What Is Punchdown Block?

You've got a problem—you need to connect two sets of wires. You don't have time to solder them together, and you're not going to splice them. What do you do? A punch-down block is an answer. It's a tiny metal block with a bunch of pegs to which you can stick the solid copper wire and cross-connect the cables. It's perfect for cross-connecting wire sets in telecommunications closets or local area networks (LANs). And it's also great if you want to ensure your wires are insulated because it uses insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) so that it doesn't matter how much insulation they have on them. Do you know what a punchdown block is? It's a block. A partnership is a tiny device that houses a group of wires to keep them organized and make it easier for technicians to manage them. A Punchdown Block is one type of block, and its name comes from the fact that technicians can use it to connect circuits by "punching down" through the wires with an electrical tool called a punch-down tool. The punch-down device has two ends: one with a sharp metal blade that cuts through the insulation on each wire and the other with teeth or blades that spread apart. When pressed against the insulation, technicians can slip them under it easily without damaging the insulation itself or loosening any connections made between cables inside their housings. The most common punchdown block is the 66 block, also called an M-block, because it has 50 rows, each with four columns of electrically bonded metal peg clips. The 66 models are often used to cross-connect work area outlets and patch panels. There are two types of 66 blocks: a 25-pair standard non-split version and a 25-pair split version.