Cat 6 Wiring and Electrical Wiring

[Pettrix]

Lot's of confusing info on the web about running shielded Cat6 next to electrical Romex. Per the NEC, there is NO code prohibiting one from running Cat6 and electrical next to each other AS LONG as it is under 1,000 Volts or less. Most shielded Cat6 is rated to 300v.

Can anyone provide code proving otherwise?

I'm trying to run internet from a guest house to the main house about 150 feet away and trying to figure out how to do that. One idea is to run it in the underground electrical conduit that's already there but need some input.

 

[drssg]

I'm not an expert. When I have run underground conduit, I have separated high and low-voltage lines into separate conduits. I don't know about the code, but my thought was that, if the lines were somehow damaged, there could be a risk of getting high-voltage power through the low-voltage line. If the conduit was already in place, I might consider sharing.

Depending on your circumstances, it doesn't take much to put direct-burial cat6 line into dirt with a vibrating wedge trencher. The drawback is that the line is not in very deep, and you need to be careful with any future digging.

 

[Roadworthy]

I retired from the trade about ten yeas ago but at that time you could not put a low voltage signal type cable into the same conduit as your electrical service. If both were placed into the same box there had to be a divider in the box to keep them separate. It sounds as though you're doing a search of the NEC so your information may be more current than mine.

 

[LittleBill21]

separate them by at least a foot, that's about it

 

[Diggin It]

I retired from the trade about ten yeas ago but at that time you could not put a low voltage signal type cable into the same conduit as your electrical service.

Code or no code, it's just a bad idea. Better to be in separate conduits/raceways. If using direct burial cables, they should be a few inches apart.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

You cannot put "low voltage" conductors (in this case CAT6) in the same conduit as "high voltage" (in this case 120v AC).

Sorry, but that is a hard "No."

 

[grsthegreat]

He never said in same conduit. He wanted to know about next to each other.

When wiring a house, they only need to be a few inches apart....I tried to keep them a foot apart. Never in the same drilled hole.

When in conduit, NEVER share a conduit. Can be in same trench, but tend to keep on apposite sides of trench.

 

[kennyd]

Run a multimode fiber cable, add two codec's...problem solved.

 

[kennyd]

He never said in same conduit. He wanted to know about next to each other.

When wiring a house, they only need to be a few inches apart....I tried to keep them a foot apart. Never in the same drilled hole.

When in conduit, NEVER share a conduit. Can be in same trench, but tend to keep on apposite sides of trench.

That is certainly not the way I read his post...

One idea is to run it in the underground electrical conduit that's already there

 

[grsthegreat]

That is certainly not the way I read his post...

the first part asked about running next to electrical romex. romex would not be in a conduit.

so now im not sure what he wants