Patch Lead colour options

The patch leads we supply as standard are available in a range of colours.  If booted leads are ordered, the boots are coloured to match.  Additionally, we can have bespoke colour combinations made for special applications.  Most clients use the lead colour to differentiate between uses in a patching cabinet.  For instance, if the standard patch leads are grey, server and other critical connections could use orange leads so they are not disconnected by mistake.  Many years ago we began standardising on blue cables for normal data connections and red cables for voice in installations we specified.  Since then we have seen this colour code reproduced by other companies, and many patch lead customers, including cabling companies, ask for these colours for their own use.  In this set-up, we used grey cables to signify cross-over cables.  In sites where grey cables were used as standard, red is often used for cross-over cables.  As a result, red and grey cables are our stock cross-over colours.

The other reason for choosing a particular colour lead is to blend in or contrast with the environment.  Using a colour that blends into the background may be ideal in an office, but some situations demand high visibility for safety reasons or to signify usage.

Another colour differentiation use we come across is for temporary connections in patch panels.  By using a specific colour lead to make temporary patch changes, it is easy to identify them and remove them once they are no longer required.