Safety And Security Cable
The need for safety and security, more so in cities with high crime rates cannot be overemphasized. In most large business premises and large organizations, security is very essential to protect goods, money and confidential documents from theft that may occur unexpectedly. This is where the safety and security equipment like remote monitoring cameras comes in handy, these advanced equipment can’t work with every other cable, they work with some special cables; certified Safety And Security Cable.
Many business premises out there, probably yours included, are under a constant threat of theft and malicious attacks. It also raises alarm in case fire breaks out. The security devices set ensure that these business premises are not compromised and ensures safety of the customers and workers. On this post am I’ll share with you the specifications and different types of safety and security cables currently available for sale at Nassau Electrical. Nassau Electricals is a reliable market leader in the supply of wire and cable products.
This is an example of a cable that’s reliable, affordable and most importantly guarantees you unrivaled performance when applied in a security and safety equipment system like CCTV installations. What more would you ask for? Let’s get in to the details
The Technology behind safety and security Cables
The wiring used in safety and security system is very critical, a wrong choice of wire could bring the entire system down or significantly compromise its efficiency so when you’re out shopping for the appropriate cable you surely don’t want to take chances with the crucial details.
Besides the unique details, the other factor you should consider when shopping for safety and security cables is the area of application and the type of installations. On this, some of the questions you’d ask yourself are: How will the installation be done? What is the operation environment and how will it affect the cables? Does the cable have some special adaptations to give quality service under the contemporary environment it’s supposed to be installed in?
For instance cables running through buildings provide means for fire to spread, so when establishing a system that’s fireproof, you need to look for cables which are resistant to fire spread and this is where safety and security cables would be ideal because they are made with special coatings which are fire retardant and more interesting, some are fire-extinguishing hence it will still functions in case of a fire break.
These cables are also halogen free; this comes as an advantage because smoke produced by halogen free cables are very thin and don’t corrode metals. Moreover, halogen free smoke is less hazardous so in case of a fire outbreak people in the room stand a lower chance of choking compared to if the cable smoke had some halogen. These cables are usually shielded and their cores are specially designed to provide constant power supply through the security apparatus and to keep data flowing smoothly from the set up to a control unit to provide real-time feeds on the status of the premise or property for constant reliability and functionality for crime prevention. For instance, conventional CCTV Surveillance Cables are of high flexibility and halogen free to provide constant power supply and still function properly in case of a fire outbreak.
Components of a safety and security cable
The conductor
These cables like many other cables have a conductor. The conductor is the innermost part of the cable; its main work is to transmit electrical current and signals from the security appliance through the cable. The conductor is often made of copper since copper has a high conductivity and more readily available for commercial applications in all continents that other metals.
The Insulator
Whenever a cable has a conductor it is essential for an insulator to be present to keep cable handlers safe from the live wires which could electrocute them, in case they have to handle the cable when current is flowing through it. Besides, it keeps the conductor safe from deteriorative factors like abrasion, moisture and corrosion. In most occasions, the material used when it comes to insulation of these cables is PVC or foam polyethylene which is tough and watertight
Cable shield
The safety and security cable also has a shield which prevents electrical energy from interfering with data signals. It also prevents electromagnetic energy from interfering with other external devices. There are both shielded and unshielded options.
Cable jacket
The cable also has jacket too. . The main function of the cable jacket is to prevent interference from external forces which may bring damage to the cable especially during installation or other physical damages which would adversely affect transmission of electric current through the current. When it comes to cable jacket, PVC is mostly used.
Sequential footage markings
On the jacket there are certain markings that eliminate guess work and wastage of the cable; hence one can be able to determine the length of the cable to be used.
