novicelec
Technical User
- Mar 24, 2007
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I need to know what potential problems occur when cat5 cable is daisey chained and possibly stapled?
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Cat5 wiring problems 1
- Thread starter novicelec
- Start date
- Status
dagwoodsystems
Programmer
The daisy-chain in and of itself is not a problem. However, it is usually an indication that it was run by an electrician, because that's the traditional manner in which 110/220 is run. And I have found that people who runs wire that way DO NOT have a handle on the technicalities of network cabling.
There are two potential problems with the daisy-chain installation. First, I suspect that the cable jacket is skinned and terminated at each drop that it passes through. I see this done in almost every single new home today. "Don't worry ma'am, you've got CAT5e wiring". Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if the wire is terminated at a single location only, I suspect that the kind of bending the wire would have to do would hurt your run. Cable would enter the j-box through one set of knockouts, come in a do a whirly gig, then run back out another knockout. I can see 45° and 90° angles in an install like that, which is bad news.
Stapling is an even bigger offender. If you don't accidentally pierce the cable, then you are likely mashing it tight to the wood with the staple. There ARE staples and staple guns that are often used for voice grade cable. The staples have a horseshoe shape that are delivered by staple guns that control how deep the staple is driven. If you can show me that the staples aren't flattening the wire (thus destroying the twisted pair action), then you have my blessing.
There are two potential problems with the daisy-chain installation. First, I suspect that the cable jacket is skinned and terminated at each drop that it passes through. I see this done in almost every single new home today. "Don't worry ma'am, you've got CAT5e wiring". Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if the wire is terminated at a single location only, I suspect that the kind of bending the wire would have to do would hurt your run. Cable would enter the j-box through one set of knockouts, come in a do a whirly gig, then run back out another knockout. I can see 45° and 90° angles in an install like that, which is bad news.
Stapling is an even bigger offender. If you don't accidentally pierce the cable, then you are likely mashing it tight to the wood with the staple. There ARE staples and staple guns that are often used for voice grade cable. The staples have a horseshoe shape that are delivered by staple guns that control how deep the staple is driven. If you can show me that the staples aren't flattening the wire (thus destroying the twisted pair action), then you have my blessing.
Well, clearly future trouble isolation will be more tedious since you can't single out the faulty drop. And staple runs, no matter how carefully done, tend to do some damage unless you're using special 1/4" tacks (some are even insulated for extra protection). And, of course, if the CAT5 is for routed data instead of voice, that HAS to be single drops.
nothing wrong , if your using using it for voice (except cat3 would have done the same job )
no problem stapling cat5 voice runs
wont work for data , data needs to be home run and should only be stapled with a staple gun designed for cat5 so as not to pinch the cable
no problem stapling cat5 voice runs
wont work for data , data needs to be home run and should only be stapled with a staple gun designed for cat5 so as not to pinch the cable
Has anyone used this--I bought one-(pretty cheap) the staple box claims it is cat5e "data" and coaxial safe. I have almost used it 100% for voice cables and only a few times for data but wondering if anyone else has used it for data. I can say that the shape of the staple does protect the cable from being pinched.
I used it in a location that had a grid tile with the structure beams being wood and only about 2 feet from the tiles. I had one cable to run and all I did was throw the cable to the location it was to come down--and then every couple of tiles I opened up and shot a staple to secure and keep the cable taught. Worked pretty easy.
dagwoodsystems
Programmer
I used the Powerfast (or something very similar) on a job once. It used staples like the one shown on the rightmost example here:
It did a fantastic job of maintaining the integrity of the cable jacket, but I found that the grip on it was marginal unless I went into wood. To be fair, my difficulties were probably due to inadequate staple length, which I could have remedied by a trip to the hardware store. The stapler I used belonged to another guy, who allowed me to take it on a test drive.
I guess the only negative about the omega-like staple design is that you can't get into really tight spaces with it.
