We couldn't agree more. Head on over to our blog where we discuss this topic further! truecable.com/blogs/cable-academy/how-to-truecable-bonding-grounding-extension-adapter
...we see what you did there...😄 But seriously, the price for this is ridiculous. Anyone doing this kind of work can make one of these in five minutes with $2 worth of parts, but they want $29 for it. Sigh.
@@chrisvagnini1039 Hey Chris! Agreed, if you already have the parts AND tools on hand you can make one for a few $. That said, if you do not have the parts and tools on hand you will spend $29 or more (true story...I went through that myself when I needed to make one a few years back). Besides convenience, our $29 truePLUG gives you reliability. Using multiple parts to cobble something together gets you a couple of points of failure where the resistance may exceed 100 milliohms.
Hello! Depending upon the installation environment, you don't need truePLUGs for each individual patch panel. You can use your idea for a small wall mount rack in a residential application where voltages in the structure never exceed 120V/240V AC. Be sure that the bonding conductor gauge size of each patch panel does NOT exceed the copper conductor size of the truePLUG, however (14AWG). Commercial installations and larger floor mounted racks require the use of 6AWG stranded copper conductors to a bus bar and you should use formal bonding methods and best practices as outlined in the NEC/NFPA 70, BICSI, and guidelines as set forth in ANSI/TIA 607-D.
Most important thing at least here..is to assume the grounding is broken.. everywhere..yes .. even that fancy building .. call a competent electrician to test if the ground complies if not with the best practices with the local regulations. you will be surprised how often it is hosed.
Sound advice. If you doubt the quality of the ground in your structure, you should indeed consult a qualified electrician to correct the issue. A bad ground would result not only in cable shields that are not properly bonded to ground but also in a dangerous situation in general.
Does anyone know …….. If you don’t use a patch panel and plug the shielded cable straight into a switch if you still need ground? Surely the switch is already grounded from the earth wire on the plug.
Hello! The answer depends upon the switch. If the switch has an internal AC power supply with a 3-prong plug for your AC outlet, then yes, you do get a bond to ground if you use a shielded patch cord. That said, it is not the best way of going about it. If an ESD charge comes down to the switch, your switch is at risk. What's better is to use a shielded patch panel bonded to ground PRIOR to getting to the switch. If you want to double up the bond, then you can also add a shielded patch cord to that equation, which increases the number of bonds to the ground and helps to protect the switch as well. In the case of a small switch with a DC power supply, then NO, using a shielded patch cord does you no good--requiring a patch panel that is bonded to the ground before the switch.
@@shelms488 Hello! Well, your statement is correct in one situation but not another. If everything is bonded to the same AC ground system, then there is no risk of a ground loop. If, on the other hand, more than one AC ground system is involved (like cabling running between two buildings for example) or you decided unwisely to pound in a ground rod that has not been equalized to your AC ground system, you indeed risk a ground loop. It has become common practice by many to advise bonding at a single end in order to make it less likely that an installer will make an error, and while that will help you escape any possibility of a ground loop it also reduces the effectiveness of the shielded system. In other words, a degree of effectiveness was traded for a blanket refrain conferring guaranteed equipment safety. trueCABLE will actually get into the "weeds" and explain how to avoid a ground loop while upholding the overall effectiveness of the shielding through education and we don't use the blanket refrain of "bond at one end only". We could, mind you, but we don't.
While it is possible to craft a bonding adapter manually, the initial step involves visiting a store and searching for all the required components. Assuming everything is readily available, the cost of purchasing copper wire, a plug, and the essential tool(s) for crimping a ring or spade connector can easily exceed $30. I can personally attest to this, as I found myself spending over $40 on these materials. We appreciate your valuable feedback, and we hope this information proves helpful.
$5 extension cord, 25¢ forked crimp connector, $1 utility knife to strip the wires, $2 hammer to roughly crimp it. Maybe another 50¢ for a piece of heat shrink to seal in the live/neutral.
@@BrownR87 Hello! Yes, it is possible to put something together as you describe. That said, will you have less than 0.1 ohm impedance to ground? ANSI/TIA 607-D & BICSI require that Ethernet cable shields have 100 milliohm (0.1 ohm) or less measurable impedance along with the bonding and grounding infrastructure. Without a pricey Megger you cannot confirm whether your DIY device will achieve this, but our factory-tested truePLUG has been tested and is guaranteed to perform.
TEST YOUR THREE PRONG OUTLET! You would be shocked how many are not properly wired, especially if it is in an older building.
We couldn't agree more. Head on over to our blog where we discuss this topic further! truecable.com/blogs/cable-academy/how-to-truecable-bonding-grounding-extension-adapter
...we see what you did there...😄
But seriously, the price for this is ridiculous. Anyone doing this kind of work can make one of these in five minutes with $2 worth of parts, but they want $29 for it. Sigh.
