sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Cat 3 & Cat 5e

I generally do purachase my wire and cable from Graybar, along with my other supplies. The last couple of times I ordered some cat 3, or just plain voice grade General Cable, their price was quite a bit more than the HD price.

Graybar and high prices. Enough said.

-Hal

You can't win with Hal! :bow:

I don't think the point he was trying to make was whether one supplier or another had better pricing. Generally Cat3 is higher at a lot of supply houses. Its hardly used any more so there's not a high demand and as such prices go up.

Now here's an oxymoron :-)

Hal,

in one post you bash the "lesser" houses then you bash Gaybar. I happened to look at the Homo Dumpo cable. It's Cat-3 and made in the USA which is far better than the off-brand stuff from quationable houses. The problem of buying Cat-5e from unknown sources is it has to be 350 mhz or better and you don't exactly know. At Graybar, I can be sure I'm getting what I need and I don't have to pay the penalty of freight.
So, the big box stores are attractive if I run out, but I tend to make sure I never run out!

I don't think I've purchased or used Cat-3 anything in the last 6 years as in December 2005 or 1/06. At one time, Cat-3 Plenum was the same price as Cat-5e PVC and a lot less than 5e plenum. Because of volume, I doubt that is the case today.

Carl

in one post you bash the "lesser" houses then you bash Gaybar.

Well, am I right?

I don't think I've purchased or used Cat-3 anything in the last 6 years...

I like to keep 25 pair on hand. Don't think you would want to get that in CAT5e, especially plenum...

-Hal

I agree with STS E---we still keep 2 or 3 boxes of CAT3 around, but the others are sure right, We haven't bought any 66 blocks for at least 10 years now. Still use them every once in a while, but have a big box of them still left.

We buy CAT5E (350) all the time. HD has always been goofy with their pricing. Supply and demand from the DIYs, trunkers and Sparky people. There for a while, all they carried here in one HD was plenum. I had a big argument with their wire "expert" who insisted that it was code to run plenum for all wire runs and that he recommended CAT 6-plenum to everyone who came in. I laughed, and laughed and called him an idiot--and walked out. I haven't been back in that dept in 5 or 6 years now. Never did buy any cable there, just like to do some pricing at times. Now, I just go on their website.

I hate punching down cat5e on 66 blocks, so I still try to use cat3 for voice.

LOL I forgot about 25-pair. I used that today.
It's the 4-pair thing I was referring to and yes, you're right, but I guess every supply house sucks at something.

Nowadays wire and cable is a commodity and the price fluctuates daily with copper prices, supply and demand, what's in stock and any number of other factors. It's much like gasoline. Where you got the best deal the last time won't necessarily be the cheapest when you are looking to buy again. You really should deal with several suppliers so you can check prices for whatever type of cable you are looking for. Don't assume that if one has, for instance, CAT5e the cheapest they will also be the cheapest for CAT6 or CAT3.

-Hal