Can POE Cables Go Underground?

Mike K

Getting the hang of it
Mar 13, 2016
381
40
Howell, Michigan
I have two buildings that will both have cameras. My computer will be in one and I understand that the POE connections are the most reliable as apposed the the wireless. So my question is can POE cables be berried underground and if they can, what is the wire spec that works best?
 
I do, but I run mine in conduit. its not the poe that makes it the most reliable, but the fact that the data is on the cable, being able to use poe is just a bonus if your camera supports it. just watch the length and buy good quality cable. i believe there is cable rated for direct bury too, but if you already have the hole dug, why not use conduit and future proof it?
 
You can get "direct burial" network cable, but conduit is a more future-proof option. When I built my hot tub shed, I had to dig a trench, so I ran electric in one PVC conduit and two shielded cat5e (Ubiquiti ToughCable) in another PVC conduit alongside the electric. It works fine despite the close proximity to electrical wiring.

You can get away with a lot less work if you already have electricity at each of your buildings. You might be able to get a powerline networking kit to connect between the buildings, and if not, you can probably set up Ubiquiti radios (NanoStation Loco M5) for a really nice point to point wireless bridge that can push 100 Mbps 24/7 without breaking a sweat.
 
its $1.60 at my local hardware store per 10ft section of 1/2" PVC conduit..

so it costs about ~$50 (1.60x30) to reach the maximum length of Ethernet cable underground in conduit.. you'll pay over $50 more than normal cable to get 300ft of direct burial cable.

conduit gives you alot of protection against shovels/spades when your unwilling to lay a deep trench..
 
  • Like
Reactions: nebo
its $1.60 at my local hardware store per 10ft section of 1/2" PVC conduit..

so it costs about ~$50 (1.60x30) to reach the maximum length of Ethernet cable underground in conduit.. you'll pay over $50 more than normal cable to get 300ft of direct burial cable.
I was debating not to use direct buriel in conduit, but at each end I may hide it within siding and j-channel so the uv protection will help. Maybe overkill as I usually do.
 
I was debating not to use direct buriel in conduit, but at each end I may hide it within siding and j-channel so the uv protection will help. Maybe overkill as I usually do.

I used conduit and gel filled underground uv rated cat5e.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nebo
on your primary building its best to terminate it inside a junction box containing lightning arrestors strapped to a grounding rod before passing it inside the building.

you dont want your conduit filling with water/dirt, so put junction boxes on both ends or your going to have to fill the ends with silicon and thats a mess to get out if you need to.
 
Per electrical code, you cannot place cat cable in 1/2" conduit. It must be 3/4" or bigger.
 
source? and electrical codes are local.. dont come into an international forum and say people cant do stuff because your code says you cant without specifying where you are.

I see no reason for running 3/4in conduit for a single ethernet cable.. how is it okay for me to run 3 cat6 in a 3/4 but not one in a 1/2? bah.. its all low voltage wiring and highly unlikely to have any code for most localities.

as always make sure you get all your service lines flagged before you dig any holes, thats definitely a requirement pretty much everywhere.
 
NEC is National Electrical Code. That being a national standard. It doesn't have to make sense to you as an individual.
 
Feel free to google ethernet cable in conduit or electrical code ethernet cable in conduit.
 
I have and I cant find what your claiming, all the Conduit fill calculators using NEC formulas put me at 50% fill for a 1/2" conduit with a single cat6 ethernet cable inside.. NEC Guidelines are hardly code, but the code you claim does not exist, and its not even a guideline either.

checked out all the first page results on google for both of those searches, feel free to google them.. you can run up to 5 cat6 cables in a 3/4in according to NEC recommendations depending on which google link you click on... but ive never fit that many inside, that 4th one is a tough pull.

telling me to google it didnt work, how about a source or admit your full of shit.
 

Attachments

  • Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 9.37.21 PM.png
    Screen Shot 2016-03-26 at 9.37.21 PM.png
    146.4 KB · Views: 48
Last edited by a moderator:
I would not even bother using conduit, mainly for one good reason, it is not waterproof. I guess if you use all plastic type conduit and glue it up your ok.

I would just buy some 1/2 black plastic drip irrigation line, feed the cat 5 cable through that and then bury it. That will be water proof for many years underground. You would probably not have room to run any other cable inside it, but if that is not an issue, that is the quick and cheap way to do it.

If you are worried about what is legal call an electrical contractor and ask or city/county building code enforcement, me, I would just do the 1/2 black plastic drip line. It is cheap and it also will do large radius bends so if you even have to pull the cat 5 out and run another cat 5/6 cable for what ever reason, you should be able to do it.

As for using direct burial type cat 5, I would not bother. Even regular cat 5 will last for many years tacked on to the outside of a house. Placing this type of cable inside a plastic enclosure such as conduit or the plastic drip line will give it enough protection to last 20 yrs.

To get the cat 5 through it, get hold of an air compressor and a cork or even a small section of cloth that will fit into the plastic tube, tie a very strong nylon string to it and feed it into the tube then get the air nozzle and form your hand around the end of the plastic pipe/tube and seal the air nozzle to it, then put the air to it but slowly as if you blast the air it could blast the string in too quickly. It works best if some one holds the string and controls how fast it feeds in to the tube so the string does not feed in too fast and cuts your hand.

Bob
 
Google conduit fill capacity cat5e. There are several conduit fill tables that show zero for any cat 5 or cat6 cable in 1/2" emt. Secondly, your giving people advice to just go ahead and do something without even knowing for yourself if it's correct or not. Since I deal with actual paying customers that expect the job to pass inspection at anytime to include if they sell the residence or building, it is my duty to ensure everything is within standards or else you are liable to redo the job to standard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: t_andersen
All interesting Infor. This thread got away in a hurry before I could respond. So let me get back into it with some more specifics for my situation.

1) Code compliance is not an important issue for me because this application is on my tree farm. No home there.

2) The distance between my buildings is about 20' and I need to bury 4 cables. Not sure what spec?

3) I live in a state where frost depth often exceeds 12 inches.

My unknowns are: Will the frost Break up a schedule 40 electrical conduit? Is it ok to bundle all 4 cables together over the 20' length in the conduit?

I notice that the cable company buries coax cable at a shallow depth all the time, but I'm not sure if that is the same kind of cable? It is very stiff cable.

Farm2001.jpg
 
on your primary building its best to terminate it inside a junction box containing lightning arrestors strapped to a grounding rod before passing it inside the building.
have any lightning arrestors you prefer? links?
 
I am also very interested in finding lightning arrestors that are affordable. I run two Ethernet cables in a conduit to another building some120 ft away and I have had an old system seriously damaged by a lightning stroke. All the equipment is running on an APC UPS that handles surges on the power supply side but I fear inductive transients over the Ethernet cable from a nearby lightning stroke. Zorac's protector look really fine but it's made for a big system and quite expensive...
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
  • Like
Reactions: nebo
Google conduit fill capacity cat5e. There are several conduit fill tables that show zero for any cat 5 or cat6 cable in 1/2" emt.

Give me fucking links and stop saying google it, and what fucking idiot burries EMT? were talking RNC, rigid non-metallic..

sheesh, amateurs.. quit using the internet for thinking and start using your brain.. Ive had plenty of jobs signed off running a single ethernet underground in a 1/2" pvc conduit and never had anyone ever had anyone suggest I was doing it wrong.

keep doubling down on your bullshit.. so people can learn how you blow smoke up there ass, thats great for business.