RJ45 Coupler and Patch Cord for Smart Metering

The law to restart the digitalisation of the energy transition stipulates the use of smart metering systems and the associated deadlines in Germany, but smart metering is an important topic in all industrial countries. New metering points must be equipped with RJ45 connections and data cables for the connection to a router, which can be installed in the electrical distribution board. This calls for appropriate RJ45 modules and voltage resistant patch cords.

As the data cable is routed through live areas in the electrical distribution board, it must either be installed in an additional insulating conduit or, according to the German standard DIN VDE 0603-100 pass an insulation voltage test of 6 kV. The latter means less installation work and therefore lower costs. Smart meter couplers and patch cords by Telegärtner meet the requirements of network cabling in accordance with German VDE-AR-N 4100. The quick and easy installation saves time and money.

The RJ45 couplers and the patch cord must at least meet category 5 specs of EN 50173. However, this limits the data rate to 100 Mbit/s. For future-proof installations, most users therefore choose category 6_A components. With these, data rates of up to 10 Gbit/s are possible in future applications, which avoids the need for expensive re-cabling.