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Hal, what is tie wire?

Hal, if you don't mind, I will answer Jeff's question.

Jeff, it's approximately 16 gauge steel wire. It isn't galvanized, just plain old steel wire. It's frequently used for bundling MC, AC and BX cables together and other miscellaneous electrical bundling or support tasks.

Thanks Ed. So where were you in chat tonight?

I don't know how people feel about BICSI here but the new EIA/TIA standards for Cat 6 actually say to absolutely NOT comb Cat 6 due to increased crosstalk. I don't think it is as much an issue with Cat 5 and 5E.

By the way EIA/TIA also advises against using tie wire or any thin support due to the weight of cables possibly causing cable twist malformation much the same way as too tight ty-raps. The recommendation is to use "J"-hooks or some other wide base support.

Just my .02 worth

I'm a BICSI member and RCDD. What is it you are asking with reference to BICSI?

I, too, am a BICSI member. I have seen very few references to BICSI here and some of the responses and advice given seems to be contrary to EIA/TIA. Since I am new here I guess I was unsure if some here may not like BICSI (as is the case with some of the local sparky's and even some small interconnects in my area). Unfortunately some of the "old timers" think "Aww that ain't necessary. I don't do it that way and I have never had any problems". So I guess, since I am new to this board, I was just treading lightly so as not to start any negative arguments about BICSI standards, which by the way I do always try to adhere to.

You are right, Bill. There are plenty of folks here who fail to see how a group of manufacturers seeking to sell more expensive cable, equipment and design standards really have a handle on things. I admit to being one of those "Aww that ain't necessary" guys.

The only advice contrary to BICSI standards you will see here will be remarks made by seasoned professionals. These are persons with decades of experience in the industry. These are also the people who can troubleshoot a problem without a ten-thousand dollar tester. They are NOT people posessing a simple certificate attained through a sponsorship by cable manufacturers.

I speak from experience after having owned my telecommunicactions company since 1983. I maintain very strict Bell System standards with my company's installations. THOSE are the REAL standards. BICSI and TIA/EIA came into play decades after the tried and true Bell System specifications for wiring. "568B" was Bell's standard in the early 1970's when these "authorities" were simply seeds in the ground. This standard was hijacked and simply given a new name. Period.

I have made attempts to jump on every certification bandwagon that rolled through, but I got tired of it. It's all about marketing. Haven't you figured that out? These certifications of wiring and hardware are simply meant to scare you into selling whatever the manufacturers want you to scare your customers into buying!

I challenge you or anyone to devise a better set of plans than the ones developed by the Bell System for anything. This company employed many of the "Aww" guys that you will find here. They represent the most knowledgable people on this forum.

One simple question: A $2.00 "J" hook every four feet versus a web in building trusses at no cost. Tell me why?

I was afraid my "old timers" comment would come across as offensive and I should not have said it. I appologize to anyone I may have offended by those remarks I certainly did not mean to imply that anyone here is not professional.

I would have to respectfully point out that the Bell System standards from the early '70's did not and could not anticipate the technological advances and high speed data demands of today's data cabling.

When I first got into the business in the early '80's I was trained by a retired Bell Systems guy and to this day I value that training and the knowledge he passed on.

As for why "J"-hooks instead of bar joists, it is my understanding that (as I said in my earlier post) the thin edge of a bar joist or similar support combined with the weight of the cables will over time cause cable malformation resulting in potentially slower data speeds or even transmission failures.

If you want to argue the validity of those claims you will have to argue them with someone with much more technical knowledge than me. I only offered my advice based on my belief in the BICSI - EIA/TIA standards and my own personal experiences installing high speed data cabling. By the way I too can troubleshoot a cable without a $10,000.00 tester but I don't think either one of us could tell how fast the data is capable of traveling down that cable without one, therefore I own one and use it regularly to ensure the cabling installation will perform its purpose. My goal, as I am sure yours is also, is to give the customer the best cabling installation I can utilizing any reasonable tool I can to make it better. In my humble opinion the BICSI TIA/EIA standards are just another tool.

I also understand that manufacturer certifications are often not worth the paper they are printed on in terms of quality of installation. However, many of my customers who are not so knowledgeable have been hijacked by these manufacturers and require that I have it to install their cabling, so I do. I also am of the mind that I can always learn something new and those certification classes have sometimes taught me a thing or two.

By the way BICSI and EIA/TIA are not manufacturers and their standards are not based on scare tactics to make people buy their cabling. They are created by engineers with much more knowledge than I have to ensure the data transmitted has the best chance of reaching the desired speeds. I did not write them I just happen to agree with them.

BICSI was founded by "Bell Systems" people in the early '70's and I imagine many of them would take offense at the notion that they just "wanted to scare people into buying something" or were just "seeking to sell more expensive cable, equipment and design standards".

Again, I am sorry. I never meant to offend anyone hence my original comment "I don't know how people feel about BICSI here but....".

This is precisely the kind of disagreement I was trying to avoid.

My apologies also for hijacking this thread.

I agree wholeheartedly with TTSI1.

Telecommunications has changed tremendously since the "Bell days." I understand the sentiment of some on this board, but I think it is unfounded.

Technology is an ever-changing issue and we must learn to change with it if we want to be the best that we can be. BICSI and TIA standards exist to ensure optimum performance. Bell standards were designed for voice communications, which can be run on high-grade barbed wire

High performance copper and fiber cable play by a new set of rules. Those rules are codified in TIA, and BICSI be extension, standards.

Regarding the J-hook question... TTSI1 is correct in that the wide-based saddle is necessary to permanently support and evenly distribute the weight of high performance cabling without performance degredation. As cable technology advances and bandwidth increases this becomes more and more of an issue.

TIA isn't in the business of selling J-Hooks. TIA and BICSI develop standards and then manufacturers design products that will comply with those standards. That is the relationship between the standards bodies and the manufacturers. It isn't some grand conspiracy to sell products.

The manufacturer certs aren't worth much at all. Those are more for the manufacturer to control who is installing their product on large projects that the manufacturer will be required to write an extended warranty against. There has to be some level of control over the quality of work that the manufacturer is guaranteeing for 25+ years. Thus, the mfgs require that contractors be certified for any projects that they are required to guarantee with their own pockets. That sounds fair and reasonable to me.

My presence on this board is simply to answer questions and offer advice based upon my education and experience. I think that if you review my record of responses you will find that they are sound and have been given in a respectful and professional manner.

I enjoy contributing to this board and appreciate everyone who takes time out of their day to come here and contribute. That's what makes this industry great.

Hans