Punching Down the Wires on the Patch Panel

Like the jack, the patch panel in your NetDay kit may be either a 110 or a Krone. You'll need a different punch tool depending on which system came in your kit. The patch panel shown here is a 110.

A punch tool's spring-loaded action does two jobs at once. It pushes a wire between two metal pins, skinning the sheath from the wire so that it makes an electrical connection with the pins. The punch tool's blade cuts off the extra wire.

Be sure to position the blade of the punch tool on the side away from where the wire enters each pin location. Otherwise, you'll cut the wire short of where it should make an electrical connection. The punch tool cuts better if you tilt the handle slightly outward. You may need to twist the cut ends of the wires gently to remove them after punching.

Glossary of Terms