CAT6 to outbuilding
Discussion
I'm just starting a home office/studio build at one end plus a bigger garage at the other end of the garden but while I've got trenches in for power and and water I was going to drop in CAT6 armoured as well, the only reason being that the wifi signal down the garden is a bit ropey and I figured hard cable would be better if I stream any video down there plus a bit of future proofing. But the question is whenever I've done the rest of the house I've pulled multiple CAT6 cables from a patch panel in the switch room to each room, obviously in the studio I want about half a dozen points and about the same in the garage but don't really want to be running 12 lengths of CAT6 armoured all the way back to the switch room. Is it feasible to run a single length to each location and then have a "mini" patch panel in each outbuilding or will I compromise bandwidth too much? There are only actually three of us in the house and the man caves are unlikely to have multiple users all drawing big bandwidth together, my guess is the worst case would be one streaming and one surfing at the same time.
Well it depends what you are connecting to in the house. A single CAT6 will give you 700Mb/s-ish (1Gb less overheads) to the shed assuming you have a switch with GBit ports but the uplink from the switch wouldn't be more than GBit anyway. If you ran 12 cables you still couldn't pull more than about 700Mb/s over the uplink so unless you have multiple uplinks one cable is probably plenty. I'd run two so you have a spare.
So yes, you can run a single cable & put in either another patch panel or a local network switch. Don't forget there is a limit of just under 100m total for the cable length from the house switch down to the studio switch.
So yes, you can run a single cable & put in either another patch panel or a local network switch. Don't forget there is a limit of just under 100m total for the cable length from the house switch down to the studio switch.
Edited by Mr Pointy on Tuesday 26th July 09:07
As above I'd use a conduit, then you can pull through new or extra when required. I'd lay at least two outdoor grade CAT6 so you have a spare, it's not expensive. Then a switch at the garage end. Wouldn't worry about a patch panel just come direct off the switch.
How many meters we talking about?
How many meters we talking about?
Edited by megaphone on Tuesday 26th July 09:12
Edited by megaphone on Tuesday 26th July 09:14
mel said:
Thanks guys, conduit it is, the cost difference between armoured Cat6 and multiple runs of outdoor grade in a conduit is negligible in the big scheme and as you all point out it's all good future proofing
I just ran 70m of it in 3 runs inside a water mains plastic pipe (about 30mm ID). That's about as much as you can draw down that length of pipe!mel said:
For sub £60 this just looks easiest, it even comes pre-fitted with a drawcord, and there's plenty of room in the trench as I'm cutting it with a 4' trencher to take 6mm 4 core armoured, 32mm water plus this for data.
Ive run corrugated trunking like that all over the place and have noticed that it's not waterproof long term, it seems to get little cracks between the corrugations.So either use proper exterior grade cables in it or use large bore water pipe.
I've also discovered that having a draw rope inside isn't mich use after one or two pulls, as the cables and rope twist around each other like a Chinese finger puzzle.
I've got a proper cobra/duct rod - but otherwise pull as much as you think you are likely to need on the first pull.
Always use exterior, even in ducting. Once it cracks or the moles / voles / rats get in, the more protection they have the better. Even then, I'd put Kevlar wrapped fibre alongside too. Far quicker and more durable, plus you can keep the Cat6 as backup / AV / signalling or whatever and just use the fibre for uplink.
Origin Unknown said:
Whilst the trench is still open 
How did you arrive at 6mm for the cable?
We had over half a drum left over at work from a 32A 3 phase run so I thought "that'll do" plus since its 4 core + earth I figured I could ring main it and it'd be good for 50amps ish which'll be more than enough. I'm not a sparky though so happy to be corrected. How did you arrive at 6mm for the cable? I'm not a spark either but last year I ran a SWA to an outbuilding and there are number of variables you need to consider to spec the cable size and type as well as earth considerations. I did the math and had a spark review it for me.
Do you know the amps you'll be drawing, length of cable run and therefore you need to factor in the voltage drop, are you/can you export the earth?
Sorry mate, it's not a simple as throwing any "meaty" SWA cable in the ground. For example, given the nature of outbuildings and to make it usable, you'll likely need to heat the building which will draw a lot of amps. What other fixtures will you have in the building, lighting, sockets, etc.?
If you ask nicely, one of the sparks on here might help you spec it properly. While you have the trench open, I would be concentrating on getting this right, now.
Do you know the amps you'll be drawing, length of cable run and therefore you need to factor in the voltage drop, are you/can you export the earth?
Sorry mate, it's not a simple as throwing any "meaty" SWA cable in the ground. For example, given the nature of outbuildings and to make it usable, you'll likely need to heat the building which will draw a lot of amps. What other fixtures will you have in the building, lighting, sockets, etc.?
If you ask nicely, one of the sparks on here might help you spec it properly. While you have the trench open, I would be concentrating on getting this right, now.
"Studio" is possibly a bit misleading I'm just struggling to find an unpretentious name for the summer house/garden room/home office/studio/clean man cave/bar/pool house/barbeque rain shelter, I guess the truth is it'll have led down lighters, 2/3 computers, fridge, tv, radio, kettle, storage heater/convector heater really no more of a power draw than one floor of a domestic ring main.
Garage, would have all the usual suspects plus a 3hp compressor that would trip in and out occasionally, and a single phase mig plant that even on max current would be drawing 10amps tops, again the reality is a 32Amp supply to the garage would probably be enough so 6mm ringed should be overkill.
Possibly the only future proofing that might fall foul would be, should I be running a dedicated cable for another 32Amps for an electric car charger? I've no intention of buying one and don't deliver milk for a living but is it worth another few hundred quid in cable while the trench is open? I'm not sure. The bottom line is I've only got a 100Amp supply coming into the house!
Garage, would have all the usual suspects plus a 3hp compressor that would trip in and out occasionally, and a single phase mig plant that even on max current would be drawing 10amps tops, again the reality is a 32Amp supply to the garage would probably be enough so 6mm ringed should be overkill.
Possibly the only future proofing that might fall foul would be, should I be running a dedicated cable for another 32Amps for an electric car charger? I've no intention of buying one and don't deliver milk for a living but is it worth another few hundred quid in cable while the trench is open? I'm not sure. The bottom line is I've only got a 100Amp supply coming into the house!
Covering my own ass here but TBH RL, I'm not qualified to be providing advice on this, more so given it's notifiable work under part p.
I suspect you could easily punch in the details you have provided above into a SWA Voltage Drop Calculator and it will tell you that 6mm SWA is sufficient for your design. However, my very basic understanding leads me to believe the run is too long to export the earth and you should be looking at installing and properly testing a local TT earth prior to commissioning.
I found this very informative when creating the design for my install http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Taking_e... but still had a qualified spark review the design before I installed and commssioned.
Electricity is one of those things you don't screw about IMHO.
I suspect you could easily punch in the details you have provided above into a SWA Voltage Drop Calculator and it will tell you that 6mm SWA is sufficient for your design. However, my very basic understanding leads me to believe the run is too long to export the earth and you should be looking at installing and properly testing a local TT earth prior to commissioning.
I found this very informative when creating the design for my install http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Taking_e... but still had a qualified spark review the design before I installed and commssioned.
Electricity is one of those things you don't screw about IMHO.
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