Crimping Cat 6 Ethernet Cables

[aidank]

I am having a bit of bother crimping Cat 6 ethernet cables, the center cables Pins 3-6 will not make consistently. I have been doing some practice prior to starting my wiring and Fortunately I have a cable tester.

Cable https://www.freetv.ie/outdoor-cat6-utp-ethernet-cable-roll/
Crimps https://www.freetv.ie/cat6-connector/
Crimper https://www.freetv.ie/rj45-crimping-tool/

All are new, thus I guess its me that is doing something wrong, is there anything basic I could be missing.

The stripped back cable fits just nicely into the pass through crimps I think that is fine. Crimper wont seem to do its job correctly.

 

[Agroshield]

You have three items in your list. Vary one of them at a time and monitor the results.

Have you tried on Cat5? Have you tried a different connector? Have you tried a different crimping tool?

Have you raised the issue with the supplier? Can you talk them into an exchange crimper (send yours back, they give you another)?

My guess would be the crimper. Beg, borrow or steal an alternative crimper (go into SF and ask if you can test their most expensive one). Knipex are double what you paid, but good (https://www.amazon.co.uk/97-51-10-SB-multi-component/dp/B000XUJQJS).

 

[Nick DV]

Crimper wont seem to do its job correctly.

Sounds like it. I always found that with something like these you are better of spending a little more money on a decent crimper https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6FGY...kCode=osi&th=1&ascsubtag=ecSEP4pvr1vjmkzadyb6

 

[dave h 2]

You should also check that your cable is the correct sqmm and also insulation thickness for the connectors you have.
RJ45 are normally punched down on stranded. Solid normally goes into sockets for the same reason that ac power twin and earth does.
Connectors and sockets have different punch down systems as stranded will compress and solid will not.
If you buy good cable the manufacturer may recommend a connector system that will fit. Belden used to recommend Stewart connectors, both are expensive but always fit.
I doubt the crimper is you problem.

 

[knighty]

get these crimps https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PXMN2VK?th=1

these are (supposed to be) the people who invented through crimps... either way I've had rubbish ones before and these are good


no idea if your crimper is good.... I use these, they work ok no problems here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AVARTEK-Crimping-Connectors-Professional-Ethernet/dp/B09SNPRC2K

 

[Agroshield]

Given that all three items to which the OP links are sold by the same supplier, you would hope that they have tested the things themselves.

 

[dave h 2]

get these crimps https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07PXMN2VK?th=1

these are (supposed to be) the people who invented through crimps... either way I've had rubbish ones before and these are good


no idea if your crimper is good.... I use these, they work ok no problems here

https://www.amazon.co.uk/AVARTEK-Crimping-Connectors-Professional-Ethernet/dp/B09SNPRC2K

Outer dia of his cable is 5.98mm awg is 23 the above connectors are 5.4mm and awg 24 to 28

Commercially you aren't allowed to run PVC external cable more than 3M inside a building due to fire regs (everything is supposed to be low smoke zero halogen) so it has/should to stop and change into internal cable in some sort of wall box.

So I'm pretty sure the internal CAT cable TV supplies will fit the connectors they sell they will not have connectors to fit the external cable despite what the web page says.

 

[knighty]

Outer dia of his cable is 5.98mm awg is 23 the above connectors are 5.4mm and awg 24 to 28

It'll go in with a wiggle, I've done it loads of time

think it's better a bit tight tbh

(remembering it's a round cable into a rectangle hole, so the hole in tight in it's shortest direction)

 

[MetalMonkey]

1) The cable is CCA (copper clad). Proper Cat6 cable is copper.
That isn't necessarily the issue, but you aren't working with good materials to start with.

2) No details on their crimps, but 8P8C are available in different types, some are only suitable for stranded, some will do solid as well.
As dave suggests, usually solid core cable is terminated on jack module, but occasionally it is necessary to terminate via RJ45 for things like CCTV and Wireless Access points - in which case its important to get the 2 or 3 prong connectors that are solid core compatible.
If you use stranded only, then they will sever the conductor, and with CCA that doesn't take much.

3) The crimper is a cheap crimper - I have an identical one as a spare which is finicky about making crimps.
To give you an idea, my "cheap" crimper is about £80 and my "good" crimper costs well over £300.

As with any professional crimping tool, they get very expensive very quickly and what you are paying for is speed, consistency and reliability.
You can do the job with a cheap crimper, but they can often be very fussy about how you load the crimp in.

Take a look at the end of the connector and see if all of the pins are flat, level and punched down to the same height.
If so its unlikely the crimper is the issue, if they are varying heights or not consistent, then that is likely the issue and you might have a duff pair.

A common issue is not having the cable inserted sufficiently into the crimp, but that obviously isn't a problem with pass-throughs, even though I personally dislike them.

4) Is your cable tester lying - have you checked it on a known good cable? Just in case, you never know.
Note that the cheap testers will tell you if you have basic continuity, but for any more in depth testing, the price goes up exponentially.
Easily £5k to 10k+ for a certifier... Again not needed for what you are doing but worth keeping in mind. The pairs that test "OK" may not actually be OK.

Also, are you crimping on either end of the roll, or just a short test piece?
Do you have a clear close up picture of the finished crimp?

 

[knighty]

10to1 it's just rubbish crimps

I'm by no means a professional but I've been crimping rj45 crimps since I was a kid when I didn't know a crimper existed and used to push the pins in one at a time with a screwdriver

when I have a bad cable, it's nearly always because of crap crimps.... or I'm up a ladder in the dark/wind/rain/whatever and I've pushed the wires in the wrong order