When to Use Plenum Cat6 – Choosing the Right Cable
These days, there are a -plethora of options for various cable products. Every day, new electrical options are introduced to the market. The options have become much more abundant as time goes on, whether it’s due to changing specifications or different variations. However, one option, which is typically the first thing a person considers when purchasing cable, remains fairly constant. This determines whether the cat6 plenum cable 1000ft used must be plenum rated or non-plenum rated.
When we say plenum or non-plenum cable, we’re not referring to the cable itself. The plenum rating we’re discussing here relates to the jacket that encircles the cable. This is a critical issue involving the chemical composition of the cable. And the structure of your building, particularly as it relates to your small business phone system and low voltage data/audio cabling.
When it comes to the movement of heating, air conditioning, and ventilation through office buildings, there are two basic types of building construction. Architects in newer construction and most high-rise construction save space and money by simply drawing air back to the heating/air conditioning unit through open areas above the ceiling and between the walls. Rather than using expensive sheet metal return air ducts.
Plenum Cable
Cat6 Solid Copper 1000ft Plenum-rated cable gets its name from a term in the HVAC industry that refers to “Plenum spaces.” A “plenum space” is a part of a structure that allows for air circulation whilst also providing pathways for heated/conditioned and return airflows at higher pressures than usual. Plenums are typically spaced between the structural floor and a dropped ceiling.
Some drop ceilings are designed so tightly that air circulation is restrained that they are classified as non-plenum areas. Plenum cable is frequently required when the conduit is not installed because the cable is “freely installed.”
Non-Plenum Cable
Plenum cable is often much more expensive than non-plenum cable, also known as “polyvinyl chloride” cable. Non-plenum cable is usually half the price, if not more, of PVC jacketed cable in terms of cost savings. Many projects will use non-plenum cabling to save money. However, whether or not to use plenum cabling vs. non-plenum cabling is ultimately up to the building owner or government codes and regulations.
Insurance considerations may also influence the plenum vs. non-plenum decision. Plenum cable may be chosen by businesses to reduce liability connected with fires. Because it is the safer option in the event of a fire. Larger buildings with fewer people, such as warehouses and distribution centers, tend to use non-plenum-rated cable. Whilst hospitals and schools prefer the safer option of plenum cable.
The Issue
Let’s talk about the problem’s foundation now. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) jackets standard cable, with the Chloride element causing the problem. When PVC burns or smolders, toxic fumes are released into the atmosphere (Hydrochloric Acid and Dioxin). Unknowingly, a plenum air return circulates toxic air throughout an office.
The answer to the question of When to Use Plenum Cat6 is Plenum Rated cable must be installed through any plenum air return space. Because neither you nor the Fire Department wants you to die from inhaling toxic fumes from your cabling. If the air space is not ducted, our installation team is needed to execute the Plenum Rated cable.