Outdoor Cable installation is it really a problem?

 Installing outdoor cable or Cat6 outdoor cable can be very difficult task. There are certain guidelines you should follow and specific cable types to use.  This is one person’s opinion of some of the things that should be reviewed and thought about when installing outside or underground.

Many providers sell cable for exterior network use that is not necessarily for that type of location. There are many factors that go against its longevity and use.  Some of these are the most obvious and overlooked.  You should be trying to beat the problems that weather and moisture present to your installation. We’ll say more about that later, but they are the big destroyers.  It’s your enemy and can take an expensive installation and ruin it. 

Try stripping back the protective sheath on wiring that has been run outside in the open and see if the weather or moisture has gotten to it.  A simple clue is once you strip back part of the casing you find water dripping out of it. This can completely decimate your data throughput and transfer rate and begin to deteriorate the cable itself. If you’re an installer you don’t want to have to go back to a site and re-install it all over again. Random data crashes and complaints from customer installations can be hard to detect and even harder to resolve.  No one wants to dig up a buried line just to have to replace it

The outer jacket should be like having a line of defensive line team that can defend you from your enemy, in this case the elements and the UV rays and the like. Sun bathers are very familiar with trying to block the damaging effects of the Sun’s rays.  This type of element attack can destroy the jacket and the inside jacket.  Suppliers can sell you a plain old PVC indoor cable jacket and in many cases maybe that can be OK with you, but not when you’re running it out side or underground.  A UV rated jacket is also essential as is a Gel filled inside and LLPDE jacket (Linear Low – Density Polyethylene).  It helps protect against moisture, animals, microorganisms and temperature. So, know the downsides be smart and avoid them by using the right materials and the right supplier.