Copper Cable Termination
ELCM 254
©PRGodin @ gmail.com
Updated Jan 2014
1
Termination Basics
• There are hundreds of connector styles that come in
thousands of configurations, used for a wide range of
applications.
• Most connectors and terminations share common
traits:
– Connectors mate with other connectors
– Connections must be mechanically and electrically sound
– Connections must meet performance criteria
2
Connector Basics: Gender
• Genders
– Male = Plug = Pin
– Female = Jack = Receptacle = Socket
– Hermaphroditic (single gender)
• Wall outlets are typically female
connectors
• Connectors on cables are typically
male.
3
Contacts
• Contacts or pins: A conductive electrical
connection.
• Contacts may be connected with a conductor
by:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Crimp (compression or fold)
Insulation displacement (IDC)
Solder
Wire wrap
Screw terminal
Other
Closed Barrel
Contact
Open Barrel
Contact
• Some contacts are designed to attach to both
the conductor and the insulation or jacket.
4
Important Connector Elements
• Body, Housing or Head:
– Connector element that holds the contacts in place.
• Hood or Shell
– Element that holds all connector elements in place. Protects
the contacts. May provide shielding. Provides strain relief.
• Strain Relief
– Grips the insulation, jacket or other non-conductive element to
remove physical stress from the contacts.
• Fastening or Locking Mechanism
– Holds the two connections together. Examples include screw
locks, bail locks, twist lock, snap lock, etc…
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Common UTP Connectors
• Modular
– Common sizes include:
• Data Communications:
– Mod-8 (RJ45) 8p8c (8 position, 8 contacts)
• Voice Communications:
– Mod-6 (RJ11: 6p2c / RJ12: 6p4c / RJ25: 6p6c)
• Telephone Handsets:
See www.suttleonline.com
for a USOC guide to the
“RJ” numbers.
– Mod-4 (RJ9) 4p4c
Mod-8 plug
Mod-6 plug
Mod-4 plug
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Common UTP Connectors
• Telco
– Telco (RJ21) or Amphenol (50 contacts)
• Other:
– Termination Blocks
• BIX, 110, 66, Krone, other
– Screw terminals
– Other IDC
– “B” and other splice connectors
Telco 25 Pair connector
used with UTP cable
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Common Coax Connectors
• BNC (many applications)
• F (CATV/Satellite)
• Others include:
– TNC (like a BNC except twist shell)
– N (Thicknet, antenna)
– RCA (A/V equipment)
F
BNC
• Circular cable connectors are almost always male (plug).
– A barrel adapter is used to connect 2 cables together.
Ferrule
Pin
Head
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BNC Special Components
• Barrel Adapter: used to interconnect cables.
• Bulkhead Adapter: Attached to a fixed object (wallplate, Panel,
equipment cabinet…) but acts as a barrel adapter (jack/jack).
• T-Adapter: Used to connect equipment into an existing cable
run. (jack-plug-jack).
• Terminator: Attached to the ends of a cable run. Required on
many systems. Must match cable impedance.
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Other Common Connectors
• Single and Multi-Conductor Cables:
– Many applications
• Computer:
–
–
–
–
D-Sub (9 & 25) HD-D-Sub (15)
DIN (“PS/2”)
USB, SATA
Etc...
• Industrial:
–
–
–
–
Screw Terminal
Circular
Spade & Lug
Etc...
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Connectors
• There are many, many other connector styles. The
connectors are selected based on:
– Size
– Type of cable
– Application
• Environmental conditions
• Shielding requirements
• Current carrying capability
• Ease of termination
• Physical requirements
• User considerations
• Etc...
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Basic Connector Installation
• Select the proper connector
– Type and style
– Cable diameter
– Conductor type and gauge
• Ensure the right tools are available (crimpers,
soldering iron, screwdriver, etc…).
– Tools must be the proper ones for the contacts and
connectors
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Basic Connector Installation
• Strip the cable and conductors carefully.
– Do not nick or scrape the conductors.
– Do not lose any strands.
– Strip at the proper length using proper tools and techniques.
Poorly Stripped cable
Image: www.aircraftspruce.com
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Basic Connector Installation
• Install the contacts based on manufacturer
requirements.
• Ensure shielding cannot make contact with any
conductors. Insert tubing on drain wire if required.
Trim shields.
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Basic Connector Installation
• Ensure the strain relief is properly applied. A poor
strain relief is a poor cable assembly.
