Exterior Cat6

karlitob

Hi all

Gonna lay an exterior cat6 along with an swa out to a planned garden room 60m away from the house. Could anyone advise what I should buy exactly. I’m on Rs-online and there’s a lot of options. Don’t mind unterminated as I can that at a later stage.

I presume lszh is exterior grade

diameter, strands, attenuation, cable shape - no idea

it’ll be hooked up to a tv and whatever else standard.

thanks in advance

10-10-20

LSZH - is low smoke, zero halon. That's fire-rated for enclosed spaces. Not ideal for external use.

I went with a spool of this 1 year ago:

https://www.cablemonkey.ie/cat6-cable/22-ccs-cat6-utp-external-cable-ldpe-outer-sheath.html

karlitob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117873277#Comment_117873277

Thanks for that.

I found a good price online for swa that I’m buying. The xat6 external seems good too.

it looks similar to what you bought. Any view?

https://www.mullingarelectrical.com/products/cat6-utp-cable-for-external-use-per-meter-cat6utp-ext.html?filter_set%5B%5D=209,217,218

10-10-20

Hard to know with the dearth of information in that description! Probably a similar spec to the cablemonkey stuff.

Stranded cable is typically for making up patch-cables while solid-core is called "infrastructure" and used in punch-down blocks. You want solid-core as it transmits better over distance than stranded. Don't terminate it in an RJ45, it's a pig and you will cry. Terminate it in a wall plug and patch up to the switch using a standard patch-cable. I'd run two cables in parallel and separate it from the power.

For SWA I'd personally stick to local electrical suppliers for electrical cable; you have comeback and they will stand over their products.

karlitob

Thanks so much for your response. Will take your advice on the point on local supplier.

Can I ask about what you said here:

“I'd run two cables in parallel and separate it from the power.”

Im bringing an swa from my consumer unit (not connecting; just laying now) to a garden room (not built). The router is beside the consumer unit. I planned the run the swa and Cat6 beside each other all the way down.

am I going at it arseways?

10-10-20

The guidance is that network cabling should be shielded and ducted separately from power cabling. 60m is a long run and running the cables alongside will cause Noise (crosstalk) from the AC mains into the CAT. CAT6 is less affected by crosstalk as the twists used to reduce the crosstalk are close-together and CAT6A even more-so, but the guidance still stands that it should be separated from mains cable.

Have a look at this discussion from the archives...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2057966215/can-i-run-cat6-beside-swa

After doing a bit more reading on the matter, I think that CAT6A would be most suitable here as the wire-pairs are individually shielded and should offer the best outcome for your installation.

https://www.cablemonkey.ie/cat6a-cable/13868-cat6a-external-u-ftp-cable-ldpe-outer-sheath.html

In regards to running two cables, that's down to redundancy really.

Are you planning on direct-burying the CAT or trunking it underground? I would not direct-bury it myself, I'd trunk it in suitable piping and run it in the same trench as the SWA, but separated by a few CM's, but I don't know the circumstances of your install. At least that way, you can replace the wiring if it becomes damp/damaged.

tech

I got a box of this from Free TV

good Value!

https://www.freetv.ie/outdoor-cat6-cable/

karlitob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117875700#Comment_117875700

Thanks so much for your reply. Very helpful.

• Will go ahead with your suggestion from cablemonkey. Seems like a very reasonable price for the quality that you suggest.
• Yes, I'm planning to lay the Cat 6A in a duct, and lay the SWA direct - in the same trench, but will separate as you suggest.
• SWA I'm planning to purchase is below 3 x 16mm. If any thought comes to mind, please let me know.
• https://www.wesco.ie/products/p-swa031600.html

A few stupid questions.

