kmb997 0 Posted January 25, 2008 I'm going to use cat 5e for my cctv setup. How will I know if the cat 5e is good quality? Can I look for certain writing on the wire itself, can I buy the cat 5e from local electrical supply houses or is it better to order from the net? Can I run 18/2 beside the cat 5e? My runs will not be any longer than 100', would it make sense to use anything other than 18/2? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vf702 0 Posted January 25, 2008 If your cable runs are going to be less than one hundred feet long, I would strongly consider using RG59 instead of CAT5. The cabling and connector costs will be substantially less than CAT5 with baluns. The exception would be if you are using IP cameras in which case you could use POE or just run a separate 18/2 line to each camera. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CCTV_Suppliers 0 Posted January 25, 2008 I'm going to use cat 5e for my cctv setup. How will I know if the cat 5e is good quality? Can I look for certain writing on the wire itself, can I buy the cat 5e from local electrical supply houses or is it better to order from the net? Can I run 18/2 beside the cat 5e? My runs will not be any longer than 100', would it make sense to use anything other than 18/2? Thanks Check the brand of the manufacturer and specs that call for CAT5E operating in 350MHZ range... they are commonly available, but be careful on cable that has no writings or shows the cable is operating at 100MHZ... You should find them locally and save some money that will add up as a shipping costs if you were to order online. The best CAT5E cables are operating at 350MHZ range, which also gives you forward looking equipment upgrade possibilities that will allow you to change equipment down the road that may require much higher bandwidth, that you many not need at the moment.... You can always run 18/2 besides CAT5E, but what is the justification? If your runs are less than 100', a pair of CAT5E will suffice this requirement. Unless if you intend to run power more than 100' in stretch, then no need to run 18/2... Even though having extra pair with higher gage rating will never hurt to have... Passive video baluns pricing has come down substantially and running an average of $30.00 for pair of such baluns... so do your calculation per run and compare with RG-59 cable runs and see which is more cost effective. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cachecreekcctv 0 Posted January 26, 2008 Just my opinion, but in this application, I would run rg59 and either 16/2 or 18/2. If your cameras are using 24vac, then you are probably pulling, maybe, 1/4 of an amp or so. Most , I think, pull around 3 or 4 watts. I just like the video from the copper braided rg59 I use. When I install 12vdc cameras, I have been using Plenum-rated Belden 16/2, but nothing over 150 feet. Will keep voltage drop to a minimum with the 16/2. I don't do large installs, so this would be my opinion for residential and small commercial designs. I often will mount my camera power supplies in un-conspicuous locations, away from the DVR, to allow me to add UPS backup and keep the fan noise down. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kmb997 0 Posted January 30, 2008 I will calculate the costs of rg59 vs cat5e and see what comes out cheaper. I'm probably going to run 16/2 or 18/2 with it because I can get it pretty cheap. Can I run the 16/2 or 18/2 beside the rg59? Is plenum rated the kind to get or does it matter? Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
