Data/network socket colours for new builds?

[jamesb]

Seriously now, who thinks up these rules?

[TNE]

Ive asked one of my customers who are a large installer to see if they know of any rules. The purchasing guy said that 99% of the jobs he buys material for are specified white but he will find out and let me know.

Definition of "contrast visually" in part M is visual perception of one element against another means the difference in light reflectance value is greater than 30 points.

[nsherin]

First I've heard of these requirements. I guess not a bad thing (having been through sight issues after retinal detachment), but then as Sylv3r says, surely it's power you'd want to stand out. FWIW, the last load of data socket installs I had done in April were the standard white ones.

[BaccyNet]

All data sockets installed here in our rebuild (900+) are all white as are power. Would love to see them change all those to a different colour!

[p858snake]

surely the colour wouldn't matter if they are clearly labled with either text or a standard symbol?

[localzuk]

Not sure about network sockets, nothing has ever been said, and all new ones have been white at our place, but light switches and power sockets have had a lick of paint in the last year or so - ie. a coloured box has been painted around them all, so they stand out.

[7andY]

I can understand why Power should stand out, but surely LAN cables are a 'fixed installation', and so don't need to. It's not as if you need to plug/unplug them as a regular ocurrence, in fact, it should be discouraged. (How many times have your punters given you a call and said they can't reconnect the network cable...)

7&Y

[apoth0r]

Seriously now, who thinks up these rules?

The "consultants" that the government employs to do their work for them. They have to get paid somehow, so why not cause a debate about colours of flippin network points!
So glad I'm starting to get some schools under my business wing, it makes me sick the way some companies leech the money out of education. *Rant over* lol

[bossman]

Since when did a 3 pin 13amp plug fit into an RJ45 socket Hhhhhmmmmm let me think............................................. ....................................NEVER!!!

Even someone who was blind would be able to tell the difference, these bloody stupid bureaucrats who have nothing better to do with their lives except disrupt everyone else's just because they can.

I have read in the building regulations about door and window frames being a different contrasting colour but not wiring covers.

[srochford]

Even someone who was blind would be able to tell the difference, these bloody stupid bureaucrats who have nothing better to do with their lives except disrupt everyone else's just because they can.

I take your point but given that no-one can find any building reg which says this, is it just possible that this is an architect type decision - ie they think grey will look nicer (matches the carpets???) and is nothing to do with safety or other building regulations!

The original poster just said that the electrical contractor said the sockets must be grey but could this be because an architect has put this on the drawings for aesthetic reasons??

[DrPerceptron]

Ours are blue in our revamped building, the only reason I can see for that is that they match the trunking which has a blue face too it.

[markberry]

The way I read it is that this applies to sockets which are for use by general public etc. Like those provided in a hotel room for you to connect a laptop to. All the data sockets in our building are not for the general use of the public (or staff or students). The sockets are only activated (patched) when we decide we need to use them, they are then connected to the relevant peice of kit and are not disconnected unless by one of the IT team. The majority of our data points are hidden away behind benching anyway.
I would say that they do not need to be coloured unless used by your staff or students to regularly connect and disconnect kit.

[john]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/upl...F_ADM_2004.pdf Page 49 and 50 have all you need to know.

[localzuk]

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/upl...F_ADM_2004.pdf Page 49 and 50 have all you need to know.

Which doesn't demand they be a different colour, just that they contrast with the background. ie. painting a dark colour around them would do the trick.

[john]

True, but then some new site manager comes and goes that looks stupid and then re-paints it all cream and then its gone. I think its to ensure that you can paint all your walls whatever colour you want. Also a lot of sockets, switches etc are installed into Daedo trunking now so that will be white in most cases so painting is not an option hence coloured sockets etc.