Ethernet Cable Alongside Power Cable Questions

[Macusercom]

I currently need to install an ethernet cable as well as a power cable with a PVC cable tunnel and I get mixed answers related to issues and interference. So I'll just talk about my case:

I plan on using a 15 m CAT7 ethernet cable for Gigabit Ethernet in a 16 mm x 8 mm PVC cable tunnel. A power cable (230 V) needs to run approx. 5 m of the way the ethernet cable is running.

AFAIK I definitely shouldn't route both cables in the same cable tunnel, but if they are running side by side in two 16 mm x 8 mm PVC cable tunnels, could there still be some noticeable interference?

Is there another alternative or something else I could do?

EDIT: I'd also like to mention that I am talking about a regular power cable from a power outlet to a device not a copper cable inside the wall. Also everything should run alongside the wall with easy access to the cables.

 

[bill001g]

You likely can use cat5e rather than cat7. Cat7 is mostly used for 10g connections.

In theory you could get interference but the twists in the ethernet cables are designed to cause any current induced by electical cables to be canceled out. In the real world you seldom see interference due to electrical. It would be a large motor or maybe very high voltages like you find in neon signs and even then you must have the ethernet almost touching.

If you look at data centers where you can have 20-30 servers in one rack and they all have 2 power supplies and 2 or more ethernet connections. That is a lot of cables and power in a very small area and you see no problems.

You likely will have no issues at all.

Many times there are restrictions on power and ethernet cable because of safety concerns. If the both cable would become damaged you could get eletrical power in the ethernet and someone could get hurt....at least that is what the code enforcement guys claim.

 

[Macusercom]

You likely can use cat5e rather than cat7. Cat7 is mostly used for 10g connections.

In theory you could get interference but the twists in the ethernet cables are designed to cause any current induced by electical cables to be canceled out. In the real world you seldom see interference due to electrical. It would be a large motor or maybe very high voltages like you find in neon signs and even then you must have the ethernet almost touching.

If you look at data centers where you can have 20-30 servers in one rack and they all have 2 power supplies and 2 or more ethernet connections. That is a lot of cables and power in a very small area and you see no problems.

You likely will have no issues at all.

Many times there are restrictions on power and ethernet cable because of safety concerns. If the both cable would become damaged you could get eletrical power in the ethernet and someone could get hurt....at least that is what the code enforcement guys claim.

Thanks for your answer! I'll get CAT7 anyway as I could use them in the future for 10 Gb and they are about the same price here and feature and additional protection layer against interference.

That's what I also read. Mostly it is for cables inside the wall as someone could drill into it so that the power cable and ethernet cable are unisolated and 230V running through the ethernet cable. Considering that I use cable tunnels on the walls instead of inside them, I guess this shouldn't be too much of a concern.

I decided to opt in for two cable tunnels and to separate power and data cables. One will have the 230V power cable and the other one 2x-3x ethernet cables and a coax cable for a short distance. Separating power and data sounds like a good idea, isn't too much of a problem and will ensure no dangerous isolation issues that could be life threatining if you're unlucky.