@@chrisvagnini1039 Hey Chris! Agreed, if you already have the parts AND tools on hand you can make one for a few $. That said, if you do not have the parts and tools on hand you will spend $29 or more (true story...I went through that myself when I needed to make one a few years back). Besides convenience, our $29 truePLUG gives you reliability. Using multiple parts to cobble something together gets you a couple of points of failure where the resistance may exceed 100 milliohms.
Do I need to buy a truGround for each patch panel? or can I just bond the patch panel to the rack and have the rack use the true ground?
Hello! Depending upon the installation environment, you don't need truePLUGs for each individual patch panel. You can use your idea for a small wall mount rack in a residential application where voltages in the structure never exceed 120V/240V AC. Be sure that the bonding conductor gauge size of each patch panel does NOT exceed the copper conductor size of the truePLUG, however (14AWG). Commercial installations and larger floor mounted racks require the use of 6AWG stranded copper conductors to a bus bar and you should use formal bonding methods and best practices as outlined in the NEC/NFPA 70, BICSI, and guidelines as set forth in ANSI/TIA 607-D.
Most important thing at least here..is to assume the grounding is broken.. everywhere..yes .. even that fancy building .. call a competent electrician to test if the ground complies if not with the best practices with the local regulations. you will be surprised how often it is hosed.
Sound advice. If you doubt the quality of the ground in your structure, you should indeed consult a qualified electrician to correct the issue. A bad ground would result not only in cable shields that are not properly bonded to ground but also in a dangerous situation in general.
Very Useful - Thanks!
That's what we are here for! Thank you!
Does anyone know ……..
If you don’t use a patch panel and plug the shielded cable straight into a switch if you still need ground? Surely the switch is already grounded from the earth wire on the plug.
Hello! The answer depends upon the switch. If the switch has an internal AC power supply with a 3-prong plug for your AC outlet, then yes, you do get a bond to ground if you use a shielded patch cord. That said, it is not the best way of going about it. If an ESD charge comes down to the switch, your switch is at risk. What's better is to use a shielded patch panel bonded to ground PRIOR to getting to the switch. If you want to double up the bond, then you can also add a shielded patch cord to that equation, which increases the number of bonds to the ground and helps to protect the switch as well. In the case of a small switch with a DC power supply, then NO, using a shielded patch cord does you no good--requiring a patch panel that is bonded to the ground before the switch.
@@trueCABLE very helpful, thanks for taking the time to reply.
@@mgd134679 Hello again! No problem, glad we could be of assistance.
@@trueCABLEbut at that point you run the risk of creating a ground loop. That’s why the shielded cable should only be bonded at one end.
@@shelms488 Hello! Well, your statement is correct in one situation but not another. If everything is bonded to the same AC ground system, then there is no risk of a ground loop. If, on the other hand, more than one AC ground system is involved (like cabling running between two buildings for example) or you decided unwisely to pound in a ground rod that has not been equalized to your AC ground system, you indeed risk a ground loop. It has become common practice by many to advise bonding at a single end in order to make it less likely that an installer will make an error, and while that will help you escape any possibility of a ground loop it also reduces the effectiveness of the shielded system. In other words, a degree of effectiveness was traded for a blanket refrain conferring guaranteed equipment safety. trueCABLE will actually get into the "weeds" and explain how to avoid a ground loop while upholding the overall effectiveness of the shielding through education and we don't use the blanket refrain of "bond at one end only". We could, mind you, but we don't.
That’s a $5 wire you sell for $29. All your other stuff is competitive priced. You have great products. Just price this cable more realistically.
While it is possible to craft a bonding adapter manually, the initial step involves visiting a store and searching for all the required components. Assuming everything is readily available, the cost of purchasing copper wire, a plug, and the essential tool(s) for crimping a ring or spade connector can easily exceed $30. I can personally attest to this, as I found myself spending over $40 on these materials. We appreciate your valuable feedback, and we hope this information proves helpful.
$5 extension cord, 25¢ forked crimp connector, $1 utility knife to strip the wires, $2 hammer to roughly crimp it. Maybe another 50¢ for a piece of heat shrink to seal in the live/neutral.
@@BrownR87 Hello! Yes, it is possible to put something together as you describe. That said, will you have less than 0.1 ohm impedance to ground? ANSI/TIA 607-D & BICSI require that Ethernet cable shields have 100 milliohm (0.1 ohm) or less measurable impedance along with the bonding and grounding infrastructure. Without a pricey Megger you cannot confirm whether your DIY device will achieve this, but our factory-tested truePLUG has been tested and is guaranteed to perform.
@@trueCABLE an absolute gracious reply, thank you for the information!
@@itpugil You are welcome! Have a great day.