Like most technicians, I have my own carved-in-stone way of doing things. I have a bit of a light touch with my Arrow T-75 stapler, so I use it whenever I need to tack cable. I know, I know...but I just have a way with it and I never, ever mash the cable. It's crazy. And if I use the deepest staples, I can even get cable to stay along drywall.
It did a fantastic job of maintaining the integrity of the cable jacket, but I found that the grip on it was marginal unless I went into wood. To be fair, my difficulties were probably due to inadequate staple length, which I could have remedied by a trip to the hardware store. The stapler I used belonged to another guy, who allowed me to take it on a test drive.
I guess the only negative about the omega-like staple design is that you can't get into really tight spaces with it.
Like most technicians, I have my own carved-in-stone way of doing things. I have a bit of a light touch with my Arrow T-75 stapler, so I use it whenever I need to tack cable. I know, I know...but I just have a way with it and I never, ever mash the cable. It's crazy. And if I use the deepest staples, I can even get cable to stay along drywall.
jconrad0305
Programmer
i never staple cat5e or any data cables for that matter. i use the zip ties with the hole at the end for screws or i use the sticky pad tie holders. one miss placed staple will screw your cable and maybe even your data switch of nic card.
ACA & ACS IPO Implementation
ACA & ACS IPO Implementation
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PhoneGuy2000
Vendor
I would suggest stapling your tiewrap to the sud and then tighten it to the cables. Make sure not to choke the cables. Daisy chaining cables is for short sighted people. whenever doing an install, the easiest time to wire is when the walls are open or the ceiling is not in yet. You do not know what the clients needs will be in the future. for the most flexibility, you should home run everything. In a home, the price of riser rated or pvc rated Cat5e is so cheap, I would convince the client to let you run that for voice and data. Then as voice applications continue to move to data platforms, you can use the same wire. If you look at the EIA/TIa 5070 residential standards and the EIA/TIA 568 standards, they do not allow for daisy chaining of wires. The FCC issued a report in the late 90's that stated that if a builder or contractor wired a home and stated that it was fit for a specific purpose ("smart home", "high speed data ready", etc.) that if they used methods or materials not meeting standards at the time of installation that they could be sued under the UCC for failing to meet "fitness for a specified purpose". YOu are best off knowing the current standards and meeting or exceeding them. That will also differentiate you from the trunk slammers that do a quick and dirty install and leave the client needing to pay to "upgrade". And by the way, I am a BICSI RCDD and Registered Technician, I have been in telecom and caling since 1983, I have done it all, seen it all, and I do know a little about what I wrote here today...
I have wired a few Smart Panel homes we go in predrywall after framing we home run usually to a closet or laundry room where the panel is it's customer wish as to where things go but usually run a yellow (for extra and or special security systems), white or gray (voice), and blue (data) cat5E in the smart panel a 110 block for data and phone then from there a homerun from panel to dmarc next to power for co bonding then we run a circuit from power to panel for amplifiers etc. in structured wiring with Cox Communications they install a wireless router/ cable modem in the panel it comes equiped with four hard wire ports which are patched to the 110 the video coaxl quad shield RG6 is most common and we never use the multi splitter that comes in the smart panels it doesn't allow for the proper frequancy on the RDC and FDC bad splitters with less than 5/1000MHz wont work for the COX system (most store bought splitters are garbage) we use staples all the time we have arrow staplers and for voice smashing doesn't matter for data it does but it doesn't if you're really worred about it you can use some electrical tape on the bottom of the stapler to effectively hold the stapler back just a bit from the cable and when you eject the staple it will still hold but the wire still pull through freely causing you to use more staples to keep it in place but you won't damage the wire or you can get a brad stapler that has plastic holders with brad nails on either side which do not work well at all in drywall and work so so on metal studs. if you have any home wiring questions feel free to ask I've done that exclusively for three years.
andyd5@hotmail.com
andyd5@hotmail.com
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