Coax mapper

[101michael]

Hi,

Well we've just finished up wiring the house and i wanted to know which are the best tools required to perform these certain tasks below:

1) First up I would like to be able to pin point from the node zero cupboard where the terminating coaxial cable is coming from, i.e. i have 20 or so coaxial cables ending in the cupboard coming from bedrooms and living rooms etc. I think i need somthing that utilises coaxial or bnc adapters which plug into the F socket in one of the rooms and then at the other end you pretty much by trial and error test out each terminating cable.

It would be nice if there were different plug in modules, for instance numbered ones 1 to 8 (which i presume carry different resistances) so then i could plug in 8 adapters at once and then match them up in the cupboard usinjg a special meter without having to check one by one and then go back and move the adapter.

I would like a system that can do the same for LAN, it would be nice if all it required was a coax to lan adapter.

2) Secondly i require some sort of snap n seal type tool to create coax patch cables, is there one someone can recommend? It seems Thomas and Betts tools are very US centric and hard to come by here, what is our UK equivalent?

it would also be nice is the meter/reader could also check overall performance of the cables being checked.

Many Thanks

 

[rolfw]

The easy way to check is by applying 12v to a socket and testing the cupboard end with a volt meter, repeat until all have been identified, you can use the satellite receiver for this.

I have a signal generator for testing the quality of the cable run, you can get them from Alban electronics, but you need a signal strength meter to check the result at the other end.

I bought my last batch of T&B connectors and a compression tools from ebay, it was a US based ebayer, still cheaper than buying them here.

Ashcomms.com sell connectors and compression tools in the UK.

 

[101michael]

First up thanks for the advice...

After quite a bit of research Ive come across this product, a little overkill but great in what it does , especially if you need to check cat5 etc...
What do you think about it? : _http://www.flukenetworks.com/fnet/en-us/products/MicroScanner+2/Overview.htm Is there anything that carries another name other than Fluke and does a similar job without the Fluke price tag?

About the thomass and betts, well they seem to have two products: one with the integrated three blade stripper, but is advertised for RG59/6/CT100, which is fine however, i dont require the stripper as i have a couple of my own...

The other one, the more common yellow T&B tool is advertised to strip RG7/11, im not sure if that is ok for CT100, which i tend to use more of, is this the CT125 equivalent? _http://www.ashcomms.com/acatalog/Compression_Tools.html"

Whats more is the RG7/11 connectors cost £2+ whereas the RG6 30p?!
Whats all this about?

Cheers...

 

[Topper]

Is there anything that carries another name other than Fluke and does a similar job without the Fluke price tag?

No not that I am aware of, fluke testing of CAT5 or CAT6 is an essential part of any network installation and as far as I am aware there is nothing capable of doing the same job that is any cheaper. For a one off installation try borrowing one

 

[rolfw]

You need the RG6 connectors and tool, the connectors are smaller and much more popular than the RG11 connectors, hence the price break.

I bought a little cat5 tester on ebay, wasn't a lot of money.

PS. I use the Televes stripper for my cables, not a lover f multiple cut tools.

 

[satelliteman]

RG7/11 is 125mm type cable I believe.

Do post some pictures of your set up when finished 101michael, I for one would be interested to see

 

[101michael]

well thanks everyone for your helpful input...

I may invest in that tool, it seems to make what can be quite a tiresome task come about much faster, and it combines voice, data and video which are nowadays pretty much all used in the same setup.
It seems to be much cheaper in the states, but none of the online sites will ship it over, ill have to keep searching.

Roflw, i have the televes stripper too, i tend to use both, the televes for cables that dont manage to strip properly first time when used with the multi blade derivatives. I'll take your advice and pick up that combined T&B RG6 compression tool and stripper, I'm going to need a quality tool to create 26 F type patch cables and then another 17 later. So i'll invest in that now, and it seems most people recommend t&b compression.

As for pictures, ill get some come monday of the current setup, then ill wait for everyones criticism, constructive i hope! I'd appreciate the feedback, considering that i intend to do this for quite some time and im very new to all this.

thanks again

 

[Topper]

I bought a little cat5 tester on ebay, wasn't a lot of money.

Yes Rolf and I must say they have gone down a lot in price since I last had a look and that will be fine for a home installation however, the fluke tester our cable installer uses for professional network/telecoms installations costs about £1200 and it has to be re-calibrated every 12 months IIRC.

 

[101michael]

ive just come across right angled compression connectors. The problem is that the thomas and betts tool doesnt seem able to compress this type of connector.

The only tool i can find that compresses the right angled connector is the Platinum Tool range:
_http://www.platinumtools.com/crimp/16201.html

i believe it is basically an adjustable compression tool, and i also know Platinum manufacture these connectors under the 'Seal Smart' connector range, the tool is able to compress a range of other connectors including snap n seal and stirling amongst others.
_http://www.platinumtools.com/connnectors/18004.html

anyone know of this system? or can recommend an alternative for right angled connectors?


I was thinking of using right angled connector adapters, but this way seems a little messier than crimping them straight on.

 

[101michael]

Satelliteman, and anyone else who is interested... here are a couple of pictures of my setup so far:

View attachment 16729

View attachment 16730

The lower double sockets, to the left of the consumer unit, with four F connectors are all the outputs for the rooms of the house, two to each bedroom, and depending on the living area, 2, 4 or 6.

The top two F sockets are, 4 from dish, and two the loft where one will be used on an aerial.

These will all be connected to the multiswitch using coax patch cables.

To the far top right are 11, i think, LAN inputs, again to each room of the house, and the bundle of cable coming out of the wall are tel. cables which will be connected to a junction box, which will be fed from the REN booster, which is the small white box to the right of the consumer unit.

You can see what i meant about the earthing cable, is it necessary for all that? or can i just connect direct to the earth post on the right of the multiswitch, without having to loop each in/out?

Theres not much to explain, other than that i would have preferred to use Levitron compression modules, although i think they require quad shielded cable, which is overkill for running from room to room. The good thing about Levitron's compression modules is that they can be utilised on plates which can take 6 modules, or i could have used a customisable patch panel...Other than that im not too sure what else i would have changed..

Any feedback? Criticism, (constructive please).

Thanks

 

[kubo]

Looking good Michael.

Regarding the earth cable, is it necessary for all the earth loops?

You could use the earth tag on the multiswitch but you would have to be a little more careful if you ever had to swap out the multiswitch if it ever failed.

The way you have it now means all you have to do to swap a switch is to slide off the earth connectors, remove the switch and push them back on the new switch.

Other comments?

I would have connected the subfeeds directly to the multiswitch rather than used patch cables (less connections). But I'm sure you must have your reasons.

Try to keep the power cables aawy from the coax where possible.

Other than that, good effort.

 

[kubo]

I take it you (or the electrician) will connect the earth on the multiswitch to the MET? LOL