Amiga.org
Coffee House => Coffee House Boards => CH / General => Topic started by: Oldsmobile_Mike on November 20, 2012, 04:16:07 PM
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Not Amiga related, but I've got a technical question that's a real head-scratcher and my Google-fu isn't working for me today. Figured it couldn't hurt to ask it here. ;)
Question is: I'm doing the network wiring for a 9,000 sq. foot, two-story office building. We've got about 150 Cat 6 cables to run from the second-floor network/server room down into the plenum airspace on the first floor, where they'll be pulled to all the 1st floor cubicles. The construction of the building and floors is solid concrete. To facilitate running the cables we had our plumber drill two roughly 6" diameter holes through the concrete floor, so we can drop the cables straight down. Now we're looking for some kind of way to sleeve these holes; can't use PVC pipe because of fire code, but am not having any luck finding a clean, neat solution that meets code and will keep the wires organized. We're using all plenum-rated cable, wire ties, and J-hooks, so no problem there, it's just how do we neatly put some kind of conduit between the floors that will keep the cables organized (while allowing us to slip more cables through in the future), and will meet fire code?
I put together this illustration to try to explain what we're looking for, including a photo of the bore holes, here:
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8207/8201013162_6e0ba0c094_o.jpg
Links to product pages would be especially helpful, I can't believe I'm the first person who's ever had to run cable between a couple floors of a building before! ;)
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The neatest way is to put trays (sheet metal) under the ceiling and bundle the cables to 16x packs or something in that order - great for any future expansion.
I'd want fibre for vertical cabling and use copper only for horizontal cabling (unless you can't have any secondary distribution, of course) but I guess it's too late for that. ;)
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I'd make sure the holes are lined with something to buffer the concrete. I've been in buildings where PVC pipe was fitted into the holes and stuck out about 2-3 inches on both sides. I know this cuts down on overall diameter, but it saves on cables getting "sawed" when rubbing against the concrete.
Side note, for those long runs, get a hand held crossbow with blunt tips. It's fun and fast!
**OOPS! Sorry, didn't read the full post and just caught that you can't use PVC. Hmmm, That is an odd one. The only thing I can think of, and I don't know the code to this, is a pour-able epoxy that would line the hole. Pour it and let it harden and you have your sleeve.
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Does it need to be air/gas tight? (Could imagine something like that if there is a fire suppression system in the serverroom).
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Are they Plenum certified cables? Or do you have separate riser cables?
Ive seen many office floors with just the holes sealed with concrete sealer.
Riser cables are usually loomed and hooped to make sure they dont have to hold the weight of a full floors drop.
I'd be running Fibre to the server room. :)
That sounded like a smartarse comment yeah?
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concrete floor, so we can drop the cables straight down. Now we're looking for some kind of way to sleeve these holes; can't use PVC pipe because of fire code, but am not having any luck finding a clean, neat solution that meets code and will keep the wires organized. We're using all plenum-rated cable, wire ties, and J-hooks, so no problem there, it's just how do we neatly put some kind of conduit between the floors that will keep the cables organized (while allowing us to slip more cables through in the future), and will meet fire code?
I think you can use metal pipes. I think they either used steel or aluminum pipes where I work. An elecrician might be up on the code.