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Burglar/Intruder Alarm Cable

ebee

The thread about colour coding got me thinking.

Not wanting to hijack that thread though.

I was going to waffle on but determined to save you all from that.

So Burglar/Intruder alarms - hardwired not wireless.

We use 6 core alarm cable quite often but in the days before PIRs it was common to use 4 core.

Those having a set colour coding usually picked which colours were for which function and stuck with that.

Those starting their careers when 4 core was common (before PIRs were invented) had a slightly different mindset to those that started on 6 core because PIRs were already in vogue.

Anybody agree/disagree ?

 

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    Arran Cameron: 
     

    Genuine alarm cable is manufactured to BS4737-3.30:2015. It must be used for the installation to comply with with BS4737. The use of telephone and ethernet cables is no longer acceptable although they are still commonly used for DIY installations, and by some electricians and telecomms technicians who have added burglar alarm installations to their repertoire of services.

    Agreed, and it's unlikely that a telecomms cable would have the appropriate coloured rip cord to meet the requirements of the standard.

    I'm sure even 8 core alarm cable is slightly cheaper than Cat5e … 6-core is certainly cheaper … so I don't understand why you'd want to use a more expensive cable to do the job?

  • 0

    Alarm cable has stranded conductors whereas telephone and Cat5e cable has solid conductors arranged in twisted pairs.

  • 0

    Arran Cameron: 
     

    Alarm cable has stranded conductors whereas telephone and Cat5e cable has solid conductors arranged in twisted pairs.

    Agreed this is normally the case … but BS 4737-3.30:2015 permits solid (and also permits aluminium or composite conductor construction). From Clause 5:

    5 Conductors
    Conductors shall be plain or tinned annealed copper, plain aluminium, or composite construction using suitable metals constructed in accordance with Table 1.

    Conductors shall consist of a single solid wire or multiple strands of wire of the same material. The conductor construction shall be the same for all conductors in any single cable.

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