My house wiring odyssey

[beelzerob]

I think I'll call around tomorrow and see if I can find some surface mount RJ45s....Now that I think about it, it's true that stripping the wire wouldn't be so bad, since it's solid core. But if I can afford a half dozen punch down RJ45's, I'd rather go that route. Hopefully that will last us. Besides, in places where I wired several of the same color cat5e's, I'm going to have to wire up all of them just to test one, because there's no way on the other end to know which was chosen.

For future, I ran a Cat5 and a 22/4. Those were mainly for motion sensors and whatever else, but also for keypads. I can't find many regular keypads for sale, whether on automatedoutlet or elsewhere. Do people sell just keypads, or are they always sold with a specific security system? I think I could seem some value in a keypad that communicated via RS232 and told you what key was pressed and let you display text or light up various keys on the pad...that'd be pretty neat. Either way...is a cat5 and a 22/4 enough for most keypads out there, including those that allow audio (1 or 2 way)?

 

[Steve]

What about rigging up something like that octopus cable, RJ45 to 8 clips. Just make those clips the insulation piercing kind. Then all you have to do is clip on the 8 wires and plug in the RJ45. You should be able to make that up pretty easily if it doesn't already exist.

 

[beelzerob]

Well, then we're to the question of where you get the insulation piercing kind of alligator clips. I'd like to avoid, as much as possible, having to cobble together a lot of little parts and make my own monster here...with all the craziness going on, it'd be just one more project.

If I can locate a good dozen surface mount RJ45's around town tomorrow, then I'm going to try that method and I'll let you know how well it works. By the way, this is the tester I have. It's good for showing if wires are crossed or shorted or open, which is all I'm looking for.

 

[brotsten]

Well, then we're to the question of where you get the insulation piercing kind of alligator clips.

I put in a link up there ^^^ a few posts ago, the bed of nails, that what they are.

Brian

 

[beelzerob]

Ooh. I didn't gather that from the name. I guess if you laid on a bed of nails, it'd pierce your human insulation too, so I should have figured it out....

 

[Steve]

Yea, same thing. You can buy them as raw clips (just 1 quick option) and rig your own cable too.

 

[beelzerob]

Yea, same thing. You can buy them as raw clips (just 1 quick option) and rig your own cable too.

Where do I actually BUY those?? I click check inventory, and it says "No parts found". Googling those leads me back to mueller, but I can't seem to even purchase those from there.

 

[brotsten]

Yea, same thing. You can buy them as raw clips (just 1 quick option) and rig your own cable too.

Where do I actually BUY those?? I click check inventory, and it says "No parts found". Googling those leads me back to mueller, but I can't seem to even purchase those from there.

I clicked on the first link.

Brian

 

[Steve]

Actually, I think JS Popper are the best ones. You can get them at Mouser or perhaps Graybar. Also at several smaller places.

 

[sic0048]

You could also get a 66 block and use that as a portable jig. Strip the insulation on the Cat5, punch it down on the 66 block which has the tone device preconnected and test. Rip out the Cat5 wire after test and move on to the next run.

Basically the same thing as what is being discribed here already, but the 66 block might be a little easier to work with since it is larger.

 

[Sacedog]

You could also get a 66 block and use that as a portable jig. Strip the insulation on the Cat5, punch it down on the 66 block which has the tone device preconnected and test. Rip out the Cat5 wire after test and move on to the next run.

Basically the same thing as what is being discribed here already, but the 66 block might be a little easier to work with since it is larger.

That is a great idea! The other benefit is that the clips from the leads would be clipped to the terminal, rather than the wire. I was thinking of the alligator clips, but then thought, it would be hard to keep 8 of those apart...too much detail work. With the 66 block, you could punch down really fast, and just rip it out when you are done.

The other benefit is that 66 blocks are less than 10 bucks.

 

[brotsten]

You could also get a 66 block and use that as a portable jig. Strip the insulation on the Cat5, punch it down on the 66 block which has the tone device preconnected and test. Rip out the Cat5 wire after test and move on to the next run.

Basically the same thing as what is being discribed here already, but the 66 block might be a little easier to work with since it is larger.

I agree, it would be a lot easier with the 66 blocks. You could mount one on a stud at the home run location and the other on a short 2x4 to help hold on to it.

The only drawback would be the cost of the punch down tool and a couple of 66 blocks, but what's wrong with another reason to buy a new tool? :lol:

Brian

 

[beelzerob]

That sounds like a great idea, with just a few issues left....

1) What's a 66 block? And where is a good place to get some, especially for only 10 apiece. If they are punchdown, then they won't suffer from repeated punchdowns and pullouts, will they?

2) I've seen these punchdown tools for sale, and I'm wondering if they're really required to be that complex? I bought a couple boxes of 25 Leviton female RJ45's keystones a while ago, and inside the box was a little plastic tool for punching down the wire. It works just fine, and probably cost them about $0.50 to make. Will that work well enough for any punching down, or do I really need the "deluxe" punchdown tool springloaded with the LCD display in the tip, etc etc?

 

[Sacedog]

That sounds like a great idea, with just a few issues left....

1) What's a 66 block? And where is a good place to get some, especially for only 10 apiece. If they are punchdown, then they won't suffer from repeated punchdowns and pullouts, will they?

2) I've seen these punchdown tools for sale, and I'm wondering if they're really required to be that complex? I bought a couple boxes of 25 Leviton female RJ45's keystones a while ago, and inside the box was a little plastic tool for punching down the wire. It works just fine, and probably cost them about $0.50 to make. Will that work well enough for any punching down, or do I really need the "deluxe" punchdown tool springloaded with the LCD display in the tip, etc etc?

http://cableorganizer.com/phone-data-connection-blocks/

Down about halfway.... $6.95

Cocoontech search is your friend.

If you have a 110 punchdown tool, you might be able to just get a 66 blade for it.

 

[beelzerob]

http://cableorganizer.com/phone-data-connection-blocks/

Down about halfway.... $6.95

Cocoontech search is your friend.

If you have a 110 punchdown tool, you might be able to just get a 66 blade for it.

Ooooo....kayyyyy. this is all new territory for me.

I can't, just by looking at it, figure out how I'm going to use that to test my Cat5 and 6 connections.

I understand the whole deal about punchdown tools now...it punches it down and trims it. The only punchdown tool I have is a very little entirely plastic tool, about 3" long. It just punches down, it doesn't trim. Since I don't care about trimming at this point, I'm wondering if it would do the job, so I don't have to buy 2 of these punchdown tools (1 for me, 1 for her).

But to use these (whether with my little punchdown tool or not), I'd just buy 2 of those $6.95 tools? I have to do this like now if it's going to be here in time to be of use. Ill have to order on faith.