CAVEAT EMPTOR.....Let The Buyer Beware
UL STANDARDS call out a polycarbonate material meeting UL FLAME AUTO EXTINGUISH.....94V-0 rated. This material will self extinguish during the prescribed time allowed by UL. Some manufacturers are offering 94V-2 material.....why.....because it is a cheaper compound....problem is.....IT BURNS AND PROMOTES THE SPREAD OF FIRE. That means in a high density application, such as a Data Center with tons of Patch Cables.....you have a really nice FUEL SOURCE!
Selection of the BASIS METAL for the CONTACTS will
have a SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS or THE
PLUGS and JACKS. This is due to the granular MICROSTRUCTURE of the metal and its impact on STIFFNESS, SPRING QUALITY, CORROSION and WEAR RESISTANCE.
Why do some manufacturers use brass instead of phosphor bronze....because it's cheaper....and so is
its POROSITY, SOFTNESS and MECHANICAL CHARACTERISTICS.
PLUG CONTACT DESIGN
THE SOLID versus STRANDED CONDUCTOR ISSUE
Some manufacturers promote two (2) different contact designs....one for SOLID CONDUCTOR and the other for STRANDED CONDUCTOR....why not use ONE PLUG THAT ACCOMMODATES BOTH TYPES OF CONDUCTORS.....SENTINEL'S DOES. This contact design is meant to "STRADDLE" the conductor, instead of "PIERCING" the conductor straight down (this could fracture solid conductors). See FLUORESCENT X-RAY below of the contacts straddling the conductors.
Some manufacturers contacts (blades) in the RJ45 PLUGS ARE FALLING
OUT!!!!! This is a result of.....poor plug body and/or contact design....cheap tooling.....bad tolerances.....poor
staking equipment (to set the blades into the plug).....the
wrong plastic compound for the plug body (too soft or too hard).....and a host of other reasons.
The RJ-45 Is A Highly Engineered Interconnection System
CAVEAT EMPTOR.....Let The Buyer Beware
SUB-STANDARD, NON-COMPLIANT and COUNTERFEIT RJ45's coming in from the Far East
KNOW THE STANDARDS - KNOW THE SPECS - INSIST ON COMPLIANCE - KNOW YOUR SUPPLIERS