atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Service Loops

aarenot, I think I see what you are saying now - instead of laying out the wires to take the straighest shot to patch panels/66 blocks (I'm learning guys;)) in the IDF/MDF rooms, you'd route them around the room a bit, like a big U-bend, to take a longer path. Doing this above a drop ceiling wouldn't be visible at all. Am I close?

Jack

Exactly, 4 entry paths (N,S,E,W) to the MDF/IDF, cables from the north loop around to the south entry path, S to the N, E to the W, W to the E before using one of the 4 entry paths. You may not need as many as 4 paths, but you get the idea. The length to get around to the opposite side of the MDF to the far entry path is designed & laid out to be the length of the required HSL Horizontal Service Loop. If you end up needing the length you can simply re-terminate the cable after pulling it back, and re-routing it via the closest entry path rather than the one around the other side of the MDF/IDF. This is all above the drop ceiling, and can be laid out ahead of pulling any cable to ensure you can pull the cable simply as far as you need to, and no farther since your service loop is pulled in already when you get to the MDF, add enough to reach the floor after you get to the rack, and cut it off. No more trying to organize, comb, seperate, make look good a bunch of loops you make by hand & try to hang vertically without making an eyesore. I started doing this years ago, and have never had an issue, in fact not creating coils of cable is probably better when it comes to a performance standpoint of the cable itself. I will never put another vertical service loop without charging extra for it becuase it takes more time to do than a HSL.

When cabling, I leave acsingle small loop at the jack end ( tie wrapped up in the ceiling) and at the closet end I wont leave a loop, but I will hang a J hook or two so that the cable goes the long way down to the rack. This way if you take the cables off the J hooks, you will have an extra 3-5 ft. That in my opinion is enough - not too much.

BTW:You are responding to a post almost 2 years old...

I am with clgjr,

No one in my company asked me when I was apprenticing I just thought, it made sence and told my supervisor about it and he agreed. Having a cable long enough to exit any port at any part of the walls in the office made since. Leave a 2 foot loop in the wall, and the rest curled up above the ceiling.

I don't leave service loops. What i do is bring the cable to the consolidation point in a round about way. Run the cable strait down and over and then back up and terminate all the cable lenghts are equal, this gives you a few extra feet. I did some work for a university they called service loops shoody and did not won't any on ther Campus. Because their SHODDY and end up making a big mesh.

Okay this thread was started in 05 and we have the same topic a few rows down so lets close this one.