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"