atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring New Construction Residential Cable Install

Tito1411:

I'm not looking for a debate, but perhaps you can provide me with some advice with regard to 5E being the standard. I am hitting a dead end on a project I'm trying to bid.

Is there any chance that you can connect me with a supplier of 400 pair, 24 gauge, type PE89 construction CAT5E cable? I need to connect two buildings about 200 feet apart. We need to extend approximately 250 analog extensions at a hospital into new space across the parking lot to another building. We will have to bury it around the perimeter of the lot.

The architect has called for 5E. Despite the fact that 5E is supposedly the standard, I can't find the stuff anywhere. My suppliers look at me as if I have three eyes when I ask for such cable.

I'll also need to find protected entrance terminals (and associated plug-in protection modules) that are 5E rated. I can't find those either. I'd be willing to use four 100-pair units at each end if necessary. If I did this, I'd need CAT5E splicing hardware to convert between the 400 pair 5E cable to the individual 100 pair 5E terminals. I can't seem to find that stuff either.

What do you do in these situations? I've never been faced with these requirements before and apparently it is new to all of my suppliers.

The electrical contractor on this job says they can do it, but unless I can find this supposedly standard hardware, I can't bid.

I guess the only supply source for you Ed would be somewhere in Arkansas. :rofl:

Ed, I'd almost bet that converting to fiber and back to analog will be cheaper! John C.

Wow! So far jokes but no valid points other than its a pain to punch down? Ed, I thought we were having a discussion about residential cabling? You bring up a commercial application and a goofy one at that. In this situation I would contact the architect and discuss this with him. As far as I know theres no such cable or cable requirement. I would also contact an OSP expert and get their opinion and any backup documentation that I might need to show the architect. An addendum would probably be made and away we go. Or you could just not bid and move one to something else.

Let's keep this on topic. If you want a debate on CAT3 vs CAT5 start a new topic. Let's respect the original poster of this topic.

The "code thing came from me stating I can't find it in the "codes" I was reading through.

Bad choice of wording on my part. It also seems that I was the one to highjack the topic. So let me set this straight. Then we can start a new topic on C3 and C5E versus what ever.

Briggs: If TW does not supply the needed signal or a device to increase it. You can get the products on your own. All you need to do is a little math. That and if possible get a cable analyzer before you start purchasing things you do not need.

Even if you are close or inside the 1" mark. Do the nail plates anyway. It does not hurt anyone and you wont have to worry about some stray nail punching through all of your hard work.

Finally, be very weary of buying "cheap" products. We have several threads here about foreign made products not meeting standard. If you are going with C6 you should only have to terminate it once. So multiple terminations aren't a worry unless you connect it wrong. That brings up Hal's point. If the tool is designed specifically for the job. You would not have to worry about damaging the connector.

I would hardwire a residence for data if the user is looking at VoIP phones, and if the area has a high concentration of Access Points. The 2.4Ghz band is saturated in some areas surrounding college campuses. Ive seen noise floors higher than -50db(imagine if you will 28 independent access points in a 300' radius most of which were on 1,6,11). Don't forget also that an AP is connected to a switch, but the AP itself isn't a switch, it is just a hub. As more devices are connected efficiency drops off at higher data rates, this does nasty things to voice quality. 802.11n will help initially, but only because it is spreading the problem across the band and adding the 5.8Ghz band which is mostly empty except for cordless phones and the odd 802.11a system.

Thank you all for the great input. Thanks to your input didn't make the mistake of having PVC pipe chase installed. Also, I plan to buy the 10' lengths 3/4" smurf tube for all the wallplates, and use brackets every 3 feet. I think that will be a good idea for the future. I also know all about fireproofing, something I didn't even think about before.

You might look into a powered splitter. Blounder Tongue (Spelling?) makes several and it might lower the overall signal loss. With it being residential and probably over short lengths it might not matter anyway.

If only it were that simple. :rofl:

-Hal