Cat6 Gel Filled Direct Burial Ethernet: Termination and Best Practices

[@dannymacdonald-northeastco2784]

Excellent presentation! Thank you.

[@trueCABLE]

We always have your back!

[@tommyb.6064]

always nice to get an ad about Atera at 1 min 06 :-)

[@Firemedic2105]

Maybe I missed it, do you not have to ground the gel filled cable?

[@trueCABLE]

Hello David. No, this particular gel filled Ethernet cable is U/UTP (unshielded). There is nothing to bond to ground.

[@Firemedic2105]

@@trueCABLE so you don't need to ground a direct burial cable?

[@trueCABLE]

@@Firemedic2105 Hello David! I think I understand what you are getting at. Yes, it is a good idea to have a Ethernet surge suppressor at the point the cable enters your home/facility. The surge suppressor is what is grounded, with a bond wire that attaches to your AC ground system. This is why most professional installers will locate the spot where your Ethernet (or coaxial) cable is located close by where your AC comes in as well. The distance to bond the suppressor is shorter, and shorter is better. Tupavco makes a good outdoor enclosed surge suppressor that you can custom attach a bond wire to.

[@ve2jgs]

Very good presentation and explanation.

[@trueCABLE]

Thanks Greg! We do our best.

[@markspencer171]

great video

[@trueCABLE]

Thanks!

[@droidchevere]

I just got my cable and made a patch out of a 4 foot cable . I have to replace all of my runs due to wrong cable in pvc conduit. Does the gel cause problems with keystones or caps if not cleaned off with alcohol? I just used a paper towel and thank goodness for the gojo under the sink .

[@trueCABLE]

Hello Steven! Thanks for your question. It is recommended to remove the gel from the conductors prior to termination, as the gel is an electrical insulator. You don't have to go crazy doing it--a simple wipe with 90% IPA or GoJo hand degreaser towels will work. Ensure the conductors are dry (no IPA or GoJo) before termination! Microfiber towels seem to work best for me.

[@MtnXfreeride]

Whats the typical lifespan on a buried cable? Trying to decide if I want to go hard wired security camera or wireless and put an accesspoint outside.

[@trueCABLE]

Hello and thanks for your question. The lifespan of a direct buried cable depends upon quite a few factors, including if your area has freeze/thaw cycles and how deeply you bury the cable. If you use conduit and bury your cable 12" deep OR if you directly bury the cable and put it down 18" to 24" lifespan can be up to 20 years. The deeper you bury the cable, the better. Be exceedingly careful not to damage your cable if pulling through PVC conduit. More cable is damaged during installation than fails underground once in place. The damage can also be sneaky enough that you won't notice it until the first freeze/thaw cycle or your PVC conduit fills with water over time. Use plenty of synthetic wax cable lubricant, have two people to do it (one at the feed end preventing kinking or skinning of the cable) and don't pull through more than 100 feet of conduit at a time.

[@kozakwarrior7375]

If the gel makes contact with the termination would it damage the terminal ... Example a camera Ethernet jack where the camera itself is exposed to 100 degrees temperature and the gel melts and makes contact with the Ethernet port.?

[@trueCABLE]

Hello and great question! We encourage you to remove as much gel as possible from the conductors to make the termination process easier and less messy. That said, the gel is NON CONDUCTIVE and won't affect electrical performance. A handy item to remove gel from the conductors (plus your hands and tools!) during the termination process is Go-Jo Degreasing Handwipes. Home Depot has them. After wiping off the conductors, dry off any cleaner residue with a microfiber towel.

[@Paulilmys]

Rubbing alcohol is a great tip

[@trueCABLE]

Hello Paul. Even better are Go-Jo degreasing wipes that come in a dispenser that mechanics use. I discovered those a while back and am glad I did! It is even more effective than the alcohol. Once you wipe the conductors with the Go-Jo hand wipe, simply dry them off with a microfiber towel. Also good for your hands and tools and smells a lot less.

[@kylehouk9405]

Two quick questions: 1. Can you terminate the gel filled cables with keystones? 2. If you can, do you recommend a toolless or 110 keystone? Thanks for the tip on getting rid of the gel, it’s always a pain to deal with.

[@trueCABLE]

Hello Kyle and thanks for your question. Yes, you can terminate gel filled cable to keystone jacks. In fact, that is the preferred way. Whether you use tool-less or punch down keystones is up to you. I would say if you have 12 or less total terminations, then tool-less would make more sense. If you have a LOT of terminations, then the punch down ones will actually cost less and save you time if you use our EZ keystone jack rapid termination tool--as it seats and flush cuts all 8 conductors at once. The additional cost on the EZ punch down termination tool will pay for itself in short order. You are welcome on the tips for gel filling! Yes, it is a bit messy but worth it. Gel filled Ethernet is extremely water resistant.

[@fdimichele]

They only have to lineup where you are cutting them, after is not really of much concern as that is trash. Thru-connectors would be different I guess.

[@trueCABLE]

Hey, Frank! Generally speaking, correct. That said, for the cleanest and easiest terminations it always a good idea to make sure the conductors are lined up along their entire length and smoothed out as much as possible. Obviously some conductors will cross at the cable jacket due to the nature of Ethernet, but there is nothing you can do about that. We hope this helps!

[@rpsmith]

The phone guys I use to work with called that sticky stuff "Monkey Shit" :o)

[@jeffh6960]

Or "icky pick"

[@protectork9831]

Why do you even sell the trash waterproof tape direct burial. I bought those cat6a cable thinking they were gel filled . Half used and will have to return

[@trueCABLE]

Hello! We offer many Ethernet cable options to our customers depending on their needs. Each product is fully documented on our website with detailed specifications. We also have a blog, Direct Burial Ethernet Cable: Gel Filled vs. Waterproof Tape, that goes over the pros and cons of both options. If you'd like assistance with a past purchase, our team is here to help.