How to corner mount a CCTV security camera

In one of our recent blog post we went over how to install a security camera to a pole . One of our good installation contractors wanted to know if we offered a mount for the corner of a building.

For corner mounting you'll want the Arlington Industries part number 8161CB. This is a non-metallic mount and UV rated for long outdoor life. You can also install these mounts for indoor applications and excellent for dry, damp or wet locations. If your camera diameter is smaller then 4.5 inches use Arlington's SC5 CAM-KIT on top of the box.

Let's get a better look at this mount from our YouTube Channel .


After watching the video you found out you can also mount floodlights, electrical accessories or just about anything with the screw pattern of a standard 4 inch fixture box.

Corner and pole mounting are some of the most common installation problems and with these options for this kind of installation Arlington Industries nailed it. Order the 8161CB online.

Any other security camera installation questions? Comment below.

Thanks.

"By Mercy Salinas"

ITW Linx CAT6-LAN Building Entrance Protector from Surge and Lightning

Because there are many causes of electrical surges that can originate outside your building, proper surge protection for your equipment is a must. Surges occur when large electrical loads are turned on and off, at a local factory or from your utility company and the most damaging source is lightning.

The CAT6-LAN by ITW Linx will protect your equipment and high performance 4-pair Category 6 outside plant cable and also Cat6 UTP cables for LAN/Data applications.

Let's take a look at this product from our YouTube Channel



Still thinking about whether or not you need a CAT6-LAN? Check this out.

* Excess current can enter into almost all items in the subsystem such as power sources, peripherals, networks and telephone cables.

* Excess current can damage and destroy vital items in your subsystem such as silicon items, magnetic media and circuit board traces.

* Computer and telephone subsystems are usually assembled out of components from different manufactures and because of that you now have equipment that handles power and grounding in different ways.

* Copper cables are vulnerable from outside the building to breakage, crosses, lightning and those cables lead back to you.

Another question is who's responsible for providing primary and secondary protection? The regulated telephone company is only responsible for providing a standard level of primary protection connected to the customers premise. That level of protection is designed to prevent building wiring from catching fire and not designed to protect equipment. All other protection is the responsibility of the equipment user.

Now that your sold on the CAT6-LAN here's a common cable that is installed for outside plant building applications.



Don't forget about grounding! Check out a previous blog post for tips on grounding telephone and data cables and you can order all these parts at Discount Low Voltage

If you have any questions comment below! Thanks!

"By Mercy Salinas"

Fiber optic cable for indoor and outdoor installations

Over the past 15 years of providing fiber optic cabling solutions for contractors, data centers, government end users and everyone under the sun my favorite cable construction type is still the tight buffered construction style with an indoor/outdoor rating.

The indoor/outdoor rating allows you to pull outdoor to anywhere indoor and vise versa. Outdoor specific cables are not allowed to be pulled into a building more than 50 feet via the National Electric Code. If a fire breaks out indoors and outside plant cables are burned, very toxic fumes are released and we all know smoke inhalation is the number one killer in fires.

Here's our indoor/outdoor fiber optic cable product video from our YouTube Channel




The video example is of AFL part number KR0066531001

If your equipment is far from the cable entrance point into the building you'll benefit from the indoor/outdoor rating by not having to invest in wall mount or rack mount fiber enclosures when you make your transition when compared to having to use an outdoor cable then an indoor cable to meet that NEC requirement. (We also have videos on wall and rackmount fiber enclosures on our YouTube Channel).

Size is also one of my favorite things about a tight buffered cable. If you compare a 6 strand tight buffered cable to a 6 strand loose tube the diameter is smaller giving you more room in a innerduct for more cables or for purchasing a smaller innerduct saving you on cost.


The flexibility of this cable will also allow you to dress it into your telecom closet or around your equipment easily helping to preserve a clean and neat look.

The weight of this cable is light allowing you to easily move from location to location. A 6 strand 1000ft cable with the reel weights around 24 pounds. This lighter cable and reel also save you on shipping cost.

From a fiber optic termination point of view a tight buffer cable requires no fan out kits. These kits are a requirement when installing a loose tube fiber, these kits add cost on the materials end and the labor end when terminating a loose tube fiber.

The combination of all of the mentions above also make this a preferred choice when doing a preterminated fiber cable. Our preterminated fiber cables cables are length and fiber glass type specified by the user. Very installer friendly fiber cable to start with and an excellent alternative to an expensive fiber termination tool kit investment if you plan on terminating fiber once in a while.


So there's my two cents. If you have an upcoming project and you want to talk it over don't hesitate to call me. I'm at 888-797-3697 extension 232 or if you have a comment leave it below.

Thanks!

"By Mercy Salinas"

Cable management for a residential structured wiring installation

For several years now we've been offering structured wiring products for home network installations and one of the most common problems is finding some kind of cable retainer to manage a wide selection of cables, the ability to mount on different surfaces and to be opened and reopened for many years to come.

An excellent solution for this type of installation is the CATCR50. It can be easily installed on walls, studs, racks, ceilings, beams and basically anywhere else in your home. You can also mount it vertically or horizontally making it very versatile and has rounded edges to avoid over bending and kinking of cables.

