Coax rating for in-wall install?

[RaiderZA]

I recently had Dish HD installed, and the installer ran RG6 cable through the unfinished basement to my TV. I had to move the TV so I extended the cable using RCA RG6 cable. I am now thinking of finishing the basement, and the cable will be behind a dropped ceiling and at least one wall. Do I need to be concerned about the coax with respect to fire code rating? Most of the coax from the splitter box is stamped: Skywalker brand RG6U swept to 3. GHz (Dish installed). No mention of its fire rating (CL2 or CL3). The RCA cable I used also does not state anything about CL ratings. A friend said that all cabling needs to be 'fire rated' for in-wall installation. Do I need to replace my coax?
Do I need to replace ALL of it, including the prof. installed 'Skywalker" coax?
Or is the coax and the connectors ok with respect to safety if placed behind a wall and in the ceiling?
Thanks for your help.

 

[Jared Twomey]

i personally wouldn't close up a wall with any connectors inside, if at all possible...
but yeah, that skywalker cable that is there is very good quality, if you run RG6 3GHz rated coax you will be fine. Right now the only thing that comes near that 3GHz load is Wildblues satellite internet. Satellite television will actually work just fine on wire rated at 2.2 GHz, So 3 is a little overkill but its the newest thing and probably needed in the future

 

[RaiderZA]

Thanks for the insight. So you don't think there would be an issue of safety? I was concerned about the 35 ft of RCA RG6 (2.3 Ghz, it says) that I used as extension, since this coax would be behind drywall.
I actually have it where all the connectors are located ond the basement ceiling- so I could get to them if I have a dropped ceiling (no connectors behind the wall).

 

[Jared Twomey]

yeah, for satellite tv, anything about 2.2Ghz would be fine

 

[Lorenzo]

From my commercial instalations the only time that higher rated cable is required is if the space that the cable is running in is also an air chamber. What I mean is if your air handling system uses the above the ceiling area to draw air from you need a fire rated cable. This is usually called plenum cable. I think you'll find it difficult to find satellite rated plenum cable. It also takes special connectors and in general is a bitch to work with. I think plenum rated cable has an outer jacket that doesn't give off so much deadly gases when heated above it's melting point.

 

[CbandLover]

From my commercial instalations the only time that higher rated cable is required is if the space that the cable is running in is also an air chamber. What I mean is if your air handling system uses the above the ceiling area to draw air from you need a fire rated cable. This is usually called plenum cable. I think you'll find it difficult to find satellite rated plenum cable. It also takes special connectors and in general is a bitch to work with. I think plenum rated cable has an outer jacket that doesn't give off so much deadly gases when heated above it's melting point.

Exactly. It is used for commercial installations to meet fire codes. Trying to get fittings on that stuff is a super pain. : )