Alarm cable

[Jimmy3]

Is it OK to use cat5 network cable for the alarm sounder of a burglar alarm?
It's not as flexible but has eight twisted pair cores?

 

[Alarm]

It is fine, bit of a waste TBH.
It is solid drawn so watch it when pulling thru cavities. Think BT cable, Cat 1 IIRC. As you mention not so flexible.
Cat cable carries voice and data better, stranded is just carrring voltages ( Yes b4 anyone says we use stranded for comms to keypads/nodes/rios/lims)
On short runs retrospective to BT or DATA Otherwise belden is used.

Your average bell needs 5 cores, unless you have a really old duffer of one!

 

[mryoung]

jimmy, if your going to do it, do it right mate!!

buy a role of 6 / 8 core alarm cable.

 

[ravb]

cat5 is solid. dont use that, it you damage the cores then its not good. do it with 8 core. you have spares on that too incase you need to use it in future

 

[aptsys]

Not strictly true. Stranded Cat5 is readily available.

 

[Alarm]

#Where?

 

[aptsys]

Any network cable supplier. Even Amazon sell it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Cat5e-Stranded-Bulk-Cable/dp/B0002AF4MC

Obviously though, he should just get his wallet out and buy some standard alarm cable.

 

[Alarm]

Wow, never seen stranded Cat5e before, ya live and learn.

Also as before alarm cable is cheaper!