cmaenginsb
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-19
Palmdale, CA
| reply to Keithb
Re: Outdoor rated Cat5 required?
Something to think about. Even though only 3 of cable is "exposed" to the weather the reality is the whole cable is. Remember that once moisture enters the cable it will travel up the space between the copper and the pvc meaning the actual point of corrosion could be anywhere on the cable. So the rationalization of only 3' being outdoors making it not worth it really doesn't fly.
That said we use the outdoor home depot stuff most of the time as proper install in a dryer climate will prevent water from causing the problem I described. The only places where you might consider flooded cable for CPe is on the ocean.
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CCNA, Comtrain Certified Tower Climber |
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AMD Phreak
Premium
join:2003-12-14 | reply to Keithb
Airaya ships their products using the Mowhawk UTP flooded. Normally I would not use this on a tower, but it seems to work just fine. I have used it on a site that has a lot of RF here and the ethernet errors are nil. |
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Keithb
join:2003-09-16
US
| reply to Chele
Yea, that's why I was so shocked none had any. I thought Stealthwave done bought'em all out. lol
I've got some coming now, so I'll use these 2 spools. I still have a few 100' of the flooded direct burial cable which I'd like to save.
We're adding a new pop, and only have 125' of the sheilded flooded cable, so I might have to use some non-shielded temporarily. |
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Chele
join:2003-07-23
| reply to Keithb
said by Keithb  :4 Home Depots within 70 miles of here are all out of Cat5, so it's not readily available down here unfortunately. This has happened to me before. The worst part is that NOBODY else carries outdoor CAT5 in my neck of the woods, and quite frankly, I think I'm the only one that buys this stuff from HomeDepot here  |
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LLigetfa
join:2006-05-15
Fort Frances, ON | reply to Keithb
I think it's a conspired shortage to drive up the price. |
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Keithb
join:2003-09-16
US | reply to superdog
4 Home Depots within 70 miles of here are all out of Cat5, so it's not readily available down here unfortunately. |
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superdog
I Need A Drink
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-13
Lebanon, PA
| reply to Chele
said by Chele : It's kind of funny that one year ago we were all whining about the cost of CPE's, now this. I continue buying the HomeDepot stuff, it costs just as much as the others listed here by the time you figure taxes and shipping. Agreed!. The cost of CPE's has dropped to the point that anyone who says they can't make any $$ in this business is crazy!. While most of You do not like Raylink, I am loving the stuff more and more every day!. I just bought 2 brand new CPE's in the box for $13.00 each! Talk about making $$ from day 1!. I also just bought a new Deliberant 2700 connectorized unit for $67.00!, and it was brand new also. Ebay is a great place if You are persistent?.
Your second thought about the cable is the same way I think also?. The other cool thing is that it is there when I need it, and I am never stuck waiting to do installs on the UPS guy. I also do not have to shell out any extra cash to buy spare rolls "Just in case", as it seems that most times when I do that, it is $$ that just sits there and does nothing?.
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Chele
join:2003-07-23
| reply to Keithb
said by Keithb :It's 500' rolls also? We've always found more waste on 500' rolls. Not really, We seldom waste cable. Some of our installs require very little cable. It would be better if we could get it in 1000' boxes/spools. I really like the HD stuff, it's easy to work with, it holds up very well, and it's readily available. As I said, by the time it's all said and done, it costs just as much as the other non-flooded cable. However, I'm always looking for better options. |
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Keithb
join:2003-09-16
US | reply to Chele
It's 500' rolls also? We've always found more waste on 500' rolls. |
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Chele
join:2003-07-23
| reply to Keithb
Let's go on strike and not buy this stuff anymore It's kind of funny that one year ago we were all whining about the cost of CPE's, now this. I continue buying the HomeDepot stuff, it costs just as much as the others listed here by the time you figure taxes and shipping. |
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Keithb
join:2003-09-16
US
| reply to LLigetfa
I'll be satisfied with the CMX outdoor jacket for a little over $100/1000', but don't see how we were paying less than that 3 months ago for the gel filled. It just doesn't make sense.
We have a pop where we have to use about 75' of the sealtite conduit due to rodents. It's a rice mill, and there are power cables that are chewed through and hanging on by a few strands, so I know I need the metal ring filled sealtite there, not just the plastic. |
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LLigetfa
join:2006-05-15
Fort Frances, ON
| reply to Keithb
said by Keithb :I was looking to spend less money per install IKWYM... cannot believe the price of that shit. I buy lots of my fibre from Anixter wrapped in Tek armour and by comparison, the empty Liquidtight is more expensive! Go figure?
Anyway, in your first post you were only talking 3 or 4 feet. Gel-filled may be over-kill but the outdoor stuff with the gel filling usually has the tougher jacket as well for direct burial. The main concern I have is for rodents chewing through the wire. Seems they don't like the gel any more than we do and stop chewing when they get a taste of it.
You could also consider a short piece of soft copper tubing with the black poly jacket. If you use the bare stuff, the green oxide would stain the house. |
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lschweiss
Premium
join:2005-12-01
Bridgeton, MO
| reply to wwwires
said by wwwires :
Is there any type of spray or paint that you could apply to the exposed cable to seal it from the elements?
I'm still using gel filled, but as prices keep going up, I'm investigating using heat shrink tubing for the outdoor portions on cheaper cat-5. I know it is available in bulk roles and weather proof. |
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Keithb
join:2003-09-16
US
| reply to LLigetfa
Yea, we've used the sealtite (what we call it) constantly on some of our transformer banks. I was looking to spend less money per install, but don't want to jeopardize the integrity of the cabling either. We used to purchase the flooded UTP for under $100/1000' as others have stated, but now we can't come close as most vendors are out.
