atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring How To Terminate A BIX Block??

Hello All -

Merry Christmas/Happy New year by the way...

I've been searching the internet for a while to find out the proper way to punch down on a BIX block, but have had no luck finding any good sites.

Can any of you assist by directing me to a better site or by giving me some instructions of your own?

Thank you in advance
Matteo S.

Dave Moore (Mooretel) showed me how to terminate one in person back at the Vegas meet several years ago...hopefully he can chime in.

A few links I found:
https://www.belden.com/resourcecenter/tools/installguides/

https://pbxbook.com/other/pdf/BIX-IDC.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDOUf4UyE3JJup7e_DLBobw

Jeff

You rang? What specifically is the question?

In a nut shell, basically strip at least twice the length of the block.

Attach the pairs to the side of the block with tiny tyraps or even just a piece of scrap X-conn wire, but leaving a block's length of stripped wire before that.

This will give you some slack to "pull & reverse" the block if you need to add more cables to it OR just to verify something "on the back side".

Next step: LABEL THE BLOCK ACCORDINGLY, please.
Terminate the end of the stripped cable to the block in the same fashion as you would for a 110 block or evehn the "antique" 66 blocks.

By that I mean w/b, w/o, w/g...etc.

Just watched the Youtube link that Jeff posted. Crapola.

1) Leave a block's length of stripped cable before that 1st tyrap as I stated above.

2) You don't need to use a "100 pair" mount. Could be a 50 pair mount (2 Blocks), 100 pair mount (4 blocks) 250 pair mount (10 blocks) or even a 300 pair mount (12 blocks).

3) Don't be stupid enough to follow their instruction on expanding the block in the way they showed from 5 pairs to 10 pair. If you look closely they're off by 1/2 a pair.

4) You can place your block anywhere on the mount according to your needs...doesn't have to be the top position.

5) Terminate the cable in a way that the stripped cable is either on top or underneath the block so that it is hidden by the designation strip later. In other words, for example, if you're starting with the top position, have the stripped cable on the lower side of the block. Same for the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th or 11th position.

Think ahead and plan how you want the mount to look in the end, and what's in store for the future.

Example: you're installing a CICS that requires 2 x 25 pair cables. Place those two on top of each other. However, if there's ANY chance that they'll be ugrading to a MICS that needs at least a 3rd 25 pair cable leave the next spot open for future expansion. Wouldn't hurt to leave a few more for expansion modules.

I like to keep all the "system" blocks together...top, middle, bottom, whatever the case may be.

That being said though, if you're terminating data cables on BIX blocks, place those blocks on the very bottom Reason? If you don't those damn patch cords will always be in your way.

Excellent lesson Dave. Well thought out, clear and precise.
Thanks.
Never ever installed a bix block.
Seen very few.

Thanks for the tips, Dave!

Thank you so much for that explanation Dave! It helps out a lot. One more question: If I wanted to punch down my house Jacks onto a BIX block, would I use a 1A or a 1A4?

My understanding is that you use the 1As for station wiring, and 1A4s for CO lines. (Please correct me if I'm wrong. )

Thank you so much again for the info, and thank you Jeff for your links as well.

Matteo

1A4 Blocks came out as a direct result of the 4 pair environment today.

1A's were the 1st to come out and could be used for station , CO lines, Special circuits, whatever. In those days around here Bell used 3 Pair for business and JKT (2Pair) for residential mostly.

For your house you can use either. Keep your CO lines on one block and the station cables on another (or more).

You can also use a 5A or 7A block for you CO lines as in the video (but properly used!) to give you multiple ports for each line to X-Connect to.

Best to run one jumper from the CO block for each jack for that particular line. Daisey chaining is acceptable but makes it harder to diagnose problems.

Depending on the number of lines that you have you could run a cable between the protector(s) and to one block...say a 1A, then jumper from that block to a 5A or 7A for multiple ports.

BIX is flexible that way so plan out your installation before you start.

Again LABEL YOUR STRIPS. Personally I like to use a "P-Touch" label maker as it looks so neat & clean as well as easy to read afterwards.

I always used 1As and just performed any looping (multiples) on the back side instead of using different strips. That way, I had all of the flexibility that I needed. Not to mention, stocking one part kept it simple.

Yes, proper labeling was key.

I have done lots of 1a4 installs. The thing that has been difficult to locate is the telus labels that go on the plastic label strips. I also found it is best to leave extra 25 pair and shape it like a Z for extra slack. I cannot stand doing 66 punch downs always getting zapped by the terminals bix is much better to use product.

I haven't been zapped in quite a while. I either pull/insert bridging clips with pliers, or, use Siemon colored bridging clips.