Distance between 3 phase, coaxial data cables and cat 6 etc...

[Barking Mat]

Afternoon all.

I have to go and hire a minidigger soon, as I'm hoping to get fibre internet, installed.

So from my future workshop, to the barn I will need a six odd meter trench, it would be really handy to stick the three phase, and data / fibre / coaxial in the same trench.

From internet trawls, 2 to 12 inches separation are reccomended.

So if I ran two conduits, one for leccy, one for cat 6 and fibre, I'm told it's coaxial, say 12 inches apart, is that ok ?

Thanks for your thoughts people.

The cat 6 is to have a surveillance camera pointing at the gate.

 

[Erie Fred]

Use an 18" wide bucket and put them side to side, you'll be assured of proper separation.
Back fill a few shovelfulls by hand every 3' or so, to hold them apart, before backfilling in ernest.

 

[Barking Mat]

Use an 18" wide bucket and put them side to side, you'll be assured of proper separation.
Back fill a few shovelfulls by hand every 3' or so, to hold them apart, before backfilling in ernest.

I was rather hoping 12" would be enough, but I'll bear that in mind, thanks.

 

[ajlelectronics]

I was rather hoping 12" would be enough, but I'll bear that in mind, thanks.

I see no reason why 12" would not be more than enough Mat, especially running just 20 ft length.

 

[Erie Fred]

I was rather hoping 12" would be enough, but I'll bear that in mind, thanks.

I see no reason why 12" would not be more than enough Mat, especially running just 20 ft length.

Because 12" the bucket plugs too much, spend more time trying to shake the bucket clean.
And you won't get them in there perfectly 12" apart.
Dirt work tolerances are rather "Liberal".

 

[OJCar]

So if I ran two conduits, one for leccy, one for cat 6 and fibre, I'm told it's coaxial, say 12 inches apart, is that ok ?

Yes, Plenty.

Separation can be vertical or horizontal.
If vertical put the 3 phase at the bottom.

 

[Maker]

Fibre isn't coax, it's an optical fibre, and can run as close to electrical interference as you like, it could coil around an MRI machine for all it cares, there'll be no crosstalk.

Unless of course it's a Fibre-to-the-box kind of thing where the last mile is done on coax, in which case the above is irrelevant.

 

[Barking Mat]

Fibre isn't coax, it's an optical fibre, and can run as close to electrical interference as you like, it could coil around an MRI machine for all it cares, there'll be no crosstalk.

Yes, but I've been told the fibre optic cable goes to a box, then the cable coming to the house is coaxial.

What I've been told by Orange, I can't confirm this though, just what I've been told.

 

[aesmith]

Never seen an Internet connection using coax anywhere, not since the days of Megastream which sometimes used coax on the customer side.

What connects to the coax at each end?

 

[Pete.]

Never seen an Internet connection using coax anywhere, not since the days of Megastream which sometimes used coax on the customer side.

What connects to the coax at each end?

Virginmedia broadband comes in on coax.

 

[Barking Mat]

Never seen an Internet connection using coax anywhere, not since the days of Megastream which sometimes used coax on the customer side.

What connects to the coax at each end?

No idea.

 

[Maker]

Never seen an Internet connection using coax anywhere, not since the days of Megastream which sometimes used coax on the customer side.

What connects to the coax at each end?

"Cable" broadband/TV was always coax wasn't it?

 

[aesmith]

"Cable" broadband/TV was always coax wasn't it?

Yes you're both right. I was thinking on the customer side, as described here.

 

[zx9]

Over the years we have put lots of Cat 5 / Cat 6 etc. on trays with mains below raised floor or in ceilings. Tray is fitted by the M&E people and they don't like installing more tray or wider tray than necessary, sometimes the data and mains would be very close like clipped to the tray next to each other, even if you wanted to maintain separation you could not.
That said Cat 5 / 6 are balanced which helps to negate the effect of induced signals and fibre is immune to electrical interference, so 300mm separation will be more than good enough.

Remember if underground you will need outdoor Cat6, shielded Cat6 is available but can cause capacitance issues if the kit either end is not expecting shielded.

 

[brightspark]

Virginmedia broadband comes in on coax.

yep and uses f plugs to terminate just done a load on a couple of houses fitting the aerials and powered 8 way amps

 

[zx9]

Yes, but I've been told the fibre optic cable goes to a box, then the cable coming to the house is coaxial.

The BT fibre to premises is just that, fibre all the way in to the house with a powered fibre to Cat6 converter fitted to the inside wall.