Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!

Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!

  • Congratulations strongm on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!

CW1128 external cable 1

Status
Not open for further replies.

derbydave

Technical User
Feb 27, 2003
121
GB
Hi.
This may seem a silly question to some people, but does anyone know if CW1128 external cable (PJF) can also be run inside?
I seem to remember reading somewhere that it had to terminate upon entering the building, but I'm not sure.

Thanks

Dave.
 
Im not familiar with either of the types you have specified there, just for my info, can you elaborate a bit on what that cable is?


It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
 
You probably read that it had to be terminated within a certain distance from the building entry point. This is a grounding requirement for lightning strike purposes. After that requirement has been met you can run it anywhere you want, however, it is messy to work with and more expensive so why would you bother?

 
Judging from the jacket of that cable, and its explanation of being useful for outside plant use (even though it says not where armored cable would be needed, I'm not sure what they mean by that.. maybe they are referring to the shield) i would assume that this cable must be terminated within 50 feet of entry into a building, or must be ran inside a fire rated conduit upon building entry.

I'm not sure though, this cable could be used inside as well -- I didn't see any clarification on that from the specs though.
 
You probably read that it had to be terminated within a certain distance from the building entry point. This is a grounding requirement for lightning strike purposes. After that requirement has been met you can run it anywhere you want

Well you could...but in the US you would be violating the National Electrical Code and putting your self in a fair amount of liability. The grounding and primary protection is for over voltage protection yes, however the cable cannot be run indoors because it is manfactured with products that produce too much harmfull gases if ignited and will support rapid fire spread.

To have your cable approved for use inside a structure, it must be rated (complicated process involving flame spread, fire gases and an expensive testing lab) then it receives a stamp such as CM or CP or CMR for communications cabling. Cable that is NOT rated (i.e. outside plant cables like PE-89 type cables, many standard zip cord type wires, etc.)may not be placed in the walls as permanent building wiring, it is a National Electrical Code violation. You might get away with it, but God forbid the place catch on fire and someone dies of smoke inhalation and they find out you put illegal cable in the building.

The cable in question has no armoured sheath, so it would be a little tough to ground that for lightning protection. You could/should put a protector on there that would discharge stray current to ground should it take a hit. We use this type of cable between buildings in conduit, and if required to be outdoors in a cable tray or attached to a structure.

Outdoor plant cables (gel filled, armour shielded, PE-89 type) are allowed to enter the building only a limited distance to limit the risk. The code requires them to be grounded as soon as practical after entering the building, but not more than 50' (unless encased in rigid conduit at which point you can extend it all the way to the grounding/protection location).



Good Luck!

It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
 
CW1128 info via belden's website indicates several cable types but sounds like it is for outside usage and contains a jel-fill. Since (most) jel-filled cables are extremely flammable, the paraphrased inside rule applies as follows:
1. If cable is brought into the building via conduit and piped to the inside final destination in a rigid contiguous conduit (i.e. cable enters building in a rigid conduit and runs the entire way to the destination in rigid conduit with no breaks or gaps) you must then terminate the cable within 50 feet in that room. Hopefully your destination place.
2. If cable is brought into the building via rigid conduit and the conduit stops in an intermediate room (not your destination), you must terminate within 50 feet in that first room. You may not run that jel-cable to the desired location; you will need to breakout and re-cable with inside cable.

Most RCDD’s refer to this as the garden hose rule. If the hose is synonymous with the rigid conduit, where will the water flow if you turn on the outside tap?

Regards,
Peter Buitenhek
peter@profitdeveloper.com
 
Many thanks, guys.
That clears things up for me.
I'm in the UK, but I suppose our building regs. are similar to those in the US.
To be on the safe side I'll terminate and run in indoor cable.

Cheers

Dave.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Part and Inventory Search

Sponsor

Back
Top