timmy Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I have a crazy question. I have 2 controllers in my garage and am placing 1 on my side porch next to the mini trees. This is going to save tons of extension cords. I need to run a cat5 cable from my garage controller to the one on my porch. A 50' cable is right at perfect. I need to know the best way to secure the cable to my driveway, sidewalk, and porch to keep it in place and to keep people from tripping on it. I was thinking of using duct tape. Is this what you guys do or is there a better way. I just don't want there to be the nasty sticky residue all over the wire and concrete. I bought the cord duct cod protector. It's the stuff that has a channel to run the wire through and can be walked on. This stuff was WAY too expensive to use for the 50' run. All ideas appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Don Gillespie Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Is there any way you can take the cat 5 ovewr the driveway and the sidewalk IE: two large posts with lights around them or even 2x2 lumber pounded into the ground as long as you don't have sprinklers I would be very carefull putting the cable on a sidewalk where people are milling about just the sound of that scares me all it would take is one person to trip on it or even worse the cat 5 gets broke now your show is over, this is only my opinion maybe there are others who do this all I know is I would not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmy Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 The sidewalk I am referring to is just my 5' long from driveway to porch. If I elevate it I would have to get a new cable as the 50' is exactly the size. That is a very good point so I will look into the elevating idea. I would hate for my cable to get ripped apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surfing4Dough Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 I agree I would try to avoid running cat5 over the cement. What about getting a 100' cable and running a different route. Looked at your site at pics but hard to determine exactly where you are running from and too. Not sure if using the extra cord would allow you to run up and over the garage door (indoors) to avoid the driveway crossover. Any steps up to the porch from the walkway? If so, I tend to run my wire under the edge of a step so it is too close to the step where a foot never goes.Can't beat these prices:http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10208#1020814 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhitePlainsNY Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 You could use a plank with a groove underneath for the cable to fit into. Secure the cable on the board so it can't shift. The plank can be thin and if you're concerned about it being a trip hazard, you can cut down the sides of the plank to create ramps. If the plank can extend onto the lawn, you can drive cheap 10" nails into the ground to anchor it.It's cheap, temporary, and leaves no messy residue.Chuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmy Posted October 21, 2010 Author Share Posted October 21, 2010 Thanks for the replies. I will definitely go to monoprice. I bought my last from Lowes and was three times that with no ends. Thanks for the replies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan C Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Monoprice is the place to go!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kzaas Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 WhitePlainsNY wrote: You could use a plank with a groove underneath for the cable to fit into. Secure the cable on the board so it can't shift. The plank can be thin and if you're concerned about it being a trip hazard, you can cut down the sides of the plank to create ramps. If the plank can extend onto the lawn, you can drive cheap 10" nails into the ground to anchor it.It's cheap, temporary, and leaves no messy residue.ChuckThat's an idea I never thought of, I too have some areas where I have to cross sidewalks but I just use duct tape and lots of it, and yes it left alot of residue on both the wires and the concrete. I like your idea and less mess to clean up. Thanks,Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galen Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 Surfing4Dough wrote: ... I tend to run my wire under the edge of a step so it is too close to the step where a foot never goes. That's what I did last year (with a bundle of extension cords, too) and it worked out fine. Also, I ran my cat5 across my driveway through 1/2" PVC that I placed between my garage and driveway. The driveway had settled a bit and putting the PVC right there was great - it never moved and my car had to go up a little bump anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimswinder Posted October 21, 2010 Share Posted October 21, 2010 why not run some small diameter PVC...5 - 10' lengths would do it...less than $15If you need to bend it, just heat it with a blow dryer and bend it...Edit: ooops...I now see someone already suggested that...guess I need to read slower... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 You could spend $250 for the Linkers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmy Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 I really have thought about that. I just don't see the wife allowing that. Is there any negative effect of having my cat 5 run along side my extension cords? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted October 22, 2010 Share Posted October 22, 2010 mine are with no ill effect. the regs say not to place the comm next to, but i have had not problems..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Young Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 I would suggest as an alternative running 1/2 inch flex pvc under the sidewalk. You do it once and you are done. It can be done fairly easily, without having to touch the overlying cement.If you think you will be expanding the cables it will carry, you can always upsize later on.This way folks aren't walking on CAT 5 cable. I have no issues walking on taped electrical cords, but I get a little concerned about high volume traffic on any small conductor multi cable, as they are not designed for that.Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale W Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Go to the hardware store and purchase some angle iron. Secure the cable in its cap and lay it on the driveway. You can drive over it without tearing it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim6918 Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Dale W wrote: Go to the hardware store and purchase some angle iron. Secure the cable in its cap and lay it on the driveway. You can drive over it without tearing it up.You're not talking about this kind of angle iron are you Dale? Sorry couldn't resist.Actually I think this is a very good idea and provided you can find a way to keep the angle iron from moving when the tires hit it, you could run quite a bit of wiring underneath it, and it would never wear out. Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownjm74 Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 Tim, If I see your photos and understand your dilemma right, I would make your own cat5 wire to length then run the wire above your garage door then run the wire on the outside using "siding light bulb clips" to attach the wire to the side of the house. Then once you get to the front door, either go over or under and put your front rug over the wire.I do this very same thing for 4 extension cords to power the lights on the other side of the garage.Jeremy B.I think your setup is similar to mine (see photo) (sorry you can't see the wires on the siding) Attached files Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Batzdorf Posted October 26, 2010 Share Posted October 26, 2010 I agree with Jeremy. Up and over.Nice one Jim! Put that on the street and get those nasty speeders or even the ones that don't stop and acknowledge your display! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmy Posted October 26, 2010 Author Share Posted October 26, 2010 jeremy, that sounds like a great idea. I will try and get some clips to run mine that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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