Running Cat-5e/6 in wall... ok to be near AC line?

[xraydoc]

I'm doing some in-wall wiring and need to drop some ethernet in to the lower level of my house.

Can I run Cat-5e or Cat-6 cable in close proximity to the AC line, or should I keep it at a distance? Unsure of any potential interference...

Thoughts?

 

[Kebabselector]

You often can't avoid it, though I always work on the rule of not running the mains and cat5/6 in parallel together.

Have to add i'm not a professional cable installer (though have done the odd bit for various employers in the past).

 

[Queso]

For small distances it'll be fine. Obviously you'll get a bit of extra attenuation (that's signal degradation over distance) but in a home you're unlikely to be approaching the 100m limit of most Ethernet standards.

 

[OutThere]

I know that by code you aren't usually allowed to run them in the same conduit, so giving them some space in the wall maybe wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[GoCubsGo]

AC line or duct?

 

[advres]

They should cross perpendicular to each other but as others have mentioned, it isn't a big deal inside a home wall for a short stretch. Just don't tie wrap it to the Romex/BX.

 

[chrmjenkins]

AC line or duct?

No, AC as in alternating current. All power that run through your house is AC. Whenever you plug something into it, it converts it to DC through an internal or external converter (whether it be a power supply or power brick).

 

[xraydoc]

Thanks.

It'll only be a short run adjacent to the power line (near, but not right up against it), so sounds like it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

 

[advres]

Thanks.

It'll only be a short run adjacent to the power line (near, but not right up against it), so sounds like it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

I used to wire voice and data for Sun Microsystems. Above those drop ceilings are tight and most time when we needed to run a single drop we would tie a string to a roll of electrical tape, throw it as far as we could and pull the cable through. We never made sure it was not touching electrical wires. Of course when we were running huge trunks we would use a cable tray but for a single drop don't sweat it, really.

 

[GoCubsGo]

No, AC as in alternating current. All power that run through your house is AC. Whenever you plug something into it, it converts it to DC through an internal or external converter (whether it be a power supply or power brick).

I totally read that as air conditioning.

I would keep it away, just a little.

 

[oilers15]

would Cat5e Plenum Solid Cables help prevent any accidents in the OP's case

 

[bern1812]

There are generally building codes that deal with this sort of thing. You might want to check with your local building codes before going ahead with it.

For schools in Ohio, AC drops and Ethernet drops must be at least a foot apart to be up to code, but Im not sure there is actually any set distance in the actual running of the cable.

I try to avoid putting them on top of each other whenever I can