OK to run Cat5e through conduit with electrical wires?

Or am I looking for trouble?

[MatthewHSE]

We're wiring a detached garage that may include a small office space. We're burying the electrical cables in conduit that will run about 50 feet or so. I wanted to run a phone line and a Cat5e network cable out there while we're at it, but I've heard you can get interference on a network cable if it's too close to electrical wires. Is there any truth to this, or should I be okay?

Thanks!

Matthew

[jdMorgan]

I'd go with direct-burial Cat5e and phone rather than putting them in the same conduit if this were my project. In addition to interference from electrical spikes, you've also got lightning exposure from the phone and power lines in extended close proximity to the data wiring.

While Cat5e uses twisted pairs which tend to cancel out cross-coupled noise, it's a bit difficult to cancel out lightning with any method.

Unfortunately, this does mean two or three trenches... with the data wiring as far from the others as you can get them.

Jim

[kaled]

In the UK, I believe that phone lines are not supposed to be closer than 2 inches to mains electric cables (but I'm not sure of the reason for this).

I would run two conduits, one for power and one for data. Having said that, it seems unlikely that mains frequencies would interfere with digital network frequencies, but over such a long length, I would not entirely rule out problems. In any case, with two conduits, cables can more easily be replaced/upgraded/added to in the future.

Kaled.

[SEOMike]

Yeah, run two conduits. To ensure minimal interference I always run parallel CATV at least 12 inches away from standard 120v electrical. If I have to cross an electrical line, I cross at right angles.

Be sure to run a poly-based string in your conduit to leave for pulling new wire in the future. So many people forget and sometimes its hard to fish a new line through the conduit.

[steve]

Its good practice to keep your mains and low voltage cabling separate.

You can get interference from mains cable, either an annoying 50Hz (UK) hum on phone lines, or general 'mush' from switched mode power supplies, fridge compressors etc.

If you decide not to use conduit, make sure your cable is suitable for burial. If you want to save some money feed your phone and cat 5 through hosepipe!

[daveVk]

You could run on optical fiber with the power line ?

[BillyS]

I think there may be some safety issues at play if you run the two in the same conduit.

[bwnbwn]

non of the above need to be in conduit they make electrical wire for being buried, phone lines are buried all the time as well as cable just can't have any splices in the wires underground.

Putting them in conduit is a waste of money. I buried all mine before just remember were they rund for digging latter on down the road.

[trillianjedi]

Putting them in conduit is a waste of money.

Burying in hosepipe is a good idea if you ever need to replace the cables - you can just pull them through using the old cable as the pull wire. If you concrete over the bare cable, you'll never get it through again.

[kaled]

Putting them in conduit is a waste of money.

I just checked the price - in the UK, 90 metres of 20mm conduit costs 26.79 inc VAT (about $50.00). A pack of 10 straight connectors costs £1.40. If you're going to do a job, do it right!

Kaled.

[bwnbwn]

I understand if your going to do it do it right but I am just telling ya what phone companies and cable companies do or did at my home they buried the cable without conduit. I agree if it is going under a drive or solid service yes run it through a pipe.

I buried cable 12 years ago didn't have any issues till I had to dig the yard due to a broken water pipe so this time I just installed them overhead.

[MatthewHSE]

Thanks for the ideas everyone, looks like putting them all in one conduit isn't such a great idea for a lot of reasons. So I'll go with just the electrical for now and see about running data cables later if we need them.

And yes, I'll be putting it in conduit if for no other reason than avoiding cutting the wires if we do any digging.

[steve]

I'll be putting it in conduit if for no other reason than avoiding cutting the wires if we do any digging.

You can buy rolls of bright yellow plastic with a warning printed on it, bury it 6 inches above the cable, and you should never have a problem.