NEC article for ethernet, which one?

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mjmike

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I am trying to determine where data cables such as cat5e are covered in the code? Are they considered part of article 725, article 800, or some other article? It is not clear where it fall into the code at. No place does it list category cable in the scope of the articles. Can anybody explain where this falls into the code at?

What I am trying to do is determine how to classify the cat5e cable. Is it class 1, class 2, class 3, is it a "communications circuit", is it a "low-power network powered broadband communications circuit:, etc.
 
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What you have to consider what is the respective over all use of what's in the E-net and what will it all have in it. :D OK, you have to consider mixed services of different circuits. I realize it might be simple system, I just waned to say... Yes your close. The 700's always puts me to sleep and other things... :rant: Only because some get away with such bad installs. JMO.
 
Although not code language this is what the 2011 NECH has to say. They seem to concur with Don's answer:

Although information technology equipment systems
are often used for or with communications systems, Article
800 does not cover wiring of this equipment. Instead, Article
645 provides requirements for wiring contained solely
within an information technology equipment (computer)
room. (See 645.4 for a description of the type of information
technology equipment room to which Article 645 applies.)
Article 725 provides requirements for wiring that extends
beyond a computer room and also covers wiring of local
area networks within buildings. Article 760 covers wiring
requirements for fire alarm systems.
Click to expand...
 
Definitely some confusion and debate. Very good article links. Good to know I'm not the only one that found it confusing. For what I needed to know, I could construe ethernet to be either communications wire or class 2. Thanks for the help.
 
800.1 Scope. This article covers communications circuits
and equipment.
Click to expand...

Communications Circuit. The circuit that extends voice,
audio, video, data, interactive services, telegraph (except
radio), outside wiring for fire alarm and burglar alarm from
the communications utility to the customer?s communications
equipment up to and including terminal equipment
such as a telephone, fax machine, or answering machine.
Click to expand...

I guess you could argue that communications circuits article 800 only apply to things that are directly connected to an outside utility.
 
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