22/4 Solid and RG6 VS. Siamese

[jetfxr27 0]

I see in some install jobs I come behind that a lot of installers using 22/4 Solid with Beanies for power and standard RG6 for video. Are these just alarm installers doing crossover work or does it really make a difference?

[Soundy 1]

It make no functional difference. We've used station-Z (22/4) for power for... well, since before I started working for this company, over eight years ago. We typically double-up the wire for better current capacity (red/yellow together, and green/black together).

 

There are a few practical benefits to this: for one, it gives you an extra pair of wires everywhere, for those "just in case" instances (like when a gas station customer wanted us to add another camera to the pump islands - underground conduit to the island is sealed before the station goes online, so running another coax out wasn't possible; I simply split out the 22/4 pairs to the camera nearest the new location, used the red and black to power both cams, and put baluns on the green and yellow to add a video feed).

 

Two, if you do any other work that uses 22/4 (alarms, intercoms, access controls), it reduces the number of different types of cable you have to tote around.

 

As far as Siamese cable, I've only used it a couple times for my own installs (where it was provided by the company we were subbing to), and come across it in a few other installs... personally, I find it a PITA to work with. Snaking it through girders and ceiling hangers can be a hassle, because it really only bends in one axis.

 

These days, I forego all of the above and just use Cat5e with baluns - smaller, more flexible, easier to work with, and far more versatile all around. I can put video, power, and PTZ all on one wire... or multiple video runs on one wire... it also works for access controls, phones and intercoms (and network, of course), so as above, it reduces the number of different boxes of cable I have to tote around... and it provides an easy upgrade path to IP cameras later. Right now my van has two boxes of Cat5e, and one small box of 22/4... vs. the old days with a box of Cat5e, two of coax, two of 22/4, and sometimes one of shielded 18/2.

[hardwired 0]

The 22/4 is fine for power, but the RG6 they're using is often foil shield/copper coated steel core, which is not appropriate for CCTV.

[jetfxr27 0]

It make no functional difference. We've used station-Z (22/4) for power for... well, since before I started working for this company, over eight years ago. We typically double-up the wire for better current capacity (red/yellow together, and green/black together).

 

There are a few practical benefits to this: for one, it gives you an extra pair of wires everywhere, for those "just in case" instances (like when a gas station customer wanted us to add another camera to the pump islands - underground conduit to the island is sealed before the station goes online, so running another coax out wasn't possible; I simply split out the 22/4 pairs to the camera nearest the new location, used the red and black to power both cams, and put baluns on the green and yellow to add a video feed).

 

Two, if you do any other work that uses 22/4 (alarms, intercoms, access controls), it reduces the number of different types of cable you have to tote around.

 

As far as Siamese cable, I've only used it a couple times for my own installs (where it was provided by the company we were subbing to), and come across it in a few other installs... personally, I find it a PITA to work with. Snaking it through girders and ceiling hangers can be a hassle, because it really only bends in one axis.

 

These days, I forego all of the above and just use Cat5e with baluns - smaller, more flexible, easier to work with, and far more versatile all around. I can put video, power, and PTZ all on one wire... or multiple video runs on one wire... it also works for access controls, phones and intercoms (and network, of course), so as above, it reduces the number of different boxes of cable I have to tote around... and it provides an easy upgrade path to IP cameras later. Right now my van has two boxes of Cat5e, and one small box of 22/4... vs. the old days with a box of Cat5e, two of coax, two of 22/4, and sometimes one of shielded 18/2.

 

 

Great info and thanks a lot. I believe I to will adopt the CAT 5e standard as its the most versatile. I only do my own stuff and most every friend or family that sees my setup and wants it in their home. I am on my 4th install and it only appears to be growing.

 

 

Is there any advantage to CAT6 with the addition of the shield? Do you have a good source for Baluns? I see them most places however quality looks questionable.

[rory 0]

They shouldnt be using 22/4 to power IR cameras.

[Soundy 1]

Great info and thanks a lot. I believe I to will adopt the CAT 5e standard as its the most versatile. I only do my own stuff and most every friend or family that sees my setup and wants it in their home. I am on my 4th install and it only appears to be growing.

 

Is there any advantage to CAT6 with the addition of the shield?

Not really... the wire is slightly larger (23ga) but that doesn't really gain you much. The shield might be useful in a REALLY noisy environment, but most of the noise rejection is already handled by the twisted pair and the balanced line.

 

Do you have a good source for Baluns? I see them most places however quality looks questionable.

I've been using these: http://www.easterncctv.com/accessories/ev01p-vp.htm

 

They go really nicely with these: http://www.easterncctv.com/accessories/balun-vps.htm

 

Power supply and multichannel balun in one unit makes it SO painless...

 

They shouldnt be using 22/4 to power IR cameras.

Whatever.

[fa chris 0]

Our standard has always been to run rj59 and an 18/2 cable to analog cameras. On the few analog cameras we do anymore, we go ahead and use cat5e and baluns.

 

Power and video aren't always coming from the same place, so we see no need to mess with Siamese. On an exterior camera or a ptz, we usually use a local power supply close to the camera. We can pull the rj59 600' or more back to the head end, and throw a local power supply out there within 100' or so of all the cameras in an area. It's just a lot less cable and a lot cheaper to do it this way.

 

On residential or a small office building where your power and video are in the same place Siamese works just fine. No point in carrying it if you aren't using it all the time though. 18/2 can be used for many other things as well so it's easy to keep in bulk.

 

22/4 should work too, 24vac isn't going to kill you on voltage drop.