Cable identification

[Guest Alphonsox]

I have around 30 Cat6 cables terminating in my plant room. Most are terminated in standard wall sockets, some are unused "flood wiring". Unfortunately they have not been clearly labeled. I need to identify each one before attaching it to a patch panel. 

The long winded way would be to strip and twist together a signal pair in each cable in turn at the plant room, then test for continuity at each socket.

Does anyone know of a simpler solution ? I was wondering whether energising the socket then using some form of non-contact voltage detector pen might work ?

 

Any ideas ?

 

[vfrdave]

A set of tone testers like these http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/cable-finder-with-tone-generator-n74cc?cmpid=ppc&gclid=CKvNt8zig9ECFeYp0wodhx0P1w would be a bit easier. No cable stripping required.

[Nickfromwales]

I've got one if you want me to chuck it in the post for a lend?

 

You just plug the generator bit into the socket and take the wand across the bundle to pick it out. Confirmation is by shorting the cable out ( I cut slowly through with a side cutters until the tone stops, indicating you 100% have the right cable ).  

[Guest Alphonsox]

Thanks both - that is exactly the thing I'm looking for. Amazon seem to have a few at about half the Maplin price as well.

@Nickfromwales - Thanks for the offer of a loan but I think I'm going to buy one for the toolbox, looks like a useful thing to have around.

[Nickfromwales]

They work on any cable tbh, so agree, a good gadget for 'Justin'. .