Smart technology is everywhere.
In our homes, smart thermostats that automatically adjust the temperature are saving their users an average of 8% on their utility bills. In our hotels, contactless payments and smart check-ins where guests go straight to their rooms are enhancing the customer experience and improving sustainability. In the workplace, smart offices equipped with cutting-edge technology that improves the employee experience and boosts productivity abound. The number of ‘smart’ buildings alone will reach a whopping 115 million in 2026, up from 45 million in 2022.
It’s easy to see why ‘smart’ demand is booming. Today’s customers expect more user-friendly, personalised experiences that take advantage of the Internet of Things (IOT), or the ever-growing network of smart devices that collect and share data. Smart technology can have a positive impact in many other ways, including:
- Improving their users’ happiness, wellbeing, lifestyle, and productivity.
- Enhancing sustainability efforts by making homes and buildings more energy efficient.
- Reducing operating costs through smart monitoring systems and increased efficiency.
Many of these new technologies require the installation of sophisticated data networks. That’s where the IDEAL Electrical™ feed-through solution comes in handy. Brett Smyth, General Manager of IDEAL Electrical EMEA and APAC, explains how IDEAL makes RJ45 terminations easier than ever:
“IDEAL® Modular Plugs and the FT-45™ Crimp Tool provide a seamless solution for data terminations that transforms a complex task into a straightforward and error-free process,” said Smyth. “Using these products, installers create fast, simple, and reliable data terminations that save time on the job.”
How to Complete a RJ45 Data Termination
The IDEAL data termination solution ensures fast cable assembly and termination. The process is simple and efficient, only requiring three easy steps:
- Use the IDEAL PrepPRO® Coax/UTP Cable Stripper to cleanly score the cable jacket.
- Untwist, align and install the conductors into an IDEAL Modular Plug.
- Cleanly crimp and cut the wires using the FT-45™ Feed-Thru Modular Plug Crimp Tool.
How to Use Modular Plugs as a Fast and Simple RJ45 Connector
When using an IDEAL Modular Plug, conductor wires do not need to be trimmed to a specific length beforehand. Instead, users can simply remove an appropriate section of jacket and the centre spline (if present), untwist the pairs into the correct order, and trim the ends flat. The cable can then be slid into the modular plug connector until seated.
Figure 1 An IDEAL Modular Plug fitted with an RJ45 Snagless Strain Relief Boot.
Additional benefits of IDEAL Modular Plugs
- Accuracy: The clear shell allows installers to confirm the conductors are in the correct sequence prior to crimping, virtually eliminating errors.
- Stability: 3-prong contacts provide better wire penetration and stability than the traditional 2-pins.
- Speed: The single-piece construction leads to fast, easy installation.
These RJ45 connectors are available for a variety of cable types, including standard and shielded connectors for CAT5e, CAT6, and CAT6a cable. For extra protection of the plug body and latch tab during new patch cable connection, RJ45 Snagless Strain Relief Boots can be added. These boots help to maintain the cable bend radius and limit conductor movement, protecting CAT5e or CAT6 cable from continuity failures over time.
The final step in the IDEAL data cable terminations process involves crimping the wires using the FT-45™ Feed-Thru Modular Plug Crimp Tool. With a compact design, this highly effective modular plug crimper is perfect for installers and techs that terminate RJ45 connectors regularly.
Figure 2 Crimping conductors using the IDEAL FT-45 Feed-Thru Modular Plug Crimp Tool.
Additional innovative features of the IDEAL FT-45 wire crimp tool
- Reliability: The FT-45 cleanly and precisely trims conductors, ensuring consistent connections every time and minimising accidental shorting of conductors or inadvertent contact in plug jacks.
- Versatility: The tool is fitted with a single universal crimp cavity for RJ45 and 8-position connectors that can be used with feed-through, standard, or shielded connectors for CAT5e or CAT6.
- Durability: The FT-45 crimper features a custom, heavy-duty cutting blade that stays sharp and lasts for over 2,000 cuts before it needs replacing.
- Compactness: The FT-45 is only 140mm in length and just over 288g, or about half the size and weight of bulkier traditional tools.
Embracing the Future of Smart Tech
From smart houses to hotels to workplaces, the UK is moving towards an exciting future powered by the Internet of Things. As the development and adoption of smart devices and technology grows, installers need RJ45 connectors and tools that simplify and expedite their work.
IDEAL Modular Plugs and the FT-45 Crimp Tool are the solution, providing an efficient new take on the traditional, time-consuming RJ45 assembly and crimping process. For fast, simple, and reliable data terminations, installers can turn to innovative IDEAL Electrical products that are designed with the smart future in mind.
