I am planning to hide the camera cables behind the gutters downspouts and secure them with white cable ties. Curious if that is allowed since the downspouts are potential lighting strike pathways. The NVR will be connected to a surge protector/UPS; will tie the shields directly to the rack. Might also get ethernet inline POE surge protectors.
Running shielded Cat6 behind gutter downspouts
- Thread starter krassyg
- Start date
It’s not a question of it being allowed vs all the problems being affixed to the downspout.
As the other member noted if the cable will be exposed to the outside elements an outdoor rated Ethernet cable must be used.
You’re spending a lot of time, resources, and money to only have the system operate for a limited amount of time.
Think decades and longer vs 1-5 years!
The Automation Guy
Known around here
EDIT - Apparently I have a reading comprehension problem. The OP said they were thinking about using the back of the downspout...... Personally I don't have a problem with that. Obviously the cable is going to be exposed and could potentially be tampered with, but I think the odds of that happening are nearly zero.....
Original post:
I would try to run the cable inside the soffit that the gutters are attached to. Generally speaking, those soffits have vents. By accessing the vest and using pull rods to push the cable through (you might need to use several vents along the way), you can probably run that cable pretty easily. Now I realize this is highly dependent on your situation and roof structure, but there is usually a gap between the side of the house and the roof joists. It is certainly something to look into.
Even if you have to push the wire all the way into the attic space, you can then use the attic as a raceway for the cable assuming you have some sort of attic access yourself. Again, using push rods makes this job much easier. Use them to push the wire from the outside into the attic, then along inside the attic, and then again at the other end where you push the rod into the attic and attach the wire to it inside the attic before pulling the rod/wire back out to the external location (assuming that the wire has to go back outside at all).
Example of a push rod.......
www.harborfreight.com
Original post:
I would try to run the cable inside the soffit that the gutters are attached to. Generally speaking, those soffits have vents. By accessing the vest and using pull rods to push the cable through (you might need to use several vents along the way), you can probably run that cable pretty easily. Now I realize this is highly dependent on your situation and roof structure, but there is usually a gap between the side of the house and the roof joists. It is certainly something to look into.
Even if you have to push the wire all the way into the attic space, you can then use the attic as a raceway for the cable assuming you have some sort of attic access yourself. Again, using push rods makes this job much easier. Use them to push the wire from the outside into the attic, then along inside the attic, and then again at the other end where you push the rod into the attic and attach the wire to it inside the attic before pulling the rod/wire back out to the external location (assuming that the wire has to go back outside at all).
Example of a push rod.......
3/16 in. x 33 ft. Fiberglass Wire Running Kit
Amazing deals on this 3/16In X 33Ft Fiberglass Wire Runner at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.
www.harborfreight.com
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FWIW, CAT-5e cable (among other types) can be had that is both white and outdoor-rated.
Cat5e Outdoor Ethernet Cable｜Unshielded
Shop high-performance outdoor Cat5e unshielded Ethernet cable. Perfect for above ground applications. View product specifications to learn more.
www.truecable.com
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My bad; I forgot to mention that I AM using an outdoor rated, shielded and white cat6 cable. No attic and not possible to run the cables in the walls. I am running a few locations inside the soffit but then I still have to come down into the basement. I need to hide the cable since this is an upscale residence and the wires can't be visible. I was originally planning the attach the cable to the white corners which would have worked but behind the downspout works better aesthetically.