Panduit CPA48WH 48-Port Shielded Angled Patch Panel
The Panduit CPA48WH is a 48-port, 2RU angled patch panel built for shielded structured cabling deployments where cable management, grounding continuity, and rack density all matter. Designed exclusively for Panduit Pan-Net Mini-Com shielded keystone modules, the CPA48WH gives network and AV integrators a clean, high-density termination point that maintains shield integrity from the jack through the panel — a requirement in environments with significant EMI exposure such as manufacturing floors, data centers with dense switching gear, and campus distribution rooms.
Overview
Where standard unshielded patch panels fall short in electrically noisy environments, the CPA48WH's all-stainless-steel construction and built-in grounding lugs keep the shielding system intact and bonded to the rack ground. The angled face design routes patch cords at an angle toward the cable management trough rather than straight out, reducing bend radius stress on patch cords and making moves, adds, and changes faster without pulling slack cable across adjacent ports. At 2RU and 19 inches wide, this panel installs in the majority of standard 19-inch and 23-inch equipment racks and enclosures in use today. The white finish makes port labeling and self-adhesive ID labels easier to read under typical data room lighting conditions.
Key Features
- 48 Shielded Mini-Com Ports in 2RU: Packing 48 terminations into two rack units delivers a port density of 24 ports per RU — practical in distribution frames where rack space is a real constraint. Each position accepts a Panduit Mini-Com shielded module, so you choose the jack standard (Cat 6A, Cat 6, etc.) independently of the panel itself, and you can mix jack types across the 48 positions if your cabling mix requires it.
- Angled Port Face Design: The angled layout directs patch cords toward the cable management pathway rather than projecting straight out. This reduces the torque on RJ-45 plugs during routine MACs and keeps the front of the rack cleaner when all 48 ports are occupied. In high-density rows where technicians work quickly, this matters for both cord longevity and port visibility.
- All-Stainless-Steel Construction: The panel body is stainless steel — not painted steel sheet or plastic. In shielded cabling applications, this is the correct material choice: stainless resists corrosion in environments with humidity variation and provides a consistent low-impedance surface for shield termination across the full panel width. The build quality is apparent and appropriate for commercial-grade structured cabling infrastructure expected to remain in service for 15+ years.
- Integrated Grounding Lugs: Built-in grounding terminals connect the panel's metallic body to the rack ground bus — closing the shield loop that begins at each shielded jack module. Skip this and you defeat the purpose of running shielded cabling in the first place. The lugs are part of the panel; no add-on grounding kit is required.
- 19-Inch and 23-Inch Rack Compatibility: At 19 inches wide (482.6mm) and 3.47 inches tall (88.13mm for 2RU), the CPA48WH mounts directly in standard EIA-310 19-inch racks. The 23-inch compatibility gives it additional reach into legacy telco-style cabinets still common in campus environments and some industrial control rooms.
- Self-Adhesive Label Support: The panel accepts standard self-adhesive port labels for circuit identification. In a 48-port panel running a mix of voice, data, and building automation drops, readable port labeling is a maintenance-time multiplier — it prevents mis-patching during after-hours troubleshooting.
- RoHS Compliant: The CPA48WH meets RoHS requirements, which matters for projects with environmental materials compliance requirements and for installations in EU-regulated facilities. This is verified by the manufacturer's documentation for this model.
- Pan-Net Ecosystem Integration: As part of the Panduit Pan-Net structured cabling line, the CPA48WH is designed to pair with the full range of Panduit Mini-Com shielded modules — Cat 6A, fiber, multimedia — giving you a consistent, single-vendor termination architecture that simplifies certification testing and warranty documentation for the link.
