Electronic Alarms and Home Security Devices - Telco 22 AWG solid 2-pair bundled wire for keybus interconnect?
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radiowhiz
12-20-07, 11:10 PM
HI all,
Can one use 22 AWG solid 2-pair bundled telco cabling for short DSC keypad (LCD550x) connections to a PowerSeries control board? HomeDepot has such cabling but the internal pairs are not twisted so less immune to EMI. I am looking at about 5-10' run lengths or less though. The current draw on the keypads are on the order of 100mA so the gauge is fine but the insulating jack on each conductor is rather thin compared to normal 22AWG solid hookup wire. Do installers every use telco wiring for alarm installations? Pro's and cons?
Thanks,
Mike
Can one use 22 AWG solid 2-pair bundled telco cabling for short DSC keypad (LCD550x) connections to a PowerSeries control board? HomeDepot has such cabling but the internal pairs are not twisted so less immune to EMI. I am looking at about 5-10' run lengths or less though. The current draw on the keypads are on the order of 100mA so the gauge is fine but the insulating jack on each conductor is rather thin compared to normal 22AWG solid hookup wire. Do installers every use telco wiring for alarm installations? Pro's and cons?
Thanks,
Mike
MrRonFL
12-21-07, 05:48 AM
22 gauge is, in fact, the minimum gauge specified by most of the alarm system builders.
radiowhiz
12-21-07, 10:48 PM
Hi There,
Thanks for the reply. Yes, 22AWG matches the spec in the documentation. But I am also wondering if alarm installers have or continue to use telco 22AWG 2 or 4 pair bundled cabling for keypad any other devices in a given installation? Some of the bundled pairs I've looked at (22AWG) are not twisted and have thin insulating jackets on them. Looking at the installation done on our home (its about 3 yrs old), I see no evidence of telco wiring being used. But it seems convenient for addon devices but there must be a reason why its not being used, or is it being used generally?
Mike
Thanks for the reply. Yes, 22AWG matches the spec in the documentation. But I am also wondering if alarm installers have or continue to use telco 22AWG 2 or 4 pair bundled cabling for keypad any other devices in a given installation? Some of the bundled pairs I've looked at (22AWG) are not twisted and have thin insulating jackets on them. Looking at the installation done on our home (its about 3 yrs old), I see no evidence of telco wiring being used. But it seems convenient for addon devices but there must be a reason why its not being used, or is it being used generally?
Mike
MrRonFL
12-22-07, 05:23 PM
The standard security wire is 22-2 or 22-4 cable. Yes, it is the same old-school untwisted pair cable that used to be the standard for telco installations.
Security system wiring, for the most part is just simple normally closed circuits, and the keypad communication is simple digital pulses.
The wire is fine, it is what the system is engineered for.
If you are trying to ask if something like 24 gauge twisted pair (Like cat 5e cable) will work, it will, but it is a smaller gauge than the hardware was engineered for.
Security system wiring, for the most part is just simple normally closed circuits, and the keypad communication is simple digital pulses.
The wire is fine, it is what the system is engineered for.
If you are trying to ask if something like 24 gauge twisted pair (Like cat 5e cable) will work, it will, but it is a smaller gauge than the hardware was engineered for.