Strain Relief
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Crimp Contacts
• Use the proper sized tool
• Do not overcrimp or undercrimp:
– Overcrimping
• Reduces gauge of the conductors
• Fractures the contact and the conductor
• Deforms the contact and it may not fit in the
housing properly.
– Undercrimping
• Makes unsuitable electrical contact
• Reduced strain relief
See www.molex.com and search for their instructions on identifying good crimps
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Crimp Contact Positioning
• The wire must be stripped to the exact length
required for the contact.
Inspection Hole
Proper Strip
Length
Errors
Good
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Screw Contacts
• Proper method for screw contacts:
– Carefully strip the wire
– Position the wire under the screw head. The conductor must be
visible at either end. The wire must be curled in the tighten direction.
– The screw should be snug but not too tight.
– The wire should not be visible except at the start and at the end of the
strip by approximately 1 diameter. See the illustration.
Wire diameter
Good Termination
Very Poor Termination
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Basic Modular Plugs
• Used in Voice and Data applications.
• Designed for either solid or stranded conductors.
– To tell the difference, check the contacts through the
transparent side of the connector.
Stranded
Conductor Front View
Solid
Conductor Front View
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Connectors and Assemblies
• Most people purchase prefabricated cable assemblies due
to their low cost, molded construction and factory quality
controls.
• Standards state cable assemblies should be factory-made.
• All assemblies should be labeled.
• If you manufacture an assembly, it should be thoroughly
tested for performance and physical strain relief (pull and
twist).
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Review Questions
• How many types of copper connectors are there?
• How do you ensure you have the proper crimp?
• Why is strain relief important?
• What are some possible problems when making a
coax assembly?
• What assemblies cannot use stranded conductor
cable?
• What are the advantages of a pre-manufactured
molded cable?
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Wire Wrapping
• Wire wrapping is a means of making an electrical connection
between a conductor and a square terminal pin.
• Wire wraps are a very reliable, long-lasting method of
connection. Used much less frequently today but are still
present in legacy telephone systems.
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Wire Wrapping
• The pin has a rectangular profile. It requires height
to give room for a number of wires and wire turns.
• A wire is normally wrapped 5–7 turns
• The wire is stretched so tight that a gas-tight
metallic connection is achieved that withstands
temperature changes, corrosive environments,
humidity and vibration.
• The connection is made at each corner, and each
turn makes connection with 4 corners, therefore a
wire wrap connection makes 20 to 28 of these
reliable connections.
Top view:
Wire wraps
make 4 good
connections
per turn
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Wrap Styles
• Normal wrap: no insulation wrapped around the pin
• Modified wrap: 1.5 turns of insulation wrapped
around the pin for extra strain relief
Normal Wrap
Modified Wrap
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“Over-wrapping"
• “Over-wrapping“ is where the wire wraps over itself and is not
making direct connection with the contact.
• Tools can be supplied with a back force spring to counteract
"over-wrapping”. Without this device the operator must
carefully "watch" the tool during wrapping.
Over-Wrap Error
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Termination Blocks
• Also called punch-down blocks, termination blocks
are the standard method used to connect building
wiring.
• There are several manufacturers and styles of punchdown blocks. Each is different and is not
interchangeable.
• It is important to become familiar with the primary
styles of blocks (BIX, 110, Krone, 66)
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Basic IDC
• IDC, Insulation Displacement Connectors, are part of the
structured cabling standard.
• Connections are made without removing the insulation
from the conductors. The Insulation Displacement of the
contact cuts through the conductor’s insulation.
• IDC are only used with solid conductors. Stranded will fail.
Solid
Stranded
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Blocks: Common Aspects
• Designed for Solid Conductor UTP Cable, typically 22
to 24 AWG.
• Require wall mounting hardware, typically screwed
to a ¾ inch sheet of plywood mounted on a wall.
• Include cable management systems.
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Blocks: Connection
• Connections are made by using a termination (punch) tool.
This tool forces the conductors into the IDC connection.
• The blocks form a cross-connection, essentially a splice
connection. A contact in the block connects to another
contact.
Conductive clips. BIX (left) and 66 (right). Note
there are 2 sets of contacts on these clips.
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BIX: Background
• The BIX block was originally conceived by Northern Telecom
(now Nortel Networks) in the 70’s. It is one of the most
common termination systems in Canada. BIX is short for
Building Cross-Connect.
• The BIX system originally consisted of termination blocks,
mounts and cable management system for the telephone
industry but performed well for data communication
applications. The product line is referenced as IBDN
(Integrated Building Distribution Network).