Integration & Compatibility
The CPA48WH accepts all Panduit Mini-Com shielded keystone modules — the specific module SKU determines the cable category and performance tier (Cat 6, Cat 6A, etc.). The panel itself is category-neutral; it is a mechanical and shielding component, not a Category-rated transmission element. Pair it with the appropriate shielded Mini-Com modules for your link performance target. The panel installs in standard 19-inch EIA racks and 23-inch telco-frame cabinets with standard rack hardware. Grounding requires a bonding conductor from the panel's grounding lug to the rack ground bar — use an appropriately rated ground wire and lugs per your local electrical code. This panel ships as a single unit (package quantity 1); carton quantity is 10 for bulk procurement orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What keystone modules are compatible with the CPA48WH?
A: The CPA48WH is designed exclusively for Panduit Mini-Com shielded keystone modules. The panel does not accept unshielded Mini-Com modules or third-party keystones — the shielded module design mechanically and electrically mates with the panel's grounded port openings. Choose the specific Mini-Com shielded module SKU based on your cable category (Cat 6, Cat 6A, etc.).
Q: Does the CPA48WH fit in a standard 19-inch rack?
A: Yes. The panel is 19 inches wide (482.6mm) and 3.47 inches tall (88.13mm), occupying 2RU in a standard EIA-310 19-inch rack. It also fits 23-inch telco-frame cabinets.
Q: Is grounding hardware included with the CPA48WH?
A: The panel includes built-in grounding lug terminals as part of the panel body. You will need to supply the bonding conductor (ground wire) and connect it to your rack ground bus — the lugs are the termination point on the panel side.
Q: How many rack units does the CPA48WH occupy?
A: The CPA48WH occupies 2 rack units (2RU). At 48 ports in 2RU, you get 24 ports per rack unit — a practical density for distribution frames where rack space is limited.
Q: Is the CPA48WH RoHS compliant?
A: Yes. The CPA48WH meets RoHS requirements as documented by Panduit for this model. This supports compliance for projects with environmental materials restrictions including EU-regulated installations.
Q: Can the CPA48WH be used with unshielded cabling?
A: The panel is designed for shielded Mini-Com modules and shielded cabling deployments. While physically the panel could accept an unshielded Mini-Com module in a port opening, doing so would leave the shielding system incomplete and is not the intended application. Use an unshielded panel variant if your cabling plant is UTP throughout.
The CPA48WH comes up regularly in shielded cabling projects where the integrator has done the right thing specifying STP from the wall to the switch — and then needs a panel that actually completes the shield circuit rather than breaking it at the termination point. The stainless steel body and integrated grounding lugs are the functional core of this panel; they are what separates a genuine shielded patch panel from a standard panel with a shielded-module port cutout.
Technical Highlights:
- 48 Ports, 2RU: 24 ports per RU is a practical density for MDF/IDF distribution frames — you can land four 12-drop home-run bundles on a single panel without going above 2RU, leaving room for a 1RU patch management bar above and below.
- Stainless Steel Construction: Stainless resists the surface oxidation that degrades shield bonding continuity over time in environments with humidity cycling. In a manufacturing or industrial IDF, this is the material you want on a panel expected to stay in place for a decade.
- 19-Inch and 23-Inch Rack Fit (482.6mm wide, 88.13mm tall): The 23-inch compatibility is more useful than it sounds — campus buildings built before 2000 often have telco-frame cabinets in the MDF that nobody has replaced. A panel that mounts in both formats avoids having to spec a rack swap just to land a new shielded cabling run.
Deployment Considerations:
- The grounding lug is only useful if you bond it. In field audits, shielded panels are frequently installed without a ground conductor to the rack bus — at that point the shield is floating and you have paid a significant premium over a UTP panel for no EMI benefit. Budget for the ground wire and document it in the as-built.
- The CPA48WH is module-agnostic within the Mini-Com shielded family, but you must spec shielded modules — unshielded Mini-Com modules will physically seat but leave the shield path open. Confirm shielded module SKUs at the time of order, not on the job site.
This panel is the right call for Category 6A shielded horizontal cabling terminations in healthcare, manufacturing, and dense enterprise campuses where EMI compliance is a documented project requirement — not a place to substitute a cheaper unshielded alternative and hope for the best.
