Electric run with data, how to limit interference

[AB_IT]

Hi All

 

This isn't a work related question it's for my home. I've basically got a waterproof unifi AP in the back garden which goes through a hole I've drilled in the brick work.

 

I want to use this same hole to push a 2.5mm electric cable through to extend my ring main to the outside. The hole will be the only point where they'll be together as data runs to the left and electric runs to the right. Will this cause any issues and if so is there a way to maybe offset the interference by wrapping data cable in foil or something similar?

 

Sorry for the stupid question but the wife won't be happy if I have to drill another hole [emoji4]

 

Hope you're all staying safe!

[synaesthesia]

If it's external grade cable on both you should be fine regardless, and even then it's unlikely you'll hit any issues. I have a run of around 30 meters from my house to my workshop down the bottom of the garden with both mains and cat6 and don't have any problems (all through a hosepipe)

[XiJ]

Yep I wouldn’t worry too much about it, especially if it’s only through brick work.

[3s-gtech]

What protection does your CU have? The advice is often to run outside sockets from a separate RCD if possible, so if it trips it doesn’t knock the whole supply out.

 

You’d normally spur from a socket, fused isn’t a bad idea at that point.

 

Interference shouldn’t be an issue, with UTP or STP.

[AB_IT]

If it's external grade cable on both you should be fine regardless, and even then it's unlikely you'll hit any issues. I have a run of around 30 meters from my house to my workshop down the bottom of the garden with both mains and cat6 and don't have any problems (all through a hosepipe)

Ethernet is indoor cable but kept in trunking, didn't have any external so didn't use it, figures if the sun damaged it I could just run a new one [emoji16]

 

Same with power just standard 2.5mm twin and earth, not going under ground or anything literally coming out of the hole 0.5 meter trunking to a power outlet.

 

Will this still be ok?

[timbo343]

Cat6 doesn't suffer intrrference half as much cat5 or cat5e did back in the day due to having more twists in the pairs of cables. I certainly haven't got any issues in my house with and there are cables all over the place in the ceilng and below the floor boards.

 

I think it only really becomes an issue when yoi have hundreds of electrical cables.

 

Why dont you run HomePlug adapters?

 

You might get away with the electrical cable being exposed but might be worth just running ot in some conduit to be sage (if you've got some).

Edited May 10, 2020 by timbo343

[Primus]

I seriously wouldn't worry - it will be fine.

[AB_IT]

Thanks everyone, OK noted not to worry [emoji106]

 

Stay safe and look after yourselves.

[crc-ict]

What protection does your CU have? The advice is often to run outside sockets from a separate RCD if possible, so if it trips it doesn’t knock the whole supply out.

 

You’d normally spur from a socket, fused isn’t a bad idea at that point.

 

Interference shouldn’t be an issue, with UTP or STP.

 

Just to note that the separate RCD idea only works if it is a separate RCD protected supply from the mains at the distribution board. There is no point putting an additional RCD in-line* if you take the supply from a spur, as both the main and spur RCDs would trip together.

 

*caveat on this is if you have an old distribution board with a 100mA trip RCD, in which case a modern 30mA trip RCD downstream would be worthwhile on the outside supply. But really you should consider replacing the DB for safety sake if the main RCD is 100mA trip.

[caffrey]

I wouldn't worry either, my patch panel in my house is sat right next to the main electrical DB and I have zero issues (cat5e)