Any cable guys here? Questions about running RG6 and CAT 6 underground

[james t kirk]

I'm in the process of wiring up my detached garage.

I have run a 1.5" PVC conduit from my basement to my garage. It's buried about 5 feet down. In that conduit, I want to run a series of low voltage lines.

1. Co-ax for a TV (RG 6)
2. Telephone (CAT 5 or 6)
3. Internet (CAT 6)
4. Security (CAT 5 or 6)

The length of the run is about 100 feet.

Although the conduit is PVC with glued joints, I'm sure that there is water in there. (Conduits leak.)

I'm wondering if there is an RG6 that is suitable for direct bury. Ditto the CAT 6. Is there an ID for this type of wire. (For example with 120/240 wire, the type of wire for inside a PVC conduit is RW90, which is suitable for inside a buried PVC conduit where there may be water. Or you could pull 14-2 NMWU wire. But these are both distinct types of wire suitable for a wet install.

Is there a similar designation for RG6?

Is there a similar designation for CAT 6.

Both the spools that I have of RG6 and CAT 6 (especially) do not seem stout enough for direct bury.

Also, with the RG-6 and a run of 100 feet from my Bell Fibe modem, is this too long of a run???

 

[fuji]

Cat6 and cat5 are doubly water proof, the outer sheath is waterproof and the inner cables within it also have waterproof sheaths. If you think it will get roughed up you can buy outdoor rated cable with a tougher outer sheath but even the indoor cable is waterproof.

Coax should also be fine that run that stuff to roof antennas that get rained on.

The ENDS aren't waterproof so consider that if you plan to pull them through a wet conduit...

The bigger question is whether your conduit will get nasty and fill with mold and cause issues unrelated to the cables if you can't keep it dry.

 

[fuji]

As for your Bell Fibe why not terminate it at the entry point and run cat6 from their modem to your rec area. Put the 100 feet between their modem and your WiFi.

(Don't use their modem for WiFi)

 

[james t kirk]

Cat6 and cat5 are doubly water proof, the outer sheath is waterproof and the inner cables within it also have waterproof sheaths. If you think it will get roughed up you can buy outdoor rated cable with a tougher outer sheath but even the indoor cable is waterproof.

Coax should also be fine that run that stuff to roof antennas that get rained on.

The ENDS aren't waterproof so consider that if you plan to pull them through a wet conduit...

The bigger question is whether your conduit will get nasty and fill with mold and cause issues unrelated to the cables if you can't keep it dry.

Mold would require food to grow. Conduits can be sealed at either end with silicon I suppose.

Pretty much every buried conduit bank I've ever seen, there is water infiltration into the conduits. It's strange, but it finds its way in.

 

[james t kirk]

As for your Bell Fibe why not terminate it at the entry point and run cat6 from their modem to your rec area. Put the 100 feet between their modem and your WiFi.

(Don't use their modem for WiFi)

My modem is in my mechanical room in the basement. Do you mean that I should run CAT 6 in place of the RG6? (That is in fact what Bell did to one on my TVs inside the house.)

 

[fuji]

My modem is in my mechanical room in the basement. Do you mean that I should run CAT 6 in place of the RG6? (That is in fact what Bell did to one on my TVs inside the house.)

If you are running rg6 from their device to your TV I don't know, ask them. If you are talking about running cable from the connection to your house from the street further into your property it would be better to terminate their device directly on the cable from the street. Every connector joining two lengths of cable will introduce errors in the signal that will lower your bandwidth. You want a powered device generating a new signal at each end of a length of cable, so terminate their modem where their line comes in from the street not using ANY home wiring, then run Ethernet from their device to your router or TV. Assuming digital signal.

 

[MRBJX]

1.5 inch for all that is very tight unless there are no bends.
there are 'outdoor' jackets for all of those cables, just google it. I ran a 4inch pipe with all that and more all the way from my deck to my pool over 150feet away, its 4 feet under ground, no issues in 7 or 8 years. The jackets on the indoor cables are soft and will rip on long pulls.

 

[james t kirk]

I tried googling it, it was a nightmare of contradictory information.

I just want to know the technical term for direct buried RG6 and CAT 6.

The only store I can think of that might sell it is Sayal, maybe Nedco. Paul Wolfe and Jomar are more just electrical.

It will more than fit inside a 1.5" diameter conduit, I'm sure of that. I little lube at worse may be required. I pulled three No. 3 RW 90 electrical conductors and one No. 10 RWU 90 ground through a 1.25" conduit, with three 90 degree elbows. You just need to stagger the conductors and add some lube and she'll go.

The

 

[oldjones]

Mold would require food to grow. Conduits can be sealed at either end with silicon I suppose.

Pretty much every buried conduit bank I've ever seen, there is water infiltration into the conduits. It's strange, but it finds its way in.

Just like rust never sleeps, gravity always wins, and water is gravity's willing slave.

 

[JohnHenry]

http://www.belden.com/search-result...ldenwebsite&0=filter&num=10&search-btn=Search

 

[james t kirk]

http://www.belden.com/search-result...ldenwebsite&0=filter&num=10&search-btn=Search

Yes I'm aware of Belden

But try finding the right RG6

The try finding someone who sells it.

Then try finding in stock.

What I'm hoping for is, "you need this type of cable and it's available here "

I even phoned Belden, and they were no help

 

[JohnHenry]

http://access8.com/Bulk-Cable-cat5e-cat6-rj45-rj11-rj6-telephone-network-spools-Toronto-Markham-Ontario/

 

[franci]

Fuji,

I cant get through half of your post without getting distracted by the beautiful girl in your sig. Lol!

If you are running rg6 from their device to your TV I don't know, ask them. If you are talking about running cable from the connection to your house from the street further into your property it would be better to terminate their device directly on the cable from the street. Every connector joining two lengths of cable will introduce errors in the signal that will lower your bandwidth. You want a powered device generating a new signal at each end of a length of cable, so terminate their modem where their line comes in from the street not using ANY home wiring, then run Ethernet from their device to your router or TV. Assuming digital signal.

 

[FunSeeker27]

Like you've heard so far, there is direct burial cable that you can use, but inside conduit, you shouldn't need it for the low voltage wiring. Yes, there will be water getting into the conduit over time thanks to Mother Nature, but I've always run normal FT4 or FT6 (fire rated) cabling inside conduit underground. For the security systems, you can use Cat5 but all you really need is 4 conductor "Quad" wire - similar to old school phone cable. Some alarm systems don't like the twist in the conductors of the Cat5/Cat6 cables.

 

[james t kirk]

Like you've heard so far, there is direct burial cable that you can use, but inside conduit, you shouldn't need it for the low voltage wiring. Yes, there will be water getting into the conduit over time thanks to Mother Nature, but I've always run normal FT4 or FT6 (fire rated) cabling inside conduit underground. For the security systems, you can use Cat5 but all you really need is 4 conductor "Quad" wire - similar to old school phone cable. Some alarm systems don't like the twist in the conductors of the Cat5/Cat6 cables.

I found some direct burial Cat 5 on Amazon. I think they have cat 6 direct burial as well.

What I'd really like though is a supplier in the GTA who sells this sort of gear.

I ran a fish tape yesterday through the conduit and it came out soaking wet, so there is definitely water in there. Could be leaking or could have trapped some water when they were installed. I have some old school direct burial phone wire, but it is not enough.

As far as security for the garage goes, I'd like a motion sensor, and camera and maybe even pin the door and windows. I could run one cat 5 and then use one pair for each of the above.