• Trunking: What would be 'suitable' trunking? Would something like this be ok? It's 10mm, the cable is 8mm (I think). I presume the trunking is to protect the wire and allow for replacement in the future rather than crosstalk, etc?
• https://www.eew.ie/products/spiral-flexible-pvc-conduit-series-gfe-ecgfe10n.html?filter_set[]=55,87
• https://www.connectixcablingsystems.com/data-sheet?id_attachment=37153
• 
  
• Holes: So I'll be boring into the exterior wall (single leaf block + internal insulated plasterboard) and threading through the swa (3 x 16mm) and the Cat6a. Both will - eventually - go the same place i.e. consumer unit, and the router which is right beside the consumer unit. I still have to figure out the angle that the groundsman will bore so as to accommodate the bend radius of the swa. My question is - should I not have the cat6a run side by side to the swa in this hole. Whatever about crosstalk....I can't visualise how the two cables would sit in this hole. Would placing the cat 6 in a hard pvc tube in the same hole as the swa be ok? I presume that the hole will be filled with some form of expanding foam.
• Sorry for that query. Unusual I know. Appreciate any help you can offer. Thank you.
• https://ibb.co/wh90nzV

2011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117873277#Comment_117873277

I just saw this now.

LSZH does not mean that it is fire rated!

It means that these cable types emit limited smoke and no halogen when exposed to high sources of heat. This term has largley been replaced by the requirement for CPR cables.

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117894459#Comment_117894459

Correct, it's a material specification. Thanks for the correction.

karlitob

Gents

Can I ask one more question about the cat6a.

so the conduit and cable is laid and buried. One end is in the house, the other is on the reel at the end of the garden.

it’ll be a year or so before the garden room is built.

It’s external cat6a but I wonder would this bag (or ten of them) be sufficient to protect it from the elements?? Many thanks.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/site-heavy-duty-rubble-sacks-50ltr-5-pack/652gt

tech

its very hard to stop water from getting in, I tried before with medical gloves and it still go in!!! Id get 1 of these boxes and put the end of cable in it.

https://www.screwfix.ie/p/schneider-electric-4-entry-rectangular-junction-box-with-knockouts/63295?gclid=CjwKCAjwzOqKBhAWEiwArQGwaH_R9UW4zRMbGoaFbAH-UIqy9H0zDvlrYHsgEz8rCguVJ_NvDkM4mxoCjkIQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

and then silonce it up once you have the cable inside, and then seal up in a few bags,

karlitob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117976780#Comment_117976780

Thanks for that. I have it on the reel itself (about 30m or so left on it).

10-10-20

Or bundle up a good length of it and point the open end downwards and wrap it in a bag suspended off the ground and not in direct sunlight or exposed to rain. Then when it comes to fit it, lob off a good length from the end. It will be fine.

I have one of those Schneider junction boxes in direct sun/rain and it's very secure. No sign of damp after 3 years. They are only about 2 EUR at a wholesaler.

karlitob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117976872#Comment_117976872

Thank you.

I'll buy those heavy duty bags and wrap the heck out of it. Keep it off the ground as you say, point it down, and protect it from sunlight and exposed rain (will figure out a way to do that).

Thanks all.

Ubbquittious

I have a cat5 cable running outside exposed to the elements for 10+ years and no sign of damage yet. This is ordinary indoor use stuff.

karlitob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117980686#Comment_117980686

Thanks for that. Good to hear (though I presume it’s connected at both ends so you know it’s not damaged). Mines not to be connected for a while.

thanks a lot.

Risteard81

If something is too watertight then condensation which forms inside won't be able to escape, and therefore it will fill with water. A drain hole is generally more effective than trying to make something completely watertight.

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117981130#Comment_117981130

Yes working grand. If you are worried the outer insulation will get damaged you can always throw a lick of paint onto it. Cheaper than buying specialty stuff but I'd say there's no need

karlitob

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117981709#Comment_117981709

Good point. I was actually wondering that myself. I was thinking of ensuring that whatever I wrap it in that I keep it off the ground and then pop a few small holes in the bottom for egress. Sound reasonable? Need to check regularly I suppose to see how Its getting on.

Thanks

CreadanLady

Both the SWA and CAT6 cables should be ducted.

For the SWA use a 50mm UPVC ESB approved duct. You could even use twin +earth here instead if it is ducted.

For the CAT6 use a 50mm UPVC plain duct. Seal the end of the CAT6 cable with a good big blob of

Keep both ducts 50cm apart.

Make sure both are bedded in sand.