anyone worked with an any intercom systems that run over cat5 cable? I am doing a little research hunting around for an intercom system for a residential house that stretches from the front door ~175 feet to a garage/office at the rear of the property. Anyone recommend any system they might have worked with?

Trollog,

I can think of two products that would suit your needs. One is by P&S ( http://www.passandseymour.com/whatsnew/pdf/cat5_intercom.pdf#search=%22P%26S%20intercom%20systems%20cat%205%22 ),and the other is product called Compoint manufactured by a comapny called Russound ( http://www.russound.com/compoint.htm ).

Hope this helps.


[This message has been edited by A-V Pro (edited 09-17-2006).]

You can use a DOOR PHON, It is a intercom that works with your phone. When you push the doorbell, it will ring the phone (different ring) You can answer the door from any phone ( even a cordless phone) and even unlock it if you equip the door with a electric strike.

I installed an Aphone intercom in my place and I am happy with it. Check it out.

anyone worked with an any intercom systems that run over cat5 cable?

Probably any intercom system will work with CAT 5 cable. {Sigh} Question is why are you using CAT 5 instead of something more suited for the job?

-Hal

Why would you think that cat5 is not suited to the task?

If you read any of my posts on the use of CAT 5 you would know why. CAT 5 seems to have become the "universal" low voltage wire seemingly because of the "that's what I have" attitude not because it should be used.

Without beating a dead horse it all boils down to workmanship. I have seen doorbells, thermostats, speakers and God knows what else wired with CAT 5. If I see a run of CAT 5 I automatically WANT to assume that it is data run or possibly a telephone run and that's how it should be. The worst thing is to try to follow one of these runs and learn that everything else in the place was wired with the same wire.

-Hal

I have to correct myself here - the brand name is AIPHONE.

Ok.. I can understand your feelings..

My point is that there are a number of products for home control, home automation, intercom, A/V distribution, etc, that are specificly designed to be wired using cat5 cabling.

Look at the On-Q line of products offered by P&S/Legrand for instance.

I don't see why any system that calls for the use of 24awg wiring shouldn't be able to be wired with cat5. Maybe cat5 isn't specified, but if you wire with cat5, then later replacement with more modern systems becomes that much easier down the road.

hbiss: I hope you don't scold me too much for this, but...

When I ran network cable throughout my house, I also did the phone and intercom wires in Cat 5. My phone company uses Cat 3, but Cat 5 worked well for me, no noticable difference (for better or worse.) My intercom system was meant to use standard 4 conductor telephone wire, so I just used Cat 5. I bought a 1000' box of it, made up patch cables and everything. My thermostats and doorbell, I use thermostat wire (don't know the proper NEC name). I agree that you shouldn't use it for many things people do (speaker wire, LV lighting, etc.)

trollog: Is the cat5 already laid out? I have seen some com systems that use a shielded speaker cable, but I think most use a 3 or 4 wire cable, unshielded, 24 gauge. I forget what cat5 is, but I think it's 24, so I'm pretty sure you'd be alright as far as safety and it actually working. As far as NEC, I have no clue.

But think of this: Today, the customer might want an intercom, 5 years from now, they might want the whole doorbell/camera/videoconference/IP camera/etc. thing that will come along one day. If it's a network device, cat 5 could be viewed as planning for the future.

But, as always, you should follow manufacturer's instructions... sure, they might say use 3 conductor #24, but if you use cat 5 and something goes wrong, it could void warranty or stupid stuff like that.

Just food for thought... think of it as a buffet, take what you want, come back for seconds if you wish.

Better Cat5 used everywhere than 4-conductor "phone wire", as it once was.