Cat5 for Control?

[14karat]

Hi all,
Has anyone used Cat5 for control wire (servo & act sensor)?
I know it's not heavy enough for the actuator power.
Typical Cat5 is 24AWG while the ribbon cable I've looked at has 20 & 22 for these circuits...
I'm looking at about a 200' run...
I've got more than enough dual-RG6, plus I have about 700' left on a spool of Cat5 and I know I can scrounge up enough 16AWG for the actuator...

 

[Lak7]

I remember someone here trying it and it did not work that well.
I use Sprikler System control wire from HomeDepot.

 

[sergei]

I brought a roll 500' of underground sprinkler wire 18/7 that was on clearance sale at LOWES and I'm using it on a 200' run to a dish with no problems. You can also buy it per foot at Home Depot, they also have 18/4 , something else to think about.

 

[mark_calgary]

Hi all,
Has anyone used Cat5 for control wire (servo & act sensor)?
I know it's not heavy enough for the actuator power.
Typical Cat5 is 24AWG while the ribbon cable I've looked at has 20 & 22 for these circuits...
I'm looking at about a 200' run...
I've got more than enough dual-RG6, plus I have about 700' left on a spool of Cat5 and I know I can scrounge up enough 16AWG for the actuator...

I have a 140' run of it I put inside buried conduit 3 years ago for the same reason - I had it on hand. It has performed flawlessly through 3 Canadian winters. Since I'm a compulsive feed hunter the dish is routinely moving from 58W to 116W (my unobstructed line of sight) even when the temperature is -35C. Haven't had to repair it yet. I gave it lots of slack so that the cable would not need to flex very much over the dish travel range.

Are you planning on using conduit or just burying it in the ground directly?

 

[14karat]

Conduit.
I really can't see an issue except for the actuator power. I wouldn't consider trying it for that.
I saw a couple other posts where it was an issue, but I really think that was where it was used for actuator power...
Since I've got everything in conduit, I think I'll give it a try... I can always pull in something else later if I have to...
Just hoping to gain from someone else's experience with it.

 

[Radioguy41]

I brought a roll 500' of underground sprinkler wire 18/7 that was on clearance sale at LOWES and I'm using it on a 200' run to a dish with no problems. You can also buy it per foot at Home Depot, they also have 18/4 , something else to think about.

I recently bought a 500' roll of 18/5 sprinkler wire on clearance at Lowes for $23.45 (Reg price $139.00). If it was me I'd look for the bargain now because if the Cat5 doesn't do it for you the clearance may be over and you'll be looking at spending more in the long run.

 

[dodge]

Cat 5

IF you use the cat 5 outdoors it tends to get brittle from the uv, encase it either plastic fles conduit or split tubing. I had a run of cat 5e buried from my house to the neighbor ( Iam leasing him internet) and after 2 years the part exposed dry rotted and coppee became exposed, Since then we buried it all underground and the exposed portion is now in plastic emt conduit where it enters the house.

 

[mshaffer]

I've been using cat 5 for years, it works great. I use extension cord for the motor power and RG-11 for the video.