I am working on a remodel and there is an existing 1 x 3 cable channel in the floor. I need to run data cable through it and an electician needs to run power. Can mc cable be run through the channel along side of data (Cat5) cables. The data cable would not be in any kind of interduct. If so has anyone run into problems with performance of the data cable.
Data cable with mc cable
- Thread starter andyjoy
- Start date
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hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
I can't see where there would be a problem.
-Hal
-Hal
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I agree with Hal. Although data guy might say differently citing some sort of interference. From a code perspective your fine.
tallgirl
Senior Member
- Location
- Great White North
- Occupation
- Controls Systems firmware engineer
We've had this discussion a zillion times before -- Cat 5 self-cancels induced noise, and the signal rate is much faster than any interference you're going to get from power.
Not that Bob much cares for me talking about it, but I run Cat 5 cables right along side power cables all day long and none of the Cat 5 cables much seem to care.
Not that Bob much cares for me talking about it, but I run Cat 5 cables right along side power cables all day long and none of the Cat 5 cables much seem to care.
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
Maybe its the folklore things, I keep two inches away from other services.
mattsilkwood
Senior Member
- Location
- missouri
strip back a piece of cat5 all the pairs are twisted and each pair is twisted at a different rate, all to cancel inteference. youll be just fine.
Brady Electric
Senior Member
- Location
- Asheville, N. C.
Data cable with mc cable
I agree with Julie and Trevor. Wire seems not to care, but if I have a choice I run it a few inches away just in case. It protects me later if the HO has a problem that he thinks I might have caused. Even if it doesn't cause a problem if trouble comes up some contractors like to blame it on someone else's work just to say they have found the problem. So as Barney Fife would say "Nip It In The Bud". Semper Fi
I agree with Julie and Trevor. Wire seems not to care, but if I have a choice I run it a few inches away just in case. It protects me later if the HO has a problem that he thinks I might have caused. Even if it doesn't cause a problem if trouble comes up some contractors like to blame it on someone else's work just to say they have found the problem. So as Barney Fife would say "Nip It In The Bud". Semper Fi
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
All of the twisting of the data cables...I thought that was more for cross talk that for protection of induction from nearby installation of power conductors. I would not be too concerned with MC/ with metal jacket though.
Why does BISCI have their requirement of maintaining a certain distance from power conductors?
Playing devils advocate here
Why does BISCI have their requirement of maintaining a certain distance from power conductors?
Playing devils advocate here
Michael15956
Senior Member
- Location
- NE Ohio
Pierre,
I agree, BISCI,TIA and even Leviton with whom I'm certified with requires separation of the said wires.
The twisting helps reduce EMI not cancel all of it. The twisting of the wires causes EMF to rotate around the Cat5 in two different directions. This action of the EMF helps reduce interference, but a stronger EMF from maybe line voltage can still penetrate the lower Cat5 wire's EMF and cause interference.
As for the cross talk, some of it is caused by other Cat5 wire that is run incorrectly usually within a bundle.
But, in the stated post there is line voltage within a metal jacket. This would certainly reduce if not stop all noise interference but I think this installation would not pass inspection. Leviton requires eight inches of separations for passed inspections.
Michael
I agree, BISCI,TIA and even Leviton with whom I'm certified with requires separation of the said wires.
The twisting helps reduce EMI not cancel all of it. The twisting of the wires causes EMF to rotate around the Cat5 in two different directions. This action of the EMF helps reduce interference, but a stronger EMF from maybe line voltage can still penetrate the lower Cat5 wire's EMF and cause interference.
As for the cross talk, some of it is caused by other Cat5 wire that is run incorrectly usually within a bundle.
But, in the stated post there is line voltage within a metal jacket. This would certainly reduce if not stop all noise interference but I think this installation would not pass inspection. Leviton requires eight inches of separations for passed inspections.
Michael
Jerry the Phone Guy
Member
- Location
- Jamaica, NY
Data with MC
Data with MC
I believe that no pair twisting provides infinite cancellation of common-mode signals (interference), plus consider how much larger the power signal is compared to data or phone (a factor of ten!). If the cable is ever re-used for analog phone, hum induction could certainly render it useless. Then, there are the issues of spikes and surges being induced. Lastly, there's the remote possibility of a lightning spike causing insulation damage and actual crossing of the conductors (what the phone co. calls Foreign EMF).
Data with MC
I believe that no pair twisting provides infinite cancellation of common-mode signals (interference), plus consider how much larger the power signal is compared to data or phone (a factor of ten!). If the cable is ever re-used for analog phone, hum induction could certainly render it useless. Then, there are the issues of spikes and surges being induced. Lastly, there's the remote possibility of a lightning spike causing insulation damage and actual crossing of the conductors (what the phone co. calls Foreign EMF).
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
The different twist rates for pairs within a cable is to minimize cross-talk. The overall twist rates is for maximizing the reliable data transfer speed. The greater the twist rate, the higher the frequency of the noise that can be rejected.Pierre C Belarge said:
mdshunk
Senior Member
- Location
- Right here.
I know the latest BICSI standards want 12" seperation when run parallel, and 3" when they cross at a perpendicular, but I've yet to have any network manager come to me with a problem that was actually due to inductive noise. Cat5e is darned near impossible to induce noise into, and Series 6 is pretty much impossible. I still struggle to keep the BICSI type seperation anyhow, but when I can't I don't lose any sleep. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.
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