Types of safety and security cables
There is a wide variety of safety and security cables for you to choose from, it all depends with your area of application. It’s very important for you to have the right information otherwise your whole project may be at a flop. Here are some of the options readily available at Nassau electrical:
1. Belden Security Coaxial Cable Surveillance And CCTV Applications Shielded For Use In Underground Ducts Cable
2. Belden Fire Alarm Cable Commercial Applications, Addressable Systems Unshielded and Shielded, Plenum Rated Cable
3. Belden Fire Alarm Cable Commercial Applications Unshielded Or Shielded, Plenum Rated Power Limited Cable
4. Belden Fire Alarm Cable NPLF Systems Unshielded or Shielded, Non Power Limited Signaling Cable
5. Belden Fire Alarm Cable Commercial Applications Addressable Systems Unshielded or Shielded Power Limited Cable
6. Belden Fire Alarm Cable Commercial Applications Shielded Power Limited Cable
7. Belden Fire Alarm Cable Commercial Applications Unshielded Power Limited Cable
8. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 6 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (16 AWG)
9. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 4 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (16 AWG)
10. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 2 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (16 AWG)
11. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 6 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (14 AWG)
12. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 4 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (14 AWG)
13. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 2 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (14 AWG)
14. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 6 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (12 AWG)
15. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 4 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (12 AWG)
16. Prysmian and Draka Cable up to 12 Fiber Count 2 Conductors Composite Plenum Loose Tube (12 AWG)
17. Prysmian and Draka Cable ezMOBILITY Fiber Copper Hybrid Cable
Choosing a safety and security cable
At this point you have most likely gone through the products readily available at our website. If you have managed to read them keenly you can notice that there are different classes under different types of cables. You just need to zoom in order to get the specific details to know which cable is suitable for your needs. These cables are categorized in to shielded and unshielded options, type of conductors and number of conductors. When it comes to type of conductor the next thing you need to decide on is on the number of conductors. They can be further classified in terms of heavy duty, flame retardant, halogen free smoke among other classes so you really have a variety of options to choose from depending on the needs of the security system you intend to install on your property.
Shielded safety and security cable
As I mentioned earlier, the cable shield prevents electrical energy from interfering with data signals from external devices. Shielded Safety and Security cable is mainly used in application areas whereby high voltage is transmitted within the cable in the presence of external devices which generate magnetic field which would adversely affect the transmission of data or current in the safety cable.
Unshielded safety and security cable
Unlike the shielded version, this category of safety and security cables lacks a shield on top of the insulator. This type of cable is not advisable for use in applications whereby a large amount of electrical current is present and other external devices are around.
Type of conductor
The cables there are divided in to 12, 14 or 16 AWG copper conductors. It all depends with the amount of voltage required for the job. If high voltage is required then a 16 AWG conductor is needed compared to the 12AWG conductor with less voltage. These copper power conductors are integrated with bend insensitive optical fibers under a common sheath. The fiber count results to 12 for 12 AWG and 16 for 16 AWG. These cables are further classified in to number of conductors depending on the power required for the job. There are 2, 4 and 6 conductors in the cables.
Features
Features of a cable are its unique characteristics that aids in its proper function. The safety and security cable has numerous features which makes it distinct from many other general purpose cables you’d grab from any cable store. For example it has rip cords to provide for easy jacket removal. It also has sequential footage markings on the jacket and as I had mentioned early it is to prevent wastage and guess work. It has access control banana peel strips whose purpose is to tone down the effect of tensional forces applied on the cable during the installation and thereby consequently reduce the effect of the tensions on the conductor keeping it intact during installations.
The safety and security cable also has a unique composite design featuring a gel-free buffer tube which makes access easier and reduces prep time. Copper power conductors are also integrated with optical fibers under a common sheath to ensure optimal power conduction and signal transmission all of which take place over the cable simultaneously.
As I hinted earlier these cables are flame retardant in compliant with plenum flame listing which enables the cable to function properly even in presence of fire. The cables are also available in bend-insensitive single-mode and multimode optical fibers. The cables also have fiber identification in compliance with TIA standardized color coding. With the above features you can be rest assured these cables are of high performance and designed to serve your needs.
Ratings and approvals
It’s always advisable to buy approved products, products that have been tested and proven safe for public use by international standards. The Nassau Electrical Supplies has Cable And Wire Products are from renowned manufacturers whose products have been tested and proven to be of the purported quality by the following standards:
1.NEC (National Electric Code)
2.Plenum rated
3.UL listed
4.C (UL) listed
5.RoHS Compliant
6.TIA/EIA-568
7.ANSI/ICEA-83-596
Applications of safety and security cables
Safety and Security cables are mainly applicable in places or buildings where maximum security and safety of the people present is required. These main application areas are:
1.Fire protection
2.CCTV surveillance
3.Alarm signal
4.Used in control circuits
5.Used in audio circuits
6.Used in initiating circuits
7.Used in notification circuits
8.Used in monitoring or detection
9.Used in access prevention applications
Benefits of Installing a safety and Security System on Your Property
There are a number of benefits that comes with installing a safety and security system on your property. Well, the most common is that it gives you real-time feeds on everything that goes in or around your property. However, there are benefits that you probably didn’t even know of, these include:
1.Increases customers’ confidence in your business
2.Translates to lower insurance premiums
3.Makes your customers and employees feel safer
4.Safety systems prevents or reduce loss in in the event that the risk occurs
5.Increases chances of arresting an trespasser or a thief on your property