Cable Installation Questions

[Remington19]

I am building a new house. I am having someone install CAT 6 cable while the walls are open. The goal is to have the cables ran to the location of where the external cameras will be so that I can "plug and play" when I decide on a POE system. All the cabling will be ran to the basement where the NVR or PC will be.

I will be providing the materials. So I am looking for suggestions for what is the proper choice to ensure proper functionality.

Cable - Monoprice Cat6 Ethernet Bulk Cable - Solid, 550MHz, UTP, CMR, Riser Rated, Pure Bare Copper Wire, 23AWG, 1000ft, Blue - Monoprice.com

RJ45 connectors - https://www.amazon.com/CableCreatio...qid=1559914402&s=gateway&sprefix=rj45,aps,142

What else to I need?


What sort of questions should I ask the installer to ensure things are done correctly? For example, do the CAT cables have to be a certain distance from normal electrical wire?

The installer states the following will be performed:

1. Cable pulls to central location
2. Install patch panel
3. Terminate all cable to patch panel and endpoints (cable terminated to industry standard 64b)

 

[TonyR]

Great cable.

Mixed reviews on those RJ-45's though. Since they're staggered, you may also consider Monoprice's 2-piece "sled"; make the insertion into the staggered RJ-45's easier.

FWIW, the termination standard is T-568B, not as you have it (typo?).

I'd at least do a simple test with a tester before you sign off on his work: plug patch cable into wall jack with one end of tester, plug another patch cable into patch panel with other end of tester, turn on tester, walk to both ends and confirm good 1 to 8 countdown on tester LED's at BOTH ends.

 

[Holbs]

ask about cable certifications. Sure, many folk just use a pin/wire tester to ensure the pin layouts are correct along with things punched down, which they run with just that. Others, will require the certification tests. I would guess...out of 100 cat6 cables we run, 5 or 6 would fail Cat6 certification due to untwisted things too much, crimp or crushed cable, too close to something with high electrical interference.
For goodness sake... ENSURE all faceplates are labeled. Nothing is worse than running 30-50 cables without no faceplate labeling.

I agree with Tony. I love to two piece RJ-45's and have used without problems for years. The "sled" allows you to double check cable layout before the final crimp.
It is recommended to keep any network cable away from electrical. However, we have tie wrapped/velcro Cat6 cables to live EMT electrical conduits of lengths over 50 feet without any issues. I would stay away from 3 phase for sure, or large motors and high RF.
As I'm sure you have read about here or other places, if you are running 1 cable for a camera, best run 2.
Good time to over populate for 7.1 speakers, coaxial, wireless AP's, 22/2 and 22/6 security alarm cables. My living room looks like swiss cheese since I'm now adding such items as a remodel
Lastly, for giggles....ask installer to leave pull strings everywhere he runs his path. Incase you have to follow up later on with additional "something".

 

[TonyR]

1^^.
I'd suggest stay at least 3 feet away from AC-carrying conductors, lighting ballasts, etc. and don't run parallel any closer than that....if you must cross AC conductors with your CAT cable, do so only at a right angle. I'd even pin it to the ceiling where I could be >3 ft. away if had to cross them.

 

[Holbs]

mind you... i'm not advocating for the installer to have a $10,000 Fluke Cat6 certification tester. If I was not into the networking infrastructure business, I would be content with the $50 wire mappers. But if he does have one, that's one less thing to worry about.

 

[Holbs]

lastly, if I were to wire my new construction house, all cabling pathways would be REQUIRED to be in J-Hooks. No staples, not laying on roof insulation, no mounds of rat nested cables knots, 5 feet of slack left over at the faceplate terminations, 5 feet slack service coil near the patch panel. Ok...i'll shut up now

 

[Hammerhead786]

Having finally run all the cables for my cameras. I'll just add my 2 pence worth here. Since Monoprice is within travelling distance from me, I bought the cable specified in your post from them. I also bought the RJ-45's that TonyR recommended along with some rubber boots for the ends of the patch leads that I made. I highly recommend those RJ-45's. I also bought the cheap cable tester and a ratcheting crimp tool. Every connection I made was perfect.

As the others have stated, if you have to cross electrical cable with network cable, do it at a right angle and if you must run it parallel, then ensure it is at least a foot away from the electrical cable.

 

[Mike A.]

lastly, if I were to wire my new construction house, all cabling pathways would be REQUIRED to be in J-Hooks. No staples, not laying on roof insulation, no mounds of rat nested cables knots, 5 feet of slack left over at the faceplate terminations, 5 feet slack service coil near the patch panel. Ok...i'll shut up now

Nobody appreciates slack until you need some and it's just not there.

And pull strings. To some guys out there who I'll never know, thanks bud! ; )

 

[Rakin]

Nobody appreciates slack until you need some and it's just not there.

And pull strings. To some guys out there who I'll never know, thanks bud! ; )

The problem with pull strings run with existing wire is it will likely cut into the existing wire when used to pull a new line. I’ve seen pull strings cut grooves through sweeping 90s even. Cable grease helps a lot.


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[TonyR]

The problem with pull strings run with existing wire is it will likely cut into the existing wire when used to pull a new line. I’ve seen pull strings cut grooves through sweeping 90s even. Cable grease helps a lot.

+1^^.

I have seen conductor insulation "grooved" somewhat but usually because the conduit was too small for the total number of conductors. Nylon string and small diameter woven poly ropes (like "ski" ropes) are OK for an empty conduit to pull in new but not already occupied with conductors as it VERY bad about slicing conductor insulation. Its rippled, woven surface gets very hot because of friction and I've seen it actually melt a parallel groove in the thermoplastic on existing conductors when pulled by a novice (too fast and/or no lubricant).

We would pull in, and our specs for contractors required, a spare conductor to use as a future "pull string". It was a black, solid copper #14 TW/THW; it would be the ONLY black #14 conductor in the conduit.

I always avoided the too small string, the cutting rope and the friction burns when pulling into an occupied conduit that was obviously there and I could not make larger by using lubricant approved for the purpose and the previously installed black #14. If a new conductor was being pulled in either to add a new function OR to replace an existing "bad" conductor, we'd pull in 2; the new conductor for the addition/replacement AND a black #14 to replace the black #14 being used for the pull.

 

[Mike A.]

The problem with pull strings run with existing wire is it will likely cut into the existing wire when used to pull a new line. I’ve seen pull strings cut grooves through sweeping 90s even. Cable grease helps a lot.

Wasn't talking about inside conduit so much. That's usually a lost cause for any length with the string other than first time through or near empty since even with a swivel it ends up wrapping somewhere or as you say will when you start pulling on it. But most cable doesn't live inside of conduit. Lots of other places where a short piece of pull string will save you or someone else a bunch of time and trouble getting from here to there the next time through. Always happy to find and tried to leave something where I knew somebody likely might be there again at some point.

 

[Rakin]

Wasn't talking about inside conduit so much. That's usually a lost cause for any length with the string other than first time through or near empty since even with a swivel it ends up wrapping somewhere or as you say will when you start pulling on it. But most cable doesn't live inside of conduit. Lots of other places where a short piece of pull string will save you or someone else a bunch of time and trouble getting from here to there the next time through. Always happy to find and tried to leave something where I knew somebody likely might be there again at some point.

My favorite is when I pull extra cat5 cable and a catv or satellite guy comes behind me at some point and uses the spare cat5 to pull coax.

But whenever I see a hole with a pull string I usually think someone put that there for someone other then me. And if I can’t verify what that hole and string is for I wont use it. Unless the hole is plenty big that whatever I am putting in won’t make any difference or be damaged.


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