maxm50•1d ago

Tried a new termination tool on a Cat6 run in Austin, blew the whole connector

I was doing a service call for Spectrum in Austin last Tuesday and decided to try one of those pass-through RJ45 crimpers I saw on sale for $40. Thought it would save me time on a tricky wall plate, but the blade misaligned and I had to re-terminate the same end three times. Anyone else had bad luck with those cheap pass-through kits? What brand actually works for solid copper?

2 comments

2 Comments

reese_bell1d ago

Was the crimper from that Amazon brand that looks like Klein but isn't?

ross.river1d ago

@reese_bell probably hit the nail on the head. Those cheap Amazon knockoffs are a gamble. Spent $30 on one last year and the blade drifted on a solid copper Cat6 run, mangled the pins. Ended up switching back to my trusty Klein VDV226-110 pass-through crimper, which has been solid for years. If you're not doing high-volume work, the cheap stuff might be fine for stranded patch cables, but solid copper needs that precision.