cat 5 in conduit

mcalidl · May 9, 2008

I am about to start installing a I/P camera system. What size conduit shoud I use for 10 cat 5 cables? I have tried searching the net but really can't find anything about how many cat 5's can go into a conduit. Is there a standard or does everyone just use the percent fill rule? Please advise.

mordred · May 9, 2008

I would use 1.5 inch diameter for a relatively easy pull one easy test is to take 10 same diameter cables short length and try to fit em into different pipe sizes 1 1/4 looks a little tight

gtsuport · May 9, 2008

I would agree with mordred.

Might be able to run 1 1/4" but 1 1/2" will give you an easier pull. Plus room when something gets added.

leitmotif · May 9, 2008

mcalidl said:
I am about to start installing a I/P camera system. What size conduit shoud I use for 10 cat 5 cables? I have tried searching the net but really can't find anything about how many cat 5's can go into a conduit. Is there a standard or does everyone just use the percent fill rule? Please advise.

I dont think there is anything in NEC covering this. One choice is like you said use percent fill.

The other thought I have is: I would use 2" not only to make it easy to pull BUT to give lots of room for additions and for pulling one back out.

Dan Bentler

TConnolly · May 9, 2008

We usually run our cat5 in wire basket instead of conduit. If you are using conduit consider using PVC because very long runs of metallic conduit tend to attenuate the Cat5 signal.

darrenj · May 9, 2008

LOL...this post reminds me of the hatred i have for it people!...i am always told to run a 4" pipe from here to there...its a major headache and lots of work..then i see 5 or 6 cat5's pulled in the pipe and i want to burst!

when an IT guy tells you he cant pull 10 cat 5's in an 1 1/4 conduit..show him 5 750mcm's and ask him to pull it in a 4"...

just last week i had a company tell me they could not pull a 25 pair in a 4" pipe..the rope was there but the guy heaved on the rope and nothing moved..they were asking me to run another pipe...the building owners asked me to take a look....after i untied the rope at the end the 25 pair went in like butter..the comms company were ticked off...what it boiled down to was they wanted there own pipe...

anyway..in the ontario code there is a table now for conduit fill on cat 5...dont have it here or i would check for you...but there is a tab;le out there...

leitmotif · May 10, 2008

darrenj said:
LOL...this post reminds me of the hatred i have for it people!...i am always told to run a 4" pipe from here to there...its a major headache and lots of work..then i see 5 or 6 cat5's pulled in the pipe and i want to burst!

when an IT guy tells you he cant pull 10 cat 5's in an 1 1/4 conduit..show him 5 750mcm's and ask him to pull it in a 4"...

just last week i had a company tell me they could not pull a 25 pair in a 4" pipe..the rope was there but the guy heaved on the rope and nothing moved..they were asking me to run another pipe...the building owners asked me to take a look....after i untied the rope at the end the 25 pair went in like butter..the comms company were ticked off...what it boiled down to was they wanted there own pipe...

anyway..in the ontario code there is a table now for conduit fill on cat 5...dont have it here or i would check for you...but there is a tab;le out there...

Darren
I agree it is most aggravating to see only two or 3 comm cables in oversized conduit BUT not as aggravating when the pipe is already jam packed and they want to put more in.

Dan Bentler

geniusintraining · May 10, 2008

I would go with 2"... but I have never ran cat5 in conduit before, always open tray (in the low voltage try)

1. Square the O.D. of each cable and total the results.
2. Multiply the total by .7854. This is the total area of the cables in square inches. (See note.)
3. From Actual Area (*), select a conduit size with area equal to or greater than the total area.

NOTE: Actual area to be occupied (sq. in.) National Electric Code Standard based on 40% fill applies to installation of 3 or more cables in a conduit. A single cable is permitted to occupy 53% and two cables are limited to 31% conduit fill. For a singles cable, use .5927 in step 2; for two cables, use 1.0134; for three or more cables, use .7854

http://www.belden.com/08Tools/08_ConduitCapacityChart.cfm

Oakley · May 10, 2008

Alaric said:
We usually run our cat5 in wire basket instead of conduit. If you are using conduit consider using PVC because very long runs of metallic conduit tend to attenuate the Cat5 signal.

I agree to use wire basket, or even bridle rings. Unless there is a high risk of damage, then conduit is a bit overkill.

TConnolly · May 10, 2008

For cat-5 wire baskets are much more flexible, its easy to tee off, you can drop whereever you want to, and adding new cables is easy.

Kent Hostetler · May 10, 2008

Although the 2008 NEC excludes non-powered communications circuits from the conduit fill limitations, I would limit a multi-cable conduit to 30% anyway. Easier to pull, plus some room for the future. If underground, run a spare at the same time.

800.110 Raceways for Communications Wires and Cables.
Where communications wires and cables are installed in a raceway, the raceway shall be either of a type permitted in Chapter 3 and installed in accordance with Chapter 3 or listed plenum communications raceway, listed riser communications raceway, or listed general-purpose communications raceway installed in accordance with 800.154 and installed in accordance with 362.24 through 362.56, where the requirements applicable to electrical nonmetallic tubing apply. The raceway fill tables of Chapter 3 and Chapter 9 shall not apply.

Using a nominal cat5e O.D. of 0.196"(5mm), here are the number of cables for 40% conduit fills for EMT and Rigid Metal Conduit:

1" EMT = 11
1-1/2" EMT = 27
2" EMT = 44
1" RMC = 12
1-1/2" RMC = 27
2" RMC = 48

I would go with at least the 1.5" - room for the future.

maintenanceman38 · May 10, 2008

There is no NEC code for this as long as it is not requiring a power supply. But why run conduit? Our plant runs over 3 miles of shielded cable with breaks 15 feet across the machines with no problems and they run across the girders of the plant as well as across the street. Ground all shields and solder all breaks.

mrtweaver · May 11, 2008

I was wondering, the next time you are at or near your book on cat5 conduit fill would you mind posting that chart here?

Much thanks.

darrenj said:
LOL...this post reminds me of the hatred i have for it people!...i am always told to run a 4" pipe from here to there...its a major headache and lots of work..then i see 5 or 6 cat5's pulled in the pipe and i want to burst!

when an IT guy tells you he cant pull 10 cat 5's in an 1 1/4 conduit..show him 5 750mcm's and ask him to pull it in a 4"...

just last week i had a company tell me they could not pull a 25 pair in a 4" pipe..the rope was there but the guy heaved on the rope and nothing moved..they were asking me to run another pipe...the building owners asked me to take a look....after i untied the rope at the end the 25 pair went in like butter..the comms company were ticked off...what it boiled down to was they wanted there own pipe...

anyway..in the ontario code there is a table now for conduit fill on cat 5...dont have it here or i would check for you...but there is a tab;le out there...

CroCop · May 11, 2008

maintenanceman38 said:
There is no NEC code for this as long as it is not requiring a power supply. But why run conduit? Our plant runs over 3 miles of shielded cable with breaks 15 feet across the machines with no problems and they run across the girders of the plant as well as across the street. Ground all shields and solder all breaks.

Why would you break & solder cat 5e?

Myles · May 12, 2008

CroCop said:
Why would you break & solder cat 5e?

maintenanceman38 said:
It is only a matter of time before the first AI machines come out, Inishily, They well be dumb machines. Programmed by Humans But what if we allow these are machines to fix themselves, They will elvolve to resist humans. Then we will have to fight for our own existance. I am glad this may take 200 years to happen, But Somehow I see the future.

maybe to stop the machines taking over the factory! then once they calm down solder them back in.

cat 5 in conduit

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