EZ-RJ45 Connect difficult to wire

[DotNetDog]

I purchased some EZ-RJ45 connectors (Platinum Tools) and I'm having problems wiring them. I watch the videos that show how to attach these connectors and the demos show the CA6 wires going into/through the EZ connectors very easily. However, my CAT6 cable is much more difficult to push through the connectors.

So my question is "What is the trick"? Surely I'm missing something here.

 

[tmbrown97]

Did you get connectors for Cat5? Cat6 is a thicker gauge. Also there's a difference between connectors for stranded vs. solid.

I've never used the EZ connectors, but those are the mistakes I've seen in the past.

 

[rfdesq]

I use the EZRJ45 connectors all the time. There are several tricks. Couple of preliminary questions. Does your Cat6 have that big plastic spline running through it? What manufacturer's cable are you using?

 

[DotNetDog]

Work2Play: The box that my connectors came in says they are for CAT6 so I think I'm OK there but I will double check the part number today (at lunch).

rfdesq: My cable does have the spine in the middle. I noticed that the jacket says it is CAT6 enhanced but I did not look for the manufacturer. I'll get that today at lunch and report back.

It just "feels" like my connectors are for a gauge smaller than the wire that I have. I don't know if I need a different connector or if I just work with these. Anyway, I will go home at lunch today and get some answers. Thanks for the help so far!

 

[rfdesq]

I'll give you a hint before lunch. The spline has to be partially removed and the cable must be milked. Where are you located?

 

[Ira]

What gauge is your cat6? If you haven't done so, watch the videos on the manufacturer's website. There's a few tricks that really do make it easier.

 

[standon]

When I connect my EZ jacks, I keep scissors to cut away the spline and the nylon string. One you get the wires in the order you need them to be in, I grab them between my thumb and forefinger and kind of bend them side to side a bit so that the wires line up nicely (getting rid of the kinks). Then I trim the ends even before putting the jack on. Make sure you are pushing at the top of the jack where the holes out are. When you watch them slide into the channels, is it just not going in or is one or more wire stuck on the divider?

I find some days I can't crimp a cable to save my life, brain farts I guess, on those days I trim more jacket off so more wire goes through the jack... it makes things a lot easier.

 

[DotNetDog]

OK, here's a few answers... The connectors are from Platinum Tools; part # 100010B

The cable is made by Structured Cable Products. It is 23 gauge CAT6 enhanced wire.

I am cutting away the spine (spline sp?) and the nylon string. If I try to push one wire through a connector then it goes but with some slight effort. Pushing all 8 wires is the challenge. I have watched several videos and the person in the video pushes the wires through with ease!!! :angry:

When I push all of the wires into the connector, they seem to get stuck and one wire will usually bend. I guess it's just a learning curve for me. I was expecting the "EZ" to be...well...easy.

refdesq: What does it mean to "milk" the cable? And I am located in the Atlanta area.

 

[rfdesq]

rfdesq: What does it mean to "milk" the cable? And I am located in the Atlanta area.

Well you can't come to my shop in LA for a hands on demo. :lol: I have found that with the big plastic spline you have to milk the outer shield up enough so the connector fits over the cable. If the spline is cut flush it won't go into the connector. Start a couple of feet from the end and stretch the outer shield toward the open end. That will give you some flexibility to work with. I have good and bad cable days too. The conductors really need to be straight and aligned. It takes some massaging to get them all lined up. I have only found one brand of cable that just didn't work, I don't think it is your cable brand. The rest work with varying degrees of difficulty. Practice, practice, practice.

 

[DotNetDog]

Thanks. I'll sit down this evening and try again. I need to get the hang of this because I have many, many wires to terminate. I'm thinking between all the advise here and a smooth lager I should get the hang of this tonight!

 

[Ira]

Before I watched the manufacturer's videos, I would push each wire, one at a time, thru till it stuck out about 1/4". Then I would use small electrician's pliers to pull them thru the rest of the way, all together. Pulling is a lot easier than pushing. The manufacturer's method is now faster for me, but my wires all go thru pretty easily if I've properly untwisted and straightened them and snipped off the ends so they are all equal.

 

[standon]

23 gauge is what I use, so it should work. Try the bending thing to get all the wires straight. Regardless of whether you use EZ or not, you still need them even and straight before you insert the wires. Hold the bottom with your thumb and forefinger too, then grab the cut ends of the wire and jerk them side to side and front to back until them are nicely even. When you do this, it bends out the kinks and makes them more uniform to work with. You should have at least an inch or so of straightened wire before you push it through, 2" might even be better if you're having trouble with it. Sometimes I sort of jimmy the jack as I push the wires in too. Good luck!

 

[Neurorad]

Before I watched the manufacturer's videos, I would push each wire, one at a time, thru till it stuck out about 1/4". Then I would use small electrician's pliers to pull them thru the rest of the way, all together. Pulling is a lot easier than pushing. The manufacturer's method is now faster for me, but my wires all go thru pretty easily if I've properly untwisted and straightened them and snipped off the ends so they are all equal.

This is what I did for about 40 connectors, until I saw videos of how the EZRJ45s should be terminated.

After lining up the conductors and trimming the ends so they're all even, I put on the connector. Then, I pull a few inches of conductors through, put on the compression tool, twist the conductors together, and then cut. Less to clean up, and easier to put some tension on those pesky outer conductors that don't want to cut cleanly.

 

[fabriziojoe]

I have moved away from rj45 male ends all together.
A lot of my clients demand that I go into a patch panel or biscuit box first and then patch out.
In the long run this is a lot faster then struggling with lining up all 8 wires.
There is great debate among installers on how to properly terminate your runs, but the Bicsi standards say to go to a patch panel or biscuit box first.

On a side note one trick that I picked up, when I have to terminate a male end, is to have all 8 wires straight and then cut them on a 45 degree angle.
In doing this only one wire is going in at a time into the pre-loader or in your case the "ez" jack.

Good Luck!

 

[wuench]

I have moved away from rj45 male ends all together.
A lot of my clients demand that I go into a patch panel or biscuit box first and then patch out.
In the long run this is a lot faster then struggling with lining up all 8 wires.
There is great debate among installers on how to properly terminate your runs, but the Bicsi standards say to go to a patch panel or biscuit box first.

On a side note one trick that I picked up, when I have to terminate a male end, is to have all 8 wires straight and then cut them on a 45 degree angle.
In doing this only one wire is going in at a time into the pre-loader or in your case the "ez" jack.

Good Luck!

biscuit box? Got a link to an example?