The locking part of the CATCR50 is patented, the locking teeth are easy to open and close allowing for cable to be added quickly and easily. It's UL listed and complies with the National Electric Code.

Let's get a better look at it from our YouTube Channel



Designed for use with cat5e cable and higher, fiber to the home cable, coaxial cable and can also be installed in commercial applications with its plenum rating. Easy to install, just use nails or screws.

I think you'll find this an easy to install and flexible solution for your home cable management, and the pricing on the CATCR50 rules!

If you got the balls to leave a comment do it!

Thanks.

"By Mercy Salinas"

A equivalent to Belden 5300UE and West Penn WP-224

If your looking for an 18 gauge 2 conductor pvc cable that's unshielded and high quality like a Belden or West Penn Wire, I have an excellent equivalent for you to look at.  

This cable part number 1880AB2CMR is manufactured by Tappan Wire & Cable and is an exact equivalent according to the Tappan manufacture cross reference chart. Tappan has also been manufacturing cable out of New York since 1978 so you know they're making good stuff. As I always say, "Without repeat business there's no business."

Let's get a better look at this cable and packaging from one of our many YouTube Videos.



I'm hoping this information will allow you to now present this as an alternative on building projects that allow for a equivalent, thus allowing you to use Tappan Wire 1880AB2CMR to get more competitive on your project bid or maybe Belden and West Penn Wire have a back order and you need a quick back up.

Comment below, thanks.

"By Mercy Salinas"

What are the most popular Fiber Optic Connector types?

When I first started terminating fiber optic connectors around 15 years ago maybe around 1997, I remember doing a handful of different types. Like FC, FDDI, MT Array, SC, ST, SMA, MTRJ, MU and so on. It was a huge chore, not only knowing how to properly terminate all these but having to stock all of these connectors to take care of your customers needs in a timely fashion.

I do remember around the year 2000-2001 the MTRJ connector had an amazing spurt where it felt like the industry was possibly standardizing on a connector but no.

The only connectors that have stood the test of time are the SC and ST connectors. The SC connectors (Set and Click is what I call them) are a square front design while the ST (Set and Twist) connector is round and is basically a smaller version of a coax BNC male connector.
Here's a quick look at one of our YouTube videos on the most common connectors as of today.



The LC connector has really been a beast over the past couple of years. It seems to be a more common input for Hewlett Packard Pro Curve and Cisco Catalyst switches and for SFP modules.

These 3 connectors seem to be the most common at this point in time but there is also another connector called MPO that has been gaining traction in data centers and could possibly contend for popularity in the long term.

Now if your thinking about terminating these connectors check out another one of our many YouTube videos, this one is called How to Terminate Fiber Optic Network Cable

Comment below please. Thanks!

"By Mercy Salinas"

Cat5e Cable for Cell Tower and Outdoor Wireless Installations

As you know cell tower and outdoor wireless equipment installations can be some of the most demanding and dangerous. Contractors for these installations face many pressures from meeting a deadline, proper materials, making sure the job is done correctly and doing everything with a safety first mentality.

We can't help you with everything your going to bump into at your installation but we can help with getting you proper materials for your installation in a timely manner to help meet your deadline.

One product that comes to mind is the BBDE serise of outside plant cable by Superior Essex.


* This cable is built with a dry water blocking agent outside of the inner jacket that helps prevent  water ingress between shield in inner cable preventing damage to equipment.

* The core is fully filled with PFM Gel allowing for a no drip or flow in vertical installations, also helps fight against degraded transmission performance.

* Outside plant rated sunlight resistant black jacket will allow for years and years of reliable performance.

With these features and the reliability of a company that has been making cable since 1930 you can rest assure the quality of this cable is as good as your installation.

You can order this cable at Discount Low Voltagee

"By Mercy Salinas"

Wire and Cable cut per foot by Discount Low Voltage

Wiring and cabling installations are hard work and can vary greatly based on the location of your cable pull. Figuring out what type of cable will work for your application seems to be half the battle, now you must chose the best pathway.

For example if you have a building to building installation you may have to use a ditch witch and direct bury an armored cable.

Maybe you have a cable run from the 9th floor to the 22nd floor. Do you need a plenum rated cable? Do you have to run it in innerduct? Can you use a interlocking armor cable? You might want to double check the National Electric Code for your building as codes vary from city to city.

Discount-Low-Voltage.com understands that having the cable your looking for is half the battle but we also must be able to support your installation in a timely manner.

Our reeling and coiling machinery allows us to better support your installation in a few ways.

1) Cable is cut per foot saving you money. Why buy a 1000 foot reel if you only need a 340 foot piece.

2) Our machinery in house allows us to get your cable shipped to you fast!

3) No cut charge. Manufactures can cut cable but typically a cut charge is included and will take longer to ship out the door.


When it comes to supplying your installation with cable, whether you need a PE89 burial cable, Armored Cat5e 4 pair, interlocking plenum rated fiber or anything for low voltage wiring we can supply you with exactly what you need quickly.

So for all your wire & cable that needs to get cut per foot, order from Discount Low Voltage

Thanks.

"By Mercy Salinas"