Learn to cable and tips 2

[chiefred]

I was thinking about putting together a manual, complete with photos ---sort of a "cabling for dummies" to teach interested people the basics--plus a section for residential tips or "how to's", commecial tips, tools needed for cabling and a few of the standards.
Maybe its just me--but I have never really seen a book, guide or manual that taught the basics and covered all types of installations along with tips and terms. Is there something out there that does have all this? Would I be wasting my time?

 

[chiefred]

Yes--when trying to establish a pull string thru a conduit that is underground -- you take a plastic bag make a little air filled pocket that will big wide enough to fill the size of the conduit. tie it with some jet line and feed it slightly into the hole---at the other end--try to make your end of the conduit as airtight as possible and insert your vacuum hose so you will have a good suction suction. Turn on the vacuum and the mouse (bag) should be sucked through the hole to your end with a pull string. The drawbacks are if there is water in the conduit or rocks---but keep working it and you will succeed.

 

[ANFPS26]

That tip and many more are listed on this web site:

http://www.elec-toolbox.com/tricks/tricks.htm

Jim

 

[chiefred]

By the way--here is another usefull tip---when doing a large volume of terminating --- my knees usually start giving me problems--I have great kneepads--but never the less--- I picked up an old jet string bucket--cut a hole on one edge of the lid--so I can use it to sit and terminate--then throw the garbage in

 

[mikeydidit]

http://www.flukenetworks.com/us/_ResourceCenter/default.htm

Here is another link for you chiefred that has some neat stuff.

Mike Jones
LSUHSC

 

[AvayaNovice]

For underground conduit... I find that using compressed air is better than a vaccum.

We use trailer air compressors... but you can easily pick up a CO2 tank from the local welding place, and get a string/duct compression fitting (see hiline catalog for some good ones) that put enough pressure on it.

Blowing out conduit underground is better because it'll shoot all of the mud and dirt out on the other side that's built up after backfill if it's been a while.

A neat thing to do is take your buttset, and reverse the side the clip is on, lets you attach it to your belt so that you can actually dial and leave it on your belt, because the numbers face out.

When using a toner, remember that if you short out the two conductors, the tone should completely stop -- allowing you to make sure you have the right pair or cable, rather than another cable that has induced tone.

Putting springs on either side of your cable caddy will allow your reel to bounce around and move more freely when reaching the sides of the roll, if that makes sense.

With larger cables, such as pulling 50 pair or above, it's wise to put large springs (I prefer to make them out of CATV hardline) on both sides, makes pulling a lot easier.

Last but not least...

Whenever terminating Cat5, trying pushing the pair (this depends on the type of jack) over the seperator from the tip and ring. This will allow you to keep the twist up to the termination, and also prevent you from spending so much time untwisting each pair. Works great with 110 blocks especially.

 

[chiefred]

Those are excellent tips---just this thread alone will be valuable to all of us

 

[naturl]

Oh, I figured out what was meant by the "mouse" thing. I use a lot of Tree Climbing tricks (

http://www.treeclimbing.com)

when I am "up there". A tip-Cut the end off of a bad cables (YaDa YaDa YaDa) when you discard them so the "boss" doesen't pull them out of the trash after you leave-it happens!

Why is there never a phone in any of the phone closets?

 

[naturl]

Let me remind you all (i wish this wasn't true)-Electricians are job insurance!

Why is there never a phone in any of the phone closets?