Coax Grounding Requirements

Hello,

I have been asked to audit a telco closet in a large residence that is having problems in their entire infrastructure--Cat5, power, audio, video, security, etc. The Cat5 installation was obviously not performed up to standards (bend radius violations, extreme tension, tight wire wraps, runs over EMI devices and parallel and tied to power conduits), but I am not so clear about the coax runs in the house. Coax is everywhere in this main closet and there are a number of coax splitters as well. The only splitter that is grounded back to the main service, however, is the one that comes in from the outside cable line. As all of the additional splitters have external ground screws, I'm wondering if these should be grounded as well. What are your thoughts and does anyone know the residential specs for this?

Thanks,

-Jay

Reply to
jaylucasaustin.rr.com
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It sounds like a can of worms, I hope you get paid well, but I wouldn't worry about EMI on data cable unless the guy has a HAM radio station AND a welding shop.

IMO EMI interference with properly installed cable to CAT3 spec, or better, is damn near just an Urban legand, outside of extreme industrial environments.

This was a worry in the first days of UTP and tests were done by wrapping loops of cable around fluorescent lights, copiers, arc welders, etc and no increase in error rate was detected.

The primary protection against externally induced EMI is the close tolerances of the twists and CAT3 was sloppy compared to today's CAT5/5e/6 wire.

Reply to
Al Dykes

Grounding of the first splitter is sufficient.

CIAO!

Ed N.

jaylucasaust> Hello,

Reply to
Ed Nielsen

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