Direct bury ethernet cable

[HCHTech]

I ran into something new (for me) today. Went to a customer's house to install a WAP in their barn. The electrician had already run ethernet out to the barn, so I figured it would be a simple job. Um, no. Turns out they had used a very thick direct-bury Cat6. Looked like standard Cat6 inside with the plastic cross separating the pairs, but there was some kind of extra insulation over the cable, it was then metal spiral wrapped, then plastic/rubber coated on the outside. This stuff was very stiff and probably 10 or 12mm in diameter. Really difficult to work with.

As (my) luck would have it, the cable was wired incorrectly - just straight pairs left to right. She's a no work.

All I have is tools to work with regular indoor wiring, but I give it a whirl anyway. I pull off the plug, chew away at the cable with side cutters to expose a couple of inches of wires and go from there. Turns out the insulation on the individual wires is thicker than normal, and a regular RJ45 plug won't work. I tell the customer he'll have to have the electrician come back and re-terminate the cables with plugs meant for this cable, and this time wire them correctly.

"The electrician is on a big job and won't be back for two weeks - can you do something to make it work in the meantime?"

Ugh. Well, I search through my bag and ultimately find 4 different manufacturer's plugs. I try them each in turn, looking for the one with enough slop in their manufacturing tolerances to let me jam them on this monster cable. I find one that looks like it might work. It takes me about 20 minutes to get one end on. I repeat this nonsense for the other end of the cable and we get a connection. Oh, and it was 90 degrees out today. I was reminded why I don't run wires for a living, that's for sure.

 

[seedubya]

Just punch them down and use patch cables!

 

[nlinecomputers]

 

[HCHTech]

Just punch them down and use patch cables!

Yeah, that would be the best option. I carry enough stuff to put a new end on a cable or replace a jack once in a while, but I had no boxes with me, or plate, so I guess I could have just let a jack hang wild and used a patch cable - wouldn't have been much more ghetto than jamming on a plug that didn't fit. It's the first time in 13 years I've run into this stuff, I don't expect a repeat performance. I think I got so focused on the stupid plug it just didn't occur to me to use a jack. Now where's that emoticon for ::facepalm::

 

[SAFCasper]

Ugh, brings back bad memories.

Turned up to terminate wiring at a new build house a few years back... find 19 of these ungodly cables hanging out the wall where my patch panel is to be installed... which to make things worse is in a cramped cupboard and those cables just don't want to bend anywhere.

Best part - all the wiring was internal. There was absolutely no need for it. The client owns a building contractor so I guess the cable was left over from a previous job.

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

Get used to having to deal with this problem. Cat5E uses 24AWG wires, Cat6 uses 24AWG wire and some 23AWG wires, and Cat6A only uses 23AWG wires.

23AWG wires will not fit in the majority of Cat5E and Cat6 modular plugs, you have to use the modular plugs meant for Cat6A which could also require a different crimping tool.

Even if the modular plugs that you use will accept 23AWG wires they won't let the jacketing fit into the plug.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

And..usually different crimpers also. Ubiquitis outdoor "Carrier" grade cable is similar..it's like freaking re-bar.

 

[jzukerman]

Sounds like a good candidate for lightning damage and ground potential loop damage.

 

[NETWizz]

My thought is if you are going to direct bury may as well use fiber, terminate them in a proper LIU then use patch cables from the LIU to switch modules.

Either way, don't try and put a connector on it. Just punch it down on a patch panel or keystone jack if in a pinch and use a patch cable.