Can I run cat6 beside SWA?

Neilw

Hi,

I'm running 10sq SWA to my shed, I also want to run some cat6 in the same duct underground.

Is there any problem doing this?

Thanks

Supertoucher

You can do it no problem, but i'd advise going Cat 6 and making sure it is as shielded (Ideally S/FTP)

Stoner

Some manufacturers will supply their own recommendations. Some consider the armour on a swa cable to be a screen. This would then be a shielded power and unshilded data cable

Technically with them being in the same duct having a shielded cat 6 is the best way to address this.

However of it's a single phase SWA at less than 20 Amps and the armour is earthed, you'd mostly be ok . A separate duct would address the issue too.

Supertoucher

Agreed across the board.



I'd say like most critical applications for the sake of a few quid extra, get the best shielded option possible. A few quid is a small price to pay opposed to having to re-rod/draw or God forbid having to dig up the duct work to re-lay the cable.

Without starting a new thread on this.
Anyone ever actually see/find a problem caused by this?

Supertoucher

Yes, albeit when transitioning from a less demanding use of the data cabling to higher demand.

This was when using HDBaseT for sending video over either Cat 5e or Cat 6 (can't remember) - was fine for 1080P, but when transitioning to 4k/60 it was discovered that the cabling was being run in ducts with power and it caused heavy interference at that level of throughput. And this is for an output that allowed fairly easy diagnosis (as the interference was visual).

Might seem like an extreme case, but given the cost difference between UTP and S/FTP or SSTP is less than 5 euro for a 20 metre run - it's a no brainer, rather than potentially chasing your tail later.

Stoner

BrownFinger wrote:

Without starting a new thread on this. Anyone ever actually see/find a problem caused by this?

Well the final 15 M often ends up as 20-25 M of unshielded power and unshilded data is often installed on plastic dado trunking side by side without a significant issue.

Keeping the cables parallel to each other is very important as is the power being single phase and not an excessive load.


The "shielding" can help with the magnetic interference component

Running them in parallel can help to reduce the impact of electrical interference.

alta stare

BrownFinger wrote: »

Without starting a new thread on this.
Anyone ever actually see/find a problem caused by this?

I seen it happen once where it affected an ip camera from working. Took the cable away from the swa and the camera worked. That was the only time i seen swa affect cat 6 which was ran beside each other.

Neilw

Thanks for the replies.

Would this cable be suitable?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Network-Cable-CAT-6-100m-S-FTP-PIMF-CAT6-Ethernet-Installation-Cable/223443471507?hash=item340644cc93:g:4KYAAOSwcOtchZpJ