CAT 6 cable for telephone/internet use

[SUNRAY]

The force required to cram 23awg into a 24awg IDC slot is a LOT more than the normal punch down force

Quoting myself here! But, I thought I'd do a quick experiment to get some figures to actually back this up.

Using a single wire stripped from a piece of cat5e and cat6 from the same manufacturer and a brand new cat5e module from the same manufacturer, I pressed down the insertion tool onto a module on a bathroom scale and gradually built up pressure until the wire went into the IDC slot. The punch down tool did not even cut the wire, so at no point was it my weight pushing the scale down more on the follow through. I don't have a fancy force gauge with "max hold" or anything, so just took the reading as the highest figure I saw at the point it 'gave way'.

Force to push cat5e into cat5e slot = 4.9kg
Force to push cat6 into cat5e slot = 6.9kg​

Then, using the same two IDC slots, using cat5e wire for both slots this time, the readings for using an IDC slot the second time around:-

Force to push cat5e into IDC slot used once by cat5e = 4.4kg
Force to push cat5e into IDC slot used once by cat6 = 3.6kg​

I was surprised the 'proper use' of a 24awg IDC slot had made it deteriorate by half a kg on the second go TBH. I thought they were supposed to be re-useable tens or even hundreds of times.

Gaz



Edit: I'm well aware force is measured in Newtons BTW!!

If you have done these tests on only one terminal then it's not really representative. I would like to have seen this done on all terminals of a selection of different makes.
These terminals will be satisfactory for a selection of different sizes BUT it is known that bigger wires do distort them quicker than smaller sizes.
I have seen (and fitted) 7/0.22 regularly in the knowledge that using cat5 would subsequently be unreliable.
I would have no hesitation in using cat6 on a cat5 socket and although it's very fiddly I have fitted to cat5 plugs with total success (never a failure YET). I have done it but I don't like fitting cat6 plug on cat5 as there's too much space.
I think they are only rated for a few cycles and it's the reason I don't use Krone for 'portable' or temporary applications.

 

[Taylortwocities]

@manortim Its barely worth asking the question. A small reel of telephone cable is so cheap that it's not worth even thinking about.

Use the proper stuff and you cant go wrong. That's my two pen'orth.

 

[Lectrician]

@manortim Its barely worth asking the question. A small reel of telephone cable is so cheap that it's not worth even thinking about.

Use the proper stuff and you cant go wrong. That's my two pen'orth.

Although he says pole.....

Your off the shelf CW1308 ain't gonna hit the spot.

 

[Taylortwocities]

ah yes. missed that

 

[bernardgreen]

I pressed down the insertion tool onto a module on a bathroom scale and gradually built up pressure until the wire went into the IDC slot.

Was that a push down tool or a punch down tool.

The mechanism in the punch down tool produces a short pulse of a much higher insertion force than can be achieved with a push down tool.

The short duration but powerful force from the punch down makes a far better joint and the prongs of the fork are much less likely to deform into a wider slot for subsequent conductors

 

[rsgaz]

Was that a push down tool or a punch down tool.

A punch down tool.

The mechanism in the punch down tool produces a short pulse of a much higher insertion force than can be achieved with a push down tool.

Are you thinking of a 110 punch down tool there rather than a Krone?

Gaz

 

[bernardgreen]

Are you thinking of a 110 punch down tool there rather than a Krone?

Any reputable brand of punch down will produce more reliable connections than a push down.