Are there that many more people using it now?
I'll use the CMX since I do not see the need for the flooded cable except on towers, etc. I'll contact Graybar on our next purchase though, with the #'s listed above. Maybe they can find it this time.  |
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LLigetfa
join:2006-05-15
Fort Frances, ON | reply to superdog
Google for liquidtight flexible conduit. Only seal one end waterproof and stuff fibreglass insulation in the other end to keep bugs out.
Black poly pipe works good too. |
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superdog
I Need A Drink
Premium,MVM
join:2001-07-13
Lebanon, PA
| reply to wwwires
said by wwwires :
Is there any type of spray or paint that you could apply to the exposed cable to seal it from the elements?
I am going to say no?. Depending on what the compound You are using to do this contains?, it may start to break down the jacket of the CAT5 even faster than what the UV rays of the sun can?. I have tried to use different substances over the years to seal coax connectors, and some worked and some did not?. The stuff that worked was fine for sealing short distances, but You would not want to try and apply it to a few feet of CAT5 cable, as it would be both difficult and messy.I have found that most standard CAT5 cable does fine outside, but it is very prone to cracking at bends and any place You have squeezed it or applied pressure?, like using a zip tie to attach it to a tower. I will admit that once this happens, it becomes a big bendable straw , and water will follow it right to the end of the cable, and as mentioned before, run out all over whatever is there. 
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AMD Phreak
Premium
join:2003-12-14
| reply to Keithb
Try this for the Essex cable:
5ESWPPV4P24GYPESS
not sure on the mowhawk flooded.....just ask for it by name. It might be also direct bury flooded cat5e. The flooding compound comes of real easy if you use some Klein hand wipes. I always order a bucket of those with a 1000' spool of flooded cable so we dont run out.
Not sure on flooded STP. I assume Belden makes some. I think even Superior Essex makes some OSP STP CAT5e....i recall seeing some on a tower a while back.
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Using a non-ports-system OS is like masturbating with a cheese grater
"No job is so important, and no service is so urgent that we cannot take the time to do it safely."
-- AT&T |
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wwwires
@net.au | reply to Keithb
Is there any type of spray or paint that you could apply to the exposed cable to seal it from the elements?
It seems like a bit of a waste using outdoor cable when only about a meter of it is exposed to the weather. |
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Keithb
join:2003-09-16
US
| reply to kukur
Yea, the lady at Graybar seems a little clueless that I spoke to. I believe she was quoting Commscope or Belden though, not Mowhawk.
We've had our share of copper theft, and saw in a safety meeting a guy stealing copper from a substation with 69kv. Needless to say, he didn't make it to the scrap yard.
If you can get the part numbers from Graybar that would be great. I'd like the regular outdoor cable, as well as the flood cable, and possibly the flooded shielded cable. She wasn't sure which to choose actually. |
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kukur
join:2003-10-29
Saint Maries, ID
| reply to viperm
said by viperm :I hear you we caught the guy who was doing it at our cell tower and chased him all around town and finally caught him wiht a wad of cash, van, wire, tools and such at the local scrap yard. Cops came an took him away. It was his 2nd time being caught for the same thing. He tried to give his girlfriend the wade of cash... NOT we told the cops they took it and impounded it.. SHE WAS PISSED!!! oh well ike we gave a **** so the guy knows not to mess with us! A couple months ago someone climbed a power pole and was trying to steal the copper ground rod from inside a state park here in Idaho.
Actual article text:
By Ralph Bartholdt
An Oakesdale man suspected of trying to steel a copper ground wire from a power pole at Heyburn State Park is recovering at Harborview Medical Center from electrical burns.
Park employees found Thomas J. McBride, 41, lying under a power pole at Upper Chatcolet Road, Nov. 1, after he had fallen approximately 35 feet.
The workers told police that another man, David Sharp, 34, of Oakesdale, approached them at 11:30 a.m. and said his friend had been electrocuted.
When they arrived at the scene they found McBride conscious "wearing spiked boots lying near a pair of pliers," according to a deputy's report.
He was transferred by helicopter to Kootenai Medical Center and then to Harborview where he is listed in satisfactory condition.
Sharp told deputies that he had brought McBride to the park to collect firewood and was surprised when he climbed the power pole.
He saw McBride start to fall and grab an electrical line. After he grabbed the wire there was an orange arc and McBride fell from the pole.
He lay unresponsive when Sharp went for help, according to a report.
The 41-year-old could face a misdemeanor charge of attempted petty theft, said Benewah County Prosecutor Doug Payne, who hasn't filed a complaint in the case.
"He appeared to be engaged in stealing copper for scrap," the prosecutor said. "It's fair to say charges are pending."
Skyrocketing copper prices, over $3 per pound, have prompted a rash of similar incidents in the region, mostly in Stevens County, Washington, an Avista spokesperson said.
The company has logged 33 cases of theft, said Debbie Simock of Avista.
"This summer we had a series of thefts north of Spokane," said Ms. Simock. "We have had a number of situations where people have stolen copper, taken it out of transformers, they've pulled down spans of wire."
"It is incredibly dangerous and not worth risking their life for the little bit of copper they can possibly get out of it."
The problem isn't as pronounced in Idaho's Panhandle, she said.
Theft of the metal usually follows a cycle and increases when copper prices go up, she said.
She urged people to call authorities or Avista if they notice suspicious activity around lines, substations or equipment.
"Our crews will always be in Avista trucks," she said. "If we have any contractors working they will be in identifiable vehicles."
Distribution lines carry approximately 7,000 volts of electricity, more than 60 times the amount found in homes, she said. |
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