Is there a strain relief device for cat6 similar to kellems grip? Or something you all use for strain relief when hanging cat cable? We are going to hang cat 6 cable from above and the CG is concerned about the cable just hanging from the 8p8c.

Comments are appreciated!

Can you describe the scenario a bit better? Seems a little odd to me.

Have used similar to this, but plenum rated for in-ceiling use....



https://cableorganizer.com/arlington-industries/loop-cable-hanger.html

https://www.discount-low-voltage.com/tlocaha.html

Just connect to a standard ceiling hanger.

D

The proper way would be not hanging it from the jack, use a pole to get down from the ceiling. I certainly wouldn't admit to wiring a place with jacks in the ceiling and patch cords hanging down and I'm just a dumb sparkie...

Use some of these, maybe get the dual chase version and have some power available at the same locations too.
https://www.hubbell-wiring.com/htm/CommServicePoles.htm

As was said you don't let it hang. It must be supported by some means verically and no, there is no such thing as a grip for it. Attach it to a wall, a pole or whatever works so it doesn't hang by the plug.

-Hal

Letting it hang will distort the cable and after a while it will no longer pass Cat 6. A while after that it'll probably go open.

Be a professional. Do a professional job. Do not let a patch cord hang from the ceiling. How sleazy is that!

Sam

I've seen a kind of saddle they use in the big boxes to hold up SJO cable for power that runs vertically to the middle of the store for displays and stuff. Not sure who makes them...

As far as hangers go, I generally prefer these and their smaller brother .

Are these ceilings exposed or enclosed? Are we talking about one cable here and there for APs or a whole bundle?

Like Clinton mentioned, I could also use a better description.

Jack

Thanks for the comments so far.
We don't want it to just hang from the plug, that will be a problem like Sam and Hal mentioned.
But, we don't want to run a conduit or pole vertical. We have had that in some areas and it is a problem when we add or move machines around. We also had track mounted on the floor and that is a problem as well.
We will run conduit to boxes mounted on the ceiling in several locations. When we move machines around we will be able to just move the plug to another jack. Maybe we can come out of the box, route the cable through something like Fletcher posted, then down? I thought there might be something like the kellem for cat cable. These are network connections for wide format printers, FDM rapid prototypers, laser cutters, stuff like that.
At any rate, I want to avoid a stick farm of vertical conduits, but don't want a bunch of janky looking cat spaghetti either. At some point I will have to compromise.

We have over head power for a lot of our conventional machines coming from above and the electrical wire is supported by kellems. Of course, that is big wire, usually 3 phase, so it hangs straight and looks industrial. The aesthetic police here like the industrial look for our building.

Again, thanks for commenting.

I know exactly what you are talking about. That's the kind of situation you have with open areas and machines like in machine shops etc. Power is on the ceiling with SOT or SJ cord drops down to the machines with, like you say, Kellems grips at the ceiling to support the cable.

I think because data drops are new to this type of installation nothing has been invented for this yet- and that's mostly because CGs usually have little if any mechanical aptitude so they wouldn't even understand the problem.

So this is something that is ripe for a solution. I think what I would do is experiment with making a bale- similar the the loop on the Kellams, probably out of something like #8 dropped ceiling support wire. Then you have to figure a way to attach it to the CAT cable without deforming it, which I think ty-raps will do.

I know that we used to have in the CATV industry spiral grips for unmessengered RG-59 cable to grab the ends at the pole and at the house. We stopped using them because they distorted the cable.

-Hal

Suppose you dropped a piece of (kellum grip) supported SJ cord from the ceiling and then fastened your Cat 6 cable to it with velcro? As long as the SJ cord had a nice "L" for the first velcro strap(s) to grip you should be OK. Especially of you wrapped the Cat 6 around the SJ on the way down.

The "look" would fit in with the Techno design and still be supported safely.

Sam

I've wired up areas like this. What we did was to use some Panduit plastic gang boxes which we ran our cable to and terminated with jacks and faceplates. We affixed the boxes to the ceiling tile with long machine screws, oversized washers and wing nuts. Prior to mounting we simply drilled two 1/2 inch holes side by side on one long side leaving a quarter inch gap between them. Then we took the patch cables, looped then, zip tied the loop to the makeshift fastening point and then made a J out of the connector end length and plugged it in. It formed an instant drip loop too. Very neat configuration and easy to add or move boxes. Just leave plenty in the ceiling if you expect to relocate them.

How about a consolidation point with armored cable running from the consolidation point down to a jack at the equipment? More materials, higher cost, but much higher reliability. If you aren't dealing with enough drops for a full on consolidation point, you could use a multi-port surface jack and just patch between the runs that go to the TR and the runs that drop down to the equipment.

