What is plenum rated cable, and why is plenum cable more expensive than PVC cable?
The main feature of plenum rated cable is that is has a special insulation that has low smoke and low flame characteristics. Plenum rated cable is mandated to be installed in any "air handling" space called the plenum airspace. For example, most large office buildings use the ceiling to return air to the AC unit. This qualifies this ceiling as a plenum ceiling, and all the cables that go through that ceiling space must be plenum rated. Please check your local building codes to see if you need plenum cable in your installation.
The reason why plenum jacketed cable costs more that PVC cabling is because the material required for the insulation must meet the standards for plenum cables while also meeting specific performance standards for Category 5e,6,6a etc. and this material is expensive.
To address your plenum cabling applications, L-com offers the following cables:
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| Cat5e Unshileded Plenum Patch Cable | Cat5e Shielded Plenum Patch Cable | Cat5e Plenum Bulk Cable (Solid) |
Cat5e Unshielded Plenum Patch Cable
