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Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:00 pm
by Kevo
We've been having some service call issues after using the shielded connectors. It seems the mold for the clip has a slight hump on it and this hump makes it much easier for the connector to pop out of some jacks.
We notice it most often on cambium power supplys, but it can happen on other ports if the cable is wiggled up and down a bit. Pull up on the cable encourages the bump on the clip to push the clip up enough so there isn't much purchase on the face of the jack.

What we've started doing is using a file or even pavement to rub off the hump.

It would be great if the mold could be updated to get rid of that hump. We looked at a bunch of other patch cables and ends and all of them were either flat or if there was a hump or rise on the clip, the tabs that lock the clip in are even with the top of the hump.

Hope that makes sense.

Happy New Year

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:46 pm
by lligetfa
Kevo wrote:Hope that makes sense.
Pics might help.

I find on some plugs that I need to bend the release tab down by placing a small screwdriver shaft between it and the body. It is actually both an up and a down bend, creating a bit of a hump in the middle.

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 11:56 am
by Kevo
This is EZ RJ45, the tabs are flush with the clip.
1.jpg
1.jpg (24.01 KiB) Viewed 26434 times


This is the RF Armor
2.jpg
2.jpg (10.68 KiB) Viewed 26434 times

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:00 pm
by Kevo
Sorry about the pic size and quality. I couldn't find a way to set the size on imgur or the forum tool. I think you can see the difference at least.

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 12:01 pm
by sirhc
Kevo wrote:Sorry about the pic size and quality. I couldn't find a way to set the size on imgur or the forum tool. I think you can see the difference at least.


Pull the image into some editor like paint and reduce the size before you upload.

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:01 pm
by Kevo
I managed to crop them a bit. I think you can see what I'm talking about though. The clip is thicker than the locking tabs on the RF Armor connector. This is enough of a difference on some jacks to make it very easy for the clip to disengage.

The solution would be to make the lock tabs the same thickness as the clip as in the first picture of the EZ RJ45.

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 2:31 pm
by sirhc
Kevo wrote:I managed to crop them a bit. I think you can see what I'm talking about though. The clip is thicker than the locking tabs on the RF Armor connector. This is enough of a difference on some jacks to make it very easy for the clip to disengage.

The solution would be to make the lock tabs the same thickness as the clip as in the first picture of the EZ RJ45.


I resized and cropped them for you with MS Paint.

Not sure what you mean by Tab. Maybe edit picture with paint and put in some red arrows.

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:12 pm
by lligetfa
Kevo wrote:The solution would be to make the lock tabs the same thickness as the clip as in the first picture of the EZ RJ45.
Yes, I see what you mean. The top of the release tab stands proud of the lock tab keeping the lock tab from full engagement.

As I said, the way I work around that is to add a bend to the wide section of the lock tab by sticking a small screwdriver shaft under it and bending down. Sometimes I use a small allen key instead.

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 3:39 pm
by sirhc
Is this what you mean?

3.jpg

Re: Shielded connectors not locking on some ports

Posted: Fri Jan 08, 2016 4:06 pm
by Kevo
Yes, that little gap, and the associated hump on the clip work together to make these pop out very easily on some ports.