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Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 159
L
Member
I installed a cat 5 cable as part of a proposed dimming system in my newly refubed kitchen. Problem is that I cant afford dimmer pack at the moment. Missus D is not making tea any more! I though I might stick a few relays in a box in the meantime and control them using the cat 5. Cant find any info on net on current carrying capacity probably because they were not designed to carry current per se.


regards

lyle dunn
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
T
Member
isn't cat 5 22AWG?

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
24 AWG -- Certainly adequate for the sort of relay coil currents you'd need in this application (i.e. < 250mA). It will have to be low-voltage switching, as CAT5 isn't rated for 240V.

I have to ask: Why CAT5 for a proposed dimmer system? Did you just happen to have some spare?

Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 159
L
Member
Paul,
It is a Hamilton-Litestat dimmer pack and they stipulate the wiring system. I guess CAT 5 is very available and adequate for remote control.


regards

lyle dunn
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 33
W
Member
Seems weird that they would specify Cat 5

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
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A lot of the Clipsal C-Bus stuff here uses Cat-5e for it's wiring.

Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 745
E
Member
CAT5 is definitely overkill, but widely-available. I am sure that's the primary reason. Unless there's a very unusual need, all telephone/data wiring is 24 gauge. The exception is CAT6, which is 23 gauge.

22 gauge was the norm for surface wiring that was run around baseboards to make it more resilient to damage during installation.

Regardless, it's more than enough to handle the small control circuit loads as Paul mentioned.


---Ed---

"But the guy at Home Depot said it would work."
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
Member
Overkill without a doubt -- As Ed says, I guess they just figure it's widely available now and a lot of people will know what it is.


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