Does it matter if you use CAT5e for a long run?
- Thread starter Tazz 316
- Start date
I think this will turn into an opinion poll. Mine is that for that distance, use cat6 to get awg23 conductors instead of awg24 conductors in cat5e. Make sure the cat6 is awg23, not all are, and of course solid copper conductors, not CCA.
Running some ballpark numbers is easy if you assume a power draw of 50 watts and 50 volt POE. At a 300 foot run, the round trip resistance of 24awg is 7.7 ohms, and for 23awg 6.1 ohms. If drawing 50 watts, the current will be an even amp. That means the 24awg wire will drop 7.7 volts and the 23awg wire, 6.1 volts. Not a night-and-day difference by any means, but you could be operating on the edge of what a camera will and won't accept.
In reality, I assume your camera won't draw 50 watts, and cutting all the numbers in half for 25 watts is probably more realistic. The probably is high that either cable would work. I'd still go with cat6. Opinion. And not knowing which camera you're going to use, my comments are based on assumption.
Running some ballpark numbers is easy if you assume a power draw of 50 watts and 50 volt POE. At a 300 foot run, the round trip resistance of 24awg is 7.7 ohms, and for 23awg 6.1 ohms. If drawing 50 watts, the current will be an even amp. That means the 24awg wire will drop 7.7 volts and the 23awg wire, 6.1 volts. Not a night-and-day difference by any means, but you could be operating on the edge of what a camera will and won't accept.
In reality, I assume your camera won't draw 50 watts, and cutting all the numbers in half for 25 watts is probably more realistic. The probably is high that either cable would work. I'd still go with cat6. Opinion. And not knowing which camera you're going to use, my comments are based on assumption.
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+1 to what @tigerwillow said ^^^^, IMO....
- CAT-6
- #23 AWG
- Solid copper (no CCA / Copper Clad Aluminum)
- Last but not least, the cable's jacket rated for the application.
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