Cat5 cables for Furman HDS-6

[Matt C.]

I've had a Furman HDS-6 for a few years now and the Cat5 cables that run to the remotes are perpetually crapping out. Does anyone have any tips for:

1. finding more durable Cat5 cables
2. ways to keep these cables alive longer

thanks.

[Snarl 12/8]

Have you tried this shit?

http://www.markertek.com/Cables/Bulk-Wi ... 04HD.xhtml

I haven't, but it looks interesting.

[The Scum]

Do you know how it's failing?

If it's getting bent, stepped on or twisted a bunch, and the strands are breaking in the middle, try to find stranded CAT-5 cable. The Gepco mentioned above is one example.

Normal CAT5 consists of solid conductors, which are inflexible, and prone to breaking from metal fatigue if they get handled much. You'll also need to get special RJ45's that are designed for the stranded cable. Newegg has 'em both. In fact, they've got a number of pre-terminated ones, too.

You can also dress the pairs of cables nicely using what's known as "expandible sleeving." It's like chinese-finger-trap that you can run the cables through. Techflex is the top-name supplier.

And if you've got problems with the ends falling off the cables, maybe you can use some heatshrink tubing to add some strain relief.

[Matt C.]

not sure specifically how they're failing. nothing as dramatic as the connectors falling off. just developing intermittent connections somewhere along the line.

is this the sort of thing I should be looking for?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6812422023

the description says it uses 24 AWG stranded wire, but pretty much all the cat5 cables i looked at on Newegg said "stranded" somewhere in the description so I wasn't quite sure.

[The Scum]

You're right...that's not a very gooid indicator.

And I suppose that if each conductor is made up of a single, unitary, large piece of copper, it's still a single strand, isn't it?

[psinglet]

I've never had one break that wasn't at the end, luckily. I invested $10 or so on Ebay for a cat 5 tester and crimping tool and just keep replacing ends as they break. Pretty easy once you've done a couple. One thing I have found is the "boot" covers I used during repairs appear to keep the RJ45s from making good contact in the remote boxes. The cables act like they are broken when they really aren't. I usually end up pulling the boot back to make sure the RJ45 clicks in nicely.