Connecting the Shielded Patch Panel Ground Cable
Tools and Materials: Requires a copper ground cable, grounding clamps/screws, wire strippers, and a multimeter (for resistance testing). Prefer tinned copper wire with a cross-sectional area of 2.5 mm² or greater to reduce impedance.
Stripping the Shield:
Use wire strippers to peel back the outer sheath of the network cable, exposing the metal braid or aluminum foil. Strip approximately 3-5 cm to avoid damaging the internal signal cables.
Unroll the shield and bundle it to maximize contact with the ground cable.
Securing the Ground Cable:
Use a grounding clamp or screw to securely crimp the ground cable to the shield. Using crimp terminals is recommended for enhanced reliability.
Connect the other end of the ground cable to the patch panel shield ground terminal and then, in a "hand-in-hand" fashion, route it to the cabinet's vertical ground busbar to avoid loops.
Testing and Verification:
Use a ground resistance tester to measure the ground resistance. The resistance must be ≤4Ω (for electrostatic/electromagnetic shielding).
Check for loose connections and that the shielding is fully covered and free of breaks.