Securing Cat6 outdoors

[Bill Morrow]

I want to replace the existing outdoor cameras with some POE cameras. Most of the existing cameras use 4 wire and a few use 6 wire; this wire was thin enough that standard cable staples have held it in place for years. But the new cable is outdoor rated RG6, so it is fairly stiff. I don't think T59 staples will hold this in place, especially at the bends. I guess I could nail/screw the bends and use the staples for the straight runs. This is actually a minor detail, it's the indoor fishing that I'm dreading. I know I can use the existing wire to pull the new cable, but this is not possible everywhere. ?

Any experience with these staples?

[mwester]

RG6 is coax cable, used only for RF signals -- not for PoE (Power over Ethernet).  So, please check that you have the right cameras/cable before you do anything.

 

As for securing RG6 coax, RF is sensitive to cable damage, more than many other signals.  Specifically, corrosion/water in the shield will cause internal reflections of the signal, as will bends that are too sharp.  So, staples are a huge no-no -- don't use them!  They will inevitably cut through the insulation, and let water infiltrate the shield (which will wick that water up into the cable with each rain).  Also, staples tend to cause right-angle bends in the wire.  What you want are the plastic cable clips made specifically for coax cable - you can get those at your local hardware store, as well as any of the big-box home stores.  These are usually nail-in, but in a few locations where nails wouldn't hold well, I've drilled out the nail-hole in the plastic, and used a long, thin screw.  As an alternative, black wire-ties with screw holes are easy to use, and will also avoid damage to the insulation.

Don't forget that you'll need connectors specifically for the cable you purchase (i.e. RG6 dual-shield requires a different diameter connector than does standard RG6), and in my experience the crimp-type are far superior to any other type.  You'll need a good crimping tool to put those on the cable ends.  (You can buy pre-assembled cables, with connectors on them -- but they're waaay more expensive per-foot than the bulk RG6, plus they inevitably come in a size slightly too short for your needs, thus requiring you to purchase way more than you need, resulting in you having to find a place to hide a huge coil of excess cable somewhere... sigh.)

BTW, I'd also re-check the need for RG6 -- RG-59 is cheaper, slightly thinner, and more flexible.  If you need RG6 to keep signal strength/quality, then you absolutely need to pay attention to minimizing the cable run length, avoiding all sharp bends, and using the highest quality dual-shield you can find.

[Bill Morrow]

14 minutes ago, mwester said:

RG6 is coax cable, used only for RF signals -- not for PoE (Power over Ethernet).  So, please check that you have the right cameras/cable before you do anything.

My Bad, I meant Cat6. I've updated the topic.

T59 staples are actually insulated, I'm just concerned that they are too weak to hold the outdoor Cat6. They are 5/16 x 5/16, so pinching should not be an issue. Yes, I'll need a larger radius for this cable.

I would prefer preformed cat6, but it's harder to fish and as you mentioned, I don't want 25' of extra cable. A few runs are in the 75' range, so I'd hate to be short or use a 100' cable and be way too long. 

I use a Platinum Tools crimper, but I haven't checked my existing RJ45 connectors with this cable. I think they're Cat6. 

Thanks.

 

[Bill Morrow]

OK, I finally tried these today. ? Yes, I'm getting old and lazy. The clips are actually a bit loose, but make a speedy job of tacking up my Cat6.