By Adam Welch
Efficiency is vital in cable installation. Increasingly vast networks of wires and cables supply vital electric power and communication services, increasing demands on a contractor’s time. As line installers and repairers fervently install new lines and repair existing ones, the desire to do so more quickly and economically has increased.
In today's competitive cable test market, there are new tools and testers emerging at a rapid rate to perform various tasks at various price points. Vital for efficient cable installations are timesaving and ergonomic tools for cutting, stripping and working with all types of wire and cable. Such tool kits may offer pouches that save you vital time with an easy-to-grip handle and rugged PVC with locking belt clip.
The correct punchdown termination tool may help your productivity by enabling you to install Cat 5(e) jacks six to eight times faster. Punchdown tools increase accuracy and reliability. Fewer reworks are needed, which increases client confidence. A punchdown tool may also be safer, reducing the risk that you will punch into the palms of hands or through drywall.
There are three types of punchdown tools used to terminate telecommunications cables: manual, impact and multi-wire. When any conductor is punched down, force is required to seat the conductor. That power can be derived from one of two methods: by human power by which an installer will use his hand or arm to generate the force to seat the conductor using a non-impact tool; or by the use of an impact tool. The basic impact tool has a spring-loaded head, which is compressed by the installer with very little force required. Once the spring reaches full compression, it is automatically released and the force is transferred to the head of the impact tool, which then seats the conductor. Advanced multi-wire tools such as JackRapid terminate all pairs with one squeeze, reducing hand fatigue.
Most impact tools can be fitted with a number of interchangeable blades, depending on the cabling system you are using. The advantages of an impact tool are speed, ease of use and consistency of termination. The tool will help you push each wire into the slot to make a permanent connection. Advanced punchdown tools have a built-in blade that cuts off the excess wire after the wire is pushed onto the connector; others may require you to snip that off with the wire cutters.
Newer punchdown tools offer an easy-to-use handle and a built-in bed that helps hold the jack in place. Other new features include replaceable blade head for use with multiple jack types and wall-friendly designs to accommodate close-to-wall installations.
To use an advanced punchdown tool, you first determine the wiring scheme in place, strip the cable jacket, place the eight wires in their respective slots, and then insert the jack in the tool. After the trigger is pulled completely, the wires will be seated and cut for a solid termination. The handle is then released and the jack is removed from the tool. After visually verifying the proper termination, you follow the standard dress and press procedures.
The combination of faster, more reliable terminations and less rework can cut the cost of this portion of the installation job by as much as 80%.
After installation, the job must be tested and delivered to the customer. Handheld test instruments (better known as test tools) vary tremendously in price, performance, and application. Depending on what task the test tool performs, they can be classified into broad hierarchical groups of verification or certification. If you want to offer a warranty backed by the cable manufacturer, you need to use a certification tool approved by the manufacturer. Anything else puts the sole warranty responsibility on you.
Verification test tools are often used by network technicians and contractors as a first line of defense for cable troubleshooting. These tools allow you to see if the cable is properly connected. Verification test tools perform basic continuity functions (for example, wiremap, toning). These verification test tools sometimes include additional features such as a Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR) for determining length to the end of a cable or to a trouble spot. They may also detect if a switch is connected to the cable under test or check coaxial connections.
Verification tools are ubiquitous, simple-to-use low cost tools that are often the first line of defense in finding cabling problems. An advanced, comprehensive verification testing tool can save you time. On the market are all-purpose, affordable, pocket-sized cable test tools designed to check cabling integrity and continuity. A verification tool’s wiremap function verifies that 10BASE-T, Token Ring and other twisted-pair cabling are wired properly. Some advanced verification tools on the market include a cable verification tester, toner probe, remote wiremap adapter, office/ room ID set, and adapters for testing coaxial cabling and two conductor wire.
Using a tool for verification ensures basic continuity and correct terminations. Verification testing confirms that a cable meets established national or international standards of conductor configuration and passes basic continuity testing. Verification may be performed on two conductor, or multi-conductor twisted-air cabling.
If the wiring is faulty, an advanced verification tool’s wiremap will identify the problem and the faulty pair. Fluke Networks’ Microscanner Pro's unique TDR length function measure the full length of a cable, it pinpoints reversed or crossed pairs and also identifies split pairs. The tool displays individual pair lengths and whether the cable is connected to a hub. The length measurement is also useful for billing and inventory purposes. If a fault is detected, time is often wasted with visual inspection. An advanced verification tool's toner function allows continuity verification and to trace a cable through walls, floors and ceiling.
Certification is the most rigorous of all cable testing. Performed primarily by commercial datacom installers, this is the final step required by connectivity OEMs to grant their warranties for properly installed cabling projects. Certification test tools answer the question, “Does this cable comply with cabling standards? (e.g. TIA-568-B.1 Category 6 or ISO 11801 2nd Edition Class E)”.
A certification test tool makes many types of measurements across predefined frequency ranges and compares the detailed results to standards set by the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) {ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1} or International Standards Organization (ISO) (ISO/IEC 11801 Ed.2). The results from these measurements determine if a link is compliant with a category or Class of cable (for example, category 5e, category 6, Class D). Certification tools are the only tools that provide “Pass” or “Fail” information on the cabling, in accordance with TIA or ISO standards. Additionally, certification test tools commonly support optical fiber test options, provide advanced graphical diagnostics and offer feature rich reporting capabilities.
As explained above, each test tool is designed for a different purpose. If you are in a troubleshooting environment, and need to show unequivocally that the link under test is failing category 5e or 6 performance requirements according to TIA or ISO standards, your only choice is a certification tool.
If you are a commercial installer who needs to prove to the building owner that all cabling has been installed correctly, you must certify it. To receive the support and financial security of a manufacturer’s warranty, certification to TIA or ISO standards is your only option. The dollars at risk are huge. The final cost-per-link of commercial installation usually averages about $100. For a large 1,000 link installation, this represents a $100,000 project. If the job is a high-bandwidth, category 6 installation, the higher quality cables and terminations typically command a 20% premium.
Therefore, an installer has to weigh the options of who should bear the financial risk. Using a certification tool that meets TIA and ISO standards is a requirement for establishing a warranty recognized by the cable manufacturer. Anything else makes the installer liable for the performance of that $120,000 installation. A prudent installer will want the manufacturer standing behind him.
