When should plenum cables be used?

When Should Plenum Cable be Used? Article 800 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) states that plenum cable should ALWAYS be used in plenum airspaces and air ducts to slow down the spread of flames and reduce smoke and toxic fumes from circulating throughout the building.

Can riser cable be used in plenum?

Cable which is to be run between floors in non-plenum areas is rated as RISER cable. The fire requirements on riser cable are not as strict. Thus, plenum cable can always replace riser cable, but riser cable cannot replace plenum cable in plenum spaces.

What is the advantage of plenum cable?

Benefits or advantages of Plenum cable ➨It has fire resistant characteristics with low smoke. ➨It slows down spread of flames as mentioned above as it is self extinguishing cable type. ➨It can be installed in very less space and hence allows space for air circulation to be used by HVAC system.

What is the difference between riser rated and plenum rated?

Plenum rated cables have a higher fire rating for both commercial and residential use. When cables are needed in the air ducts, plenum cables are the primary choice. Riser cables, namely CMR cables, are widely used for regular networking from floor to floor in non-plenum areas.

Can I use riser cable in my house?

You can always substitute a higher rated cable, so for example, you can use plenum anywhere, riser can be used even if not between floors, etc.

What is riser cable used for?

A riser is a term given to a vertical shaft or series of rooms within a building that allow primary utilities such as electrical conduits, water supply lines, and communications cabling to be distributed vertically.

Do I need plenum cable in my house?

If there is no sheet metal duct; just the open ceiling or wall space, then you are required by law to use Plenum Rated cable. The lack of wall or ceiling return air grates is usually a sure sign that you require Plenum Rated Cable.

What is the difference between plenum and riser cable?

Because plenum cables are built to a higher fire resistance standard than riser cables, plenum cabling is more expensive than riser cabling. While you can substitute plenum cabling for riser cabling in a “riser” space, you cannot substitute riser rated cables for plenum rated cables in a plenum space.

Is riser cable solid or stranded?

It’s construction makes it great for long runs which you want when you put it in risers or walls because the majority of these cables are going to have solid conductors. Solid conductors help give you better signal strength over longer distances and are stronger for pulling through the walls.

Do you need plenum cable in walls?

Can Cat5 connect to Cat6?

A Cat6 cable is similar to a Cat5 ethernet cable — it consists of four pairs of twisted copper wire. It’s also compatible with both Cat5 and Cat5E cables.

What is Cat6 riser cable?

The CAT6 riser cable is designed with a polymer filament with high tensile strength to support the cable when hanging in an open chute. This strength member is necessary for structural integrity of the cable when run from floor to floor.

What is riser cable?

Cat6 riser cables also referred to as communications multipurpose cable, riser (CMR), is a productive cable applicable to the safety standard “UL1666”. It is designed to fend off fire from escalating floor to floor in a vertical installation. Hence, it is used generally for vertical floor wiring.

What is Plenum wire?

Plenum Wire and Plenum Cable are wire and cable products that can legally be installed in the plenum spaces of a building, typically, the area used to store a building’s communication cables, both for the computer and telephone network.