With the armored cable you can pretty well do anything you like to fasten it without deforming the cable, and it certainly would look industrial.

https://www.superioressex.com/communicationscable.aspx?id=8706&ekmensel=c580fa7b_10_66_4244_1

https://www.panduit.com/Support/Sea...;Text=consolidation+point&Filter=All

How about something like either Carlon line-voltage flexible conduit (the grey stuff) or low-voltage "Resi-Gard" tubing (the orange stuff)?

Or pass the Cat5 cable down inside a section of Greenfield, with a single-gang utility box, equipped with a Decora faceplate & jack/insert at the bottom?

I'm going to throw this out and see what everyone thinks.
If cat5e is adequate, they make an outdoor aerial version (air core so no messy gel to deal with) with a steel messenger cable. You could terminate a piece of this with jacks at either end and form a loop in the messenger for hanging from a hook. Use a 1' patch cord to connect to the jack on the ceiling and whatever length patch cord that is required on the other end. Run the lower end into an 1110 type box and anchor the messenger to the ground screw. A receptacle style jack mounting frame and flush metal cover will finish it off cleanly.

Someone might have to advise on the use of outdoor cable indoors since it will not be riser rated cable. I think a case could be made that it would be acceptable as long as it wasn't permanently attached to structure or passing through walls.

I don't think the aerial cable would be a problem here. It's not being run in any pathways. What you've described is exactly what I was getting at with the armored cable, but the aerial cable would probably be easier to source locally.

Charles, or anyone else, can you give me a brand of aerial, or maybe a link? I would like to check it out.


Thanks!

Google is your friend aerial Cat5e cable

Hmmm, messengered cable would work. REMOVE the messenger for all but like 24" at the top. Separate the messenger from the cable for like a foot from the top end BUT DON'T CUT IT OFF. That foot of unmessengered cable is your loop that you put a plug on and plug into your ceiling mounted jack. Now, take that foot of separated messenger and loop it around a hook attached to the ceiling next to the jack. For the remaining messenger which is on the hanging cable, separate enough at the bottom to wrap it back around the cable and itself all the way up to where it separates from the cable at the top. This will keep it from separating on it's own.

This is really the same as what you would do when installing an aerial span to attach the cable to the supports. You would remove the messenger from the cable where it goes down the side of the building.

-Hal

I think it's a pretty good idea, but unless it is CM or better it is a violation of 800.154(C)(3). In this application, CMX will not cut it in lengths >10'. A loop of it in the ceiling for strain relief with a standard patch cord to the machinery would work though.

I like Clinton's armored cable idea (I was looking for that link yesterday). It definitely looks more industrial and would be pretty hardy. I've never installed it - I'd have to look to see what kind of connectors can be used with the armor, and if there are any grounding/bonding requirements in chapter 8 for the sheath.

I found these yesterday. Very mobile and there would be no visible service loops in the ceiling, but they sure aren't cheap.

Jack

but unless it is CM or better it is a violation of 800.154(C)(3). In this application, CMX will not cut it in lengths >10'.

That doesn't apply to wiring that is not premises wiring within or attached to the structure. This would actually be considered a patch cord. SO cord is not riser rated.

-Hal

Hal,
Can you cite the NFPA 70 section that gives the OK to installing any type of communications cable in a commercial building if it's not rated at least CMX? The only case I can think of is when an OSP cable enters a building and then is subject to the "50-foot rule". As far as I know, SO cord isn't generally considered to be a communications cable, so I don't see the correlation.

Can you cite the NFPA 70 section that gives the OK to installing any type of communications cable in a commercial building if it's not rated at least CMX?

No, and you won't find too many places where the NEC says anything is OK. If something is not prohibited then it must be OK. That's the way the book is written and should be interpreted.

A patch cable that extends from a wall jack to a PC is not considered premises wiring and does not have to be listed as anything. NFPA 70 only covers LV wiring installed within the building structure- IE- floors, walls and ceilings. With few exceptions, wiring what is run outside of the building both aerially or buried or wiring used to connect equipment to a jack (as long as it is not fastened in place) is not covered.

With the exception of some parts of Article 725, the only main concern the NEC has with LV and communications wiring (Art 800 on) is the spread of fire and generation of toxic gasses and smoke caused by the material it's constructed with. This is unlike Chapter 3 wiring methods where current handling capacity, temperature, insulation resistance, installation etc are all factors. That's because Chapter 3 wiring handles voltage and current that has the potential to cause serious injury, property damage or death. Communications wiring handles little if any voltage and current.

My point about SO cord is that Chapter 3 wiring methods are inherently suitable for where it is installed. Type MC or NM (Romex) cables for instance have no riser or plenum versions. All can be run vertically but you can't use romex in a plenum space. Type SO, like all flexible cordage cannot be used for building wiring- within walls, floors ceilings. One of the reasons for that prohibition is that it does not meet smoke emission standards and pass the vertical flame test. Yet there is no prohibition against using it dropped vertically from a ceiling receptacle like our patch cord.

-Hal