Cat6A Unshielded Direct Burial Ethernet Cable (Overview & Proper Installation Environments)

[@CapsLock33]

Thank you for these great videos. Everything I run at my home is from True Cable!!!

[@trueCABLE]

Hello, and thank you for your kind comments. It is our pleasure!

[@JasonsLabVideos]

Awesome Info in this video ~`

[@trueCABLE]

Thanks Jason! We appreciate your kind words!

[@Mark-sl2fj]

What do you do to prevent this cable from getting affected by lightning? Does it need a surge protector or need to be grounded?

[@trueCABLE]

Hello! Given that this cable is unshielded, there is no need to bond it to ground. As far as extreme ESD events like lightning, the only thing that will help there would be lightning protectors installed at the entrance of the cable to your structure, mounted outside. The risk of lightning affecting your cable is depending on where you live and how you install it. Generally speaking, if lightning is a big concern then use gas discharge tube ESD/lightning protectors. If the cable is going into two structures, then a lightning protector on each end prior to building entrance is a good idea. Let's be real though, a lightning protector's entire job is to sacrifice itself by blowing a gas discharge tube severing the connection past it. Essentially the lighting protector and the cable will be both TOAST. The idea is to prevent a fire inside your structure.

[@Mark-sl2fj]

@@trueCABLE so if I have been having problems with lightening frying my poe components that are connected to a unshielded cat6 that is run in conduit between 2 buildings, would replacing it with shielded solve the issue?

[@trueCABLE]

@@Mark-sl2fj Hello Mark. No, that would not resolve the issue. Cable shields, such as in Cat6 copper Category cable are designed to resolve issues with mild EMI/RFI and normal everyday static discharges. The cable shield won't protect against an extreme ESD event such as a lightning strike. The best advice I can give in your situation is to use metallic medium-weight conduit (IMC and threaded/galvanized) and bury it at least 10" deep. Both ends of the conduit should be bonded to ground with two separate ground rods at either end, and those ground rods should be equalized together with a bare copper bonding conductor running between them. That separate ground system should NOT be tied into your regular AC ground. Thus, you are looking at purchasing enough IMC, two ground rod electrodes, and a very thick bare bonding conductor to hook up those ground electrodes together. In addition, you will need bare copper bonding conductors and bond collars to go from the conduit to the ground electrodes on both sides. The sizing of the various bare copper conductors is directly proportional to the length, so I cannot give you advice on that. In addition, the bond conductor to equalize the ground rods is best exothermically welded on at both ends. This is potentially a DIY project, but only if you know how to exothermically weld and are familiar with sizing copper bonding conductors for the length. I suggest enlisting the help of an electrician! PS - you are still advised to use Ethernet surge protectors at both sides of this drop. **Using shielded Ethernet would only complicate matters, so opt for unshielded if you go this route.**

[@zyzzyz7035]

Why is there no way to buy 500' and 250' of Cat6a CMR from your company? It's all 1000' .

[@trueCABLE]

Hello! We are sorry we don't meet your needs on our Cat6A Riser. The reason we do not carry shorter lengths is that we get very few requests for those lengths. What we carry is based upon overall demand. We hope you understand!

[@ericksonjustinAK]

"now I'm not talking about from outside in. I'm talking about outside in for more than 50ft" I find this confusing and I'm curious why there is such a legal parameter. What's the purpose of that code, especially if you are allowed to go 50ft?

[@trueCABLE]

Hello and great question! The whole purpose is to limit the amount of outside plant (called OSP) type cable entering a structure due to the complete and utter lack of fire resistance built into these types of cables, in addition to outdoor cabling being a prime target for lightning discharges. These cables will burn, promote the spread of flame, and off-gas noxious toxic smoke during the burning process. Actually, you CAN go more than 50ft but the OSP cable must be installed into medium weight threaded metallic conduit (IMC) and sealed at the joints. Cable not inside IMC is allowed to go 50ft for practicality reasons, based upon common commercial distances from the point of ingress to where the cable will terminate and transition to indoor grade cabling. Hope this helps!

[@ericksonjustinAK]

@@trueCABLE Amazing answer. That explains everything perfectly. Thank you for the time to explain that.