Communications: Voice, Radio and Data - Communication cables & 110v interference???

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Sous-sol
03-01-09, 08:53 AM
Hi everyone,

This is my potential problem:

I bought a brand new house last year with a basement. The constructor digged a hole in the concrete foundations to give some space for the TV and telephone cables. No problem here. Now I want to build a shed in my backyard and I need to install electricity, to do so, the easiest thing would be to simply pass the 110volt cable (14/2 for exterior) in the same hole and voilą!

I am just wondering if having a live 110V electrical cable will create interference with either the coaxial cables or the CAT5 telephone (and DSL) cables.

Thanks

furd
03-01-09, 06:18 PM
It's not considered good practice to run power and communication cables in the same holes and it is a code violation to run them in the same conduit. That said, you may be able to get away with it but I would recommend that you find a different way of running the power to your shed.
Sous-sol
03-02-09, 05:03 PM
You're right... I didn't even think about it.

I'll just bring the wire on the first floor, dig a hole through the wood (behind vinyl sidings) and go the the municipal library to read the code on how to correctly lay an electrical wire underground.

Thanks for the reply.

docslip
03-09-09, 09:20 PM
In response to your concern about interference between a live 110 AC feed in close proximity to coax and data:

Regardless of quality, sheilded cables are not 100% immune to external electric and magnetic fields. They are very good but a good rule of thumb is don't do it and if you do do it any noisy loads such as a/c dimmers, motors and the like may disturb the other low level circuits. The greater the distance between line voltage and low voltage circuit the better off you are. Even a few inches would help. You may have noticed municipal 'street mounted electric cabinets' often have a side box mounted to them. Telephone and data providers will use these and despite the appearance and extra cost it insures the low voltage stuff cannot even accidentally contact a live a/c circuit. For what it's worth.

docslip