putting cat5 in conduit with 120vac?

seez52

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I've got a conduit already buried. I know they say not to run cat5 parallel with ac voltage for any distance. Do you think pulling an AC line with the cat5 will cause data transmission problems. The cat5 I'm using is made for direct burial.
 

guykuo

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Don't do it. It will not be to code and you are maximizing signal interference. Beyond the code violation, I doubt even shielded CAT5 would adequately prevent noise issues in such a long, close contact, parallel run. It's direct run cable, you would be better off trenching it in separately rather than inside the same conduit.

725-54. Installation of Conductors and Equipment
(a) Separation from Electric Light, Power, Class 1, Nonpower-Limited Fire Alarm Circuit Conductors, and Medium Power Network-Powered Broadband Communications Cables.
(1) In Cables, Compartments, Cable Trays, Enclosures, Manholes, Outlet Boxes, Device Boxes, and Raceways. Cables and conductors of Class 2 and Class 3 circuits shall not be placed in any cable, cable tray, compartment, enclosure, manhole, outlet box, device box, raceway, or similar fitting with conductors of electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm circuits, and medium power network-powered broadband communications cables.
Exception No. 1: Where the conductors of the electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm, and medium power network-powered broadband communications circuits are separated by a barrier from the Class 2 and Class 3 circuits. In enclosures, Class 2 or Class 3 circuits shall be permitted to be installed in a raceway within the enclosure to separate them from Class 1, electric light, power, nonpower-limited fire alarm, and medium power network-powered broadband communications circuits.
Exception No. 2: Conductors in compartments, enclosures, device boxes, outlet boxes, or similar fittings, where electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm, and medium power network-powered broadband communications circuit conductors are introduced solely to connect to the equipment connected to Class 2 or Class 3 circuits to which the other conductors are connected, and
a. The electric light, power, Class 1, nonpower-limited fire alarm, and medium power network-powered broadband communications circuit conductors are routed to maintain a minimum of 0.25 in. (6.35 mm) separation from the conductors and cables of Class 2 and Class 3 circuits, or
b. The circuit conductors operate at 150 volts or less to ground and also comply with one of the following:
1. The Class 2 and Class 3 circuits are installed using Type CL3, CL3R, or CL3P or permitted substitute cables, provided these Class 3 cable conductors extending beyond the jacket are separated by a minimum of 0.25 in. (6.35 mm) or by a nonconductive sleeve or nonconductive barrier from all other conductors,

 

bp2008

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I wouldn't. Even if it works, it is a potential safety issue (hence the electric code rules about it) since that little amount of separation makes it more likely for the low voltage wires to be energized with high voltage power in the event of an accident.

If you can run fiber optics instead, that should work and avoid the safety issue and the NEC code violation too.
 

seez52

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I"m going to be putting a fiber cable in there, which I guess is ok.

My thinking was that I might want a camera at the first pull box looking back at the house. I never see much about using wi-fi with any of the Dahua cameras. I could get power out of the pull box, but had planned to make the fiber a home run and this would be about mid-way.
 

bp2008

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A pair of NanoStation Loco M2 (or M5 for 5 GHz) radios usually works wonders for short range wifi links. But fiber optics are undeniably better if you don't mind running the cable!
 

seez52

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this one would be about 300' and line of sight. I have a single Nanostation, an older one. Got it at a yard sale and it seems to work fine.
 

Kameraad

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Can't you use powerline adapters? I used them in the past for a single camera, never had any trouble with them.
 
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danbutter

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I may try this, I've not used them before.
I have a cam and wifi access point on the other end of a powerline adapter. Works fine for me. Not saying it will in every case, but the technology does work.
 
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