• This product line was sold to NORDX/CDT and today is owned
by Belden Inc, a renowned cable manufacturer.
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BIX: Basic Components
• The primary components of the BIX system:
BIX1A (5pr) or BIX1A4 (4pr) Connector block
BIX19A Distribution (“D”) Ring
BIX10A (250pr) or BIX10C (50pr) Mount
BIX16A Termination Tool
Images: www.cablek.com
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110: Background
• The 110 termination system was an AT&T product
(US) that was eventually carried by Lucent. The 110
blocks have become increasingly popular worldwide.
• Alcatel (a large French Datacom company) merged
with Lucent in 2006.
• Several companies rebrand the 110 block under
license.
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110: Basic Components
110C (5pr) or 110C-4 (4pr) Clips
110CMB Cable Management Block
110 Termination Tool
110 Wall Mount Block
Images: cableorganizer.com
33
Krone: Background
• Relatively new German company formed in 1988 to
supply communication products. Purchased by ADC
in 2004. In 2011 Tyco purchased ADC-Krone.
• The basic blocks has the same footprint as the 66
block; newer system is similar in structure to the BIX.
• Products rarely used in N. America but are more
common in Europe and Australia.
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Krone: Basic Components
Disconnect Module
Connector Tool
Category 6 Module
3-way Backmount Frame
Images: www.hyperline.com
35
66: Background
• First introduced in the early 60’s, the 66 blocks have
been used extensively in all areas of the globe for
voice communications. Very durable but bulky.
• The 66 blocks have recently been reworked and
rated for data communications.
• The Siemen Company (Germany) are the primary
manufacturers of the 66 Block. The block is carried
under license by several companies.
36
66: Main Components
S66M Block (25pr)
S89D Standoff
Wire Distribution Spools
66 Termination Tool
Images: cableorganizer.com
37
Telco Systems
• The cabling standards in this course apply to indoor
cabling, both for data and voice communications, but
telephone systems are handled differently in the way
they connect and in the way the services are brought
to the customer.
38
User Equipment
• Wallplates, called Equipment Outlets (EO) in the standards,
are terminated with an 8-position modular jack.
• Most telephones have a 6-position modular jack and
depending on the complexity of the set, may contain 2, 4 or 6
wires. Flat cable, called “silver satin flat” in the industry, is
used to connect the telephone to the outlet.
• A new generation of telephones,
such as Cisco’s IP-based sets,
utilize the data communication
network and have an 8-position
plug.
image: www.cisco.com
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User Equipment
• A 6-position plug can attach to an 8-position jack but there remains a risk
that a telephone may plug into the data network or, more dangerously, a
data cable is plugged into a voice system.
• Users are not trained on how to identify the correct ports.
• For this reason many customers use 6 position modular jacks for the voice
portion of the installation.
IDC connector
image: www.newark.com
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Telco Color Code
4 pos:
Black
Red
Green
Yellow
White
6 pos:
Black
Red
Green
Yellow
Blue
An older style surface mount
telephone outlet with screw terminals
image: deepsurplus.com
Wall mount telephone outlet with
telephone mounting studs, punchdown
image: www.leviton.com
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User Interface
• A Telco carrier’s local loop
attaches to a NID (Network
Interface Device) before
entering a residence or business.
image: wiki
image: adslm.dohrenburg.net
• NIDs serve to separate the
customer’s wiring from the
telco’s. They contain surge and
lightning protection circuits and
may contain test ports and other
interface circuitry .
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Commercial Protection Devices
Protector Modules
Central Office Entrance Protection with
modules (note 66-block on this device)
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Splicing
• A splice connects 2 or more wires or fibers together.
• Splicing is not permitted in the standards but is an accepted
standard practice for voice applications outside the customer site.
B-Splice connector
images: www.showmecables.com
3M Scotcklok© connector
images: www.3m.com, kk.org
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25pair Splicing
25pair MS2 System by 3M
images: www.3m.com
45
A splice enclosure at Cal State U.
image: www.csulb.edu
46
Down in the hole: technicians splice telephone and fiber cables cut by a backhoe
http://www.damagepreventionprofessional.com
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Conclusion
• Copper connectors come in a large variety of styles,
shapes and types. All share a common requirement
for:
– Electrical connections (contacts and shields)
– Mechanical soundness (strain relief)
– Proper tool application and use
End
prgodin @ gmail.com
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