Straighting out cables 1

[melbert2002]

Hello Everyone,
I have a problem here. I have just installed 6 Brand new Racks and currently we are installing our new servers. Here is the issue, my boss wants this install CLEAN. Meaning that he wants all the cables, power cables, cat5, ect, all straight, nice and tight, basicly he wants it to look like a picture from a magazine. Here is the thing, I know how to wire up the rack, but how do I get the power cables, cat5, ect. to come out strait after all the bends that have been made in the wire when they are wrapped up. I really want to do this right the first time and not have to re do it.

Thanks

Mel

 

[bikechuck]

layering the cable bundle so shelves come out together or separate bundles per shelf help alot on the backside of the rack. Using proper length patch-cords in the front is the best advice up there. I've found it difficult and tedious to make the front of a patch panel to look like a magazine add but if you have the time and they will pay for it no problem. Also important in the back is having lots of good stout tiedown points for the large cable bundles and dont pull the tie wraps too tight. The hardest thing about dressing power (line cords in particular) is burying the extra length of the cords. Myself I never do the final dress till everything works because that real tight neat installation can be a bear to troubleshoot.

 

[melbert2002]

Thanks for the info. I guess you are right, given all the time and all the money I could make it happen....

I guess do you know if their is a techneque of making the cables flat again. I really do not want to take well over 20 power cords and stretch and do it the way that I think makes sense (plus it hurts the fingers). But is it stretching it or massaging the kinks in the cable, rebending it?

Thanks.

mel

 

[mikeydidit]

I don’t use the ties any more. I use Velcro for all data cables. Panduit sells this in 15' rolls. Pn.HLS-15RO
It can really make your cables dress up nicely. I would also recommend cable management of some sort. Their are so many variations out their right now. I looked and ordered quite a few different types until I found what I really wanted. I finally decided to use the Middle Atlantic products. These lay out as nice as anything I have seen.

http://www.middleatlantic.com/

Mike Jones
LSUHSC

 

[melbert2002]

Fantastic.

Here is another question. Are there any companies out there that do custom legnth Power Cords. That way I have the exact legnth I need with out the extra cord being wrapped up and shoved underneith our raised floor?

Mel

 

[h5n1]

mel,

check your local interconnect companies or cabling companies they should all do custom cables ie..patch cords...RS232....however, to save some bucks you can order some stranded copper which are made to make patch cords and crimp them yourself....lucent makes a small reel or 500 feet and they are nice...i strongly recommend 5 ft at least, that'll leave you enough slack from the switch to the patch panel without making a mess in the cable management and is easy to trouble shoot when problem arises....slack is important...

SET CRTL ALT DEL = #728
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greg

 

[mikeydidit]

The power cords are the ONLY thing that I still use wire ties on. I usually make a neat bundle out of them and tie them to the inside of my relay racks. In most case I have a UPS in these racks, so it makes it easy to do this.

Mike Jones
LSUHSC

 

[wires]

> ... but how do I get the power cables, cat5, ect. to come
> out strait after all the bends that have been made in the
> wire when they are wrapped up.

A heat gun helps to remove plastic "memory". Be careful.

 

[daronwilson]

We've had a few customers demand this as well and found a couple solutions.

1 - wire management panels on the back side of the rack. Regular 3RU wire management panels with just the black plastic finger stock on the back side with a snap on cover. It looks very clean from the back and then you can bury all the power cable inside that tray and snap the lid on.

2 - empty rack case. One installation we put an empty 2RU rack mount case in place near the bottom, and put 2" chase nipples in the back and sides. We painted it all black to match and just used it as a place to stuff the excess cable. Seems a bit wastefull but the customer didn't want to see it.

I personally prefer to have the slack. I can't count the number of times the customer said 'now we need to move all that stuff up 3 rack units'. Custom cords could cause you some grief in that regard.

Good Luck!

 

[rpearson]

Use velcro to bundle your cabling, cords etc. Looks good, and is the choice for data cabling. I wish I could take pictures in the MC of one of our customers' sites. 3-400 cables to the racks and picture cob webs coming out of the ceiling and attaching to the patch panels. They wanted us to fix it, but they cant shut the place down long enough to get it done.

 

[Sphoneman]

The way I was taught years ago from an electrical inspector- is that NO power cords are to be tied to anything.

If a piece of equipment was on fire- you cannot follow it quickly & pull the plug.

I still to today will not affix or tie together power cords.

I will shorten the slack in a figure 8. I even label the plugs at the power strips so someone whom has to unplug a piece of equipment doe not have to trace through anything.

If it is too much to name all the pieces of equipment. I use a simple # plan with a PP (for Power Plug).

Rack #
Shelf #
Item #

ie PP1-1-1 would be a piece of equipment on Rack#1,Self#1, Item#1. That same # is labeled on the visible front of the equipment

Steve
tele-dataservices.com

 

[naturl]

Wow. It's an art form. Only piece I can add is someplaces to gain frequent access to cords, to use paper towel tubes to bunch and stuff extra AC cords into.

Why is there never a phone in the phone closet?