the place had problems.
I went to the IDF closet and checked the wiring. 120 two pair stranded cables were run to each phone location. 66 blocks at the IDF and Keystone jacks at the station were used to terminate the cable.
My first thought was to drag the IT "weenie" that threw out our bid and gave it to this "qualified" bidder, but, instead, I worked up a quote to pull all the stranded off the 66 blocks and terminate them into a fabricated screw terminal barrier block assembly with stranded in and solid out. On the phone end, I happened to have a supply of older AMP connectors that take stranded cable on one end and splice to solid on the other, thus converting the stranded to solid to work in the Keystone IDC connectors. Reluctantly, the IT "weenie" approved the fix which, just happened to be, almost, twice what our initial bid for 4 pair teflon was. Imagine that? That fixed the phone problem.
As I was installing the stranded to solid splice device, one of the IT "weenie" minions asked me to check out the network cabling that this same "qualified" bidder installed, again, outbidding us for "much" less than our bid.
Much to my dismay, the exact same 2 pair stranded cable was used for the network wiring. The cables were terminated on modular IDC 48 port patch panels and into the same Keystone 5e jacks on the other. His exact words were "we can't figure out why all the computers, printers, etc. are constantly dropping out and, after a while, reconnecting." He also said 8 POE devices "just won't work, no matter what we try." Hummmm....
These cables, both phone and data were not pulled in conduit or raceway. In fact, both were hammered tight under Viking NM staples. How did I know they were Viking staples? The dummies left a half box in the attic crawl space.
My solution to that nightmare was to run all new wiring, in conduit. All the walls had to be opened up and patched. This little "fix" was 4 times our original bid and that did NOT include all the wall demolition and repair. Imagine that?
We got that job as well.
So, what do you think the administrator did to the IT "weenie" that cost the hospital 5 times more to redo a simple cable job?
Rcaman
Well, being as how it was a bureaucracy within a bureaucracy they probably promoted him.
[sarcasm]
Of course they promoted him. He was the one that was able to get the system back up and running correctly. The whole hiring of the wrong contractor for the job is ancient history. To the upper management he is a hero.
[/sarcasm]
Stranded wire has never been approved for use with any jacket displacement connector that I know of.
Then again I have only known a few security system technicians that cared what was approved practice and what wasn't.
If there is a commercially available IDC communications connector approved for stranded conductors, I don't know of it.
There are several IDC connectors approved for stranded power conductors, however. Molex and Waldom come to mind.
The same is true, in reverse, for solid communications conductors and those 8P8C ends labeled "for solid wire." Unless there is a V shaped terminal for each conductor to terminate to, then it's not IDC rated. I know some people on this site have affirmed that such a connector exists, but,I personally, have not seen one. They may exist, but I don't know where.
Rcaman
I do believe the good old AMP connector is rated for stranded wires. The same goes for several brands of the old DB connectors.
This is interesting . I was working on a job and notice all the new wiring they ran was stranded
I was thinking what is the difference why do the make it (patch cords)
I have always used solid wire
It seems to work ok I haven't heard otherwise
Stranded is designed for patch cords because it is flexible and can be moved.
If you look at all the electrical devices in your home - lamps, toasters, telephones, ANYTHING - you will see that all the cords connecting them to their respective wall socket is made of stranded wire. This is done because stranded wire, as Jeff said above, is FLEXIBLE. If you make a cord from solid wire, it will eventually break.
Sam
This is interesting. I was working on a job and notice all the new wiring they ran was stranded
Typical of the quality wiring jobs you get these days. Hacker bought cheap wire off probably ebay and didn't have a clue. That stranded wire is for making patch cords, NOT premises wiring. You can't punch it down on the jacks or patch panel. It may work for awhile but it's going to be nothing but intermittent trouble.
-Hal
Ask the guys who ran the stranded wire if they have a license. Ask them if they know what "IDC" stands for. Shoot, ask them anything, and watch their eyes roll back into their concave foreheads.