Alarm wiring

[Hooli]

Hi all, I'm new here but I can see me asking lots of questions as things progress renovating a 17th century cottage with my other half.

To start with, I've got nearly 100m of BT internal cable. Can I use this for a wired alarm? I know it's solid core not twisted strands but I don't know what difference that makes as far as wiring things goes.

 

[scantronic]

it depends on how many cores pir's need at least 4 excluding tampers bell box 5-6 core but you should be able to use it for alarms but not the external bell box
hope this helps

 

[scantronic]

it depends on how many cores pir's need at least 4 excluding tampers bell box 5-6 core but you should be able to use it for alarms but not the external bell box
hope this helps

 

[sparkymarka]

Don't use bt cable for alarms as it breaks far too easy in screw connectors up that's why alarm cable is stranded.....

 

[Europlex]

I wonder why there are different cables manufactured for different jobs?

Wouldn't it be cheaper to have one sort for every job?

Sarcasm.

( the lowest form of wit )

 

[plugwash]

To start with, I've got nearly 100m of BT internal cable. Can I use this for a wired alarm? I know it's solid core not twisted strands but I don't know what difference that makes as far as wiring things goes.

It's possible to use it but you have to be very careful when stripping it. Otherwise you can put a slight nick in the conductors which then makes them very prone to breaking off.

I wonder why there are different cables manufactured for different jobs?

Sometimes because there is a legitimate need for them to be different, sometimes because different industries have adopted needlessly different connections.

 

[Europlex]

Didn't you see " Sarcasm. "

?

 

[Hooli]

To start with, I've got nearly 100m of BT internal cable. Can I use this for a wired alarm? I know it's solid core not twisted strands but I don't know what difference that makes as far as wiring things goes.

It's possible to use it but you have to be very careful when stripping it. Otherwise you can put a slight nick in the conductors which then makes them very prone to breaking off.

Thanks, I had a feeling it'd be something like that. For the price I'll just get the right cable then, seen it in Maplins for £50 per 100m roll.

 

[sparkymarka]

No no no ! Screwfix £26 100m 6 core half price of maplins

 

[socdesign]

Screwfix is fine if you need there and then. £26 is still quite expensive though. Plenty Ebay stores doing .02mm alarm cable for around £15 delivered. Eg.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100m-Reel...1494?pt=UK_Burglar_Alarms&hash=item2588030de6

 

[sparkymarka]

As long as it's not that tinned steel cable that's been sneaked in!

 

[bernardgreen]

it is

Tinned Copper Coated Aluminium - cores (35% Copper content- very high % for a CCA cable)

But low % compared to that for copper coated copper cable.

 

[socdesign]

Hmm..., from one of the Screwfix alarm cable reviews:

"This cable does not have a COPPER conductor, it has a STEEL coductor with a COPPER coating.
DONT PURCHASE IT WILL CAUSE YOU LOTS OF PROBLEMS NAMELY VERY BAD VOLT DROP.
Furthermore you are paying for expensive COPPER and you are getting cheap STEEL."

 

[sparkymarka]

That's the £20 roll !
I've come across various cables on pre-wired new houses some steel ( awfull and some like tissue paper ...can't knock webro cable been pretty good , but most cable now is not as good as it was 20 years ago....

 

[socdesign]

I cannot see any specs on the Screwfix items and reels unbranded. I suppose you're picking it up so can check what you're getting before you leave.

I normally stick to CQR branded alarm cable myself - probably why I haven't been sold the steel based stuff. You can normally pick up on Ebay for around the £15 mark if you're not buying bulk as trade.