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Thread: Cat 5 cable for lighting

  1. #1
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    Cat 5 cable for lighting

    I thought this would spark some interest ... run your CCTV system and why not your lighting systems with the same wire?

    I have been dabbling with LED lighting ... remotes and occupation sensors to come up with a solution to eeeishkoms failure to "keep the lights on"

    http://lumencache.lighting/gallery/

    Drop a small solar panel on the roof ... a charge controller ... a lithium battery pack (or cheaper option ... like a few lead acids to keep the price down) a few cat 5 cables and you have a huge money saving solution.

    no electrician ... coc required ... it can join the band of highly paid "technician" level skilled installers ... the part I like is no need to conform to any standard ... the customer does worry about the wires all over the place.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Quote Originally Posted by ians View Post
    no electrician ... coc required ... it can join the band of highly paid "technician" level skilled installers ... the part I like is no need to conform to any standard ...
    I disagree with the statement made and back it up with the SANS 10142-1 introduction which has for the past couple of editions included low voltage.
    In my understanding of the regulations you would need to be an electrical contractor as defined and issue a COC .

    Introduction pasted below for ease of reference

    SANS 10142-1:2020
    Edition 3

    1
    Introduction
    In this edition an attempt has been made to move towards the IEC codes:
    extra low voltage (below 50 V) and d.c. applications (up to 1,5 kV) have been
    introduced as new requirements owing to the extensive usage of, and
    increased fire risk that result from, high load currents. This part of
    SANS 10142 does not intend to cover the LV control circuits of machinery or
    system components that are external circuits between separately installed
    parts of the machinery or system components.
    This part of SANS 10142 includes certain provisions which are for information
    and guidance only. These provisions do not use the word “shall” and they can
    be found in the text, in the notes and in the informative annexes. Except in
    tables, notes are always for information only.
    The aim of this part of SANS 10142 is to ensure that people, animals and
    property are protected from hazards that can arise from the operation of an
    electrical installation under both normal and fault conditions. An electrical
    installation has to provide protection against:
    – shock current,
    – overcurrent,
    – fault current,
    – overvoltage,
    – undervoltage,
    – excessive temperatures, and
    – electric arcs.
    If any of the above arises, the protection should automatically disconnect the
    supply or limit currents and voltages to safe values. In the case of
    undervoltage, the protection should ensure that dangerous situations,
    due to the loss and restoration of supply (for example, to a motor), or due to a
    drop in voltage, cannot occur.

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    The way I understand this system ... not "high load currents" ... especially considering cat 5 cable is used ... I do believe they (the code) are referring to the old 12 volt 50 watt lighting which turned out in many cases to be a fire hazard waiting to happen ... I recall a few dodgey installations where qualified sparkies had used 1.5 mm twin+e to wire from big wire wound transfomers in domestic and commercial applications.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Talking about lighting I almost burnt down my workshop ... one of my old ballasts overheated and burnt ... I could smell something burning ... but couldnt pin point where it was coming from ... next thing there was sparks and smoke ... so I quickly stripped all the lights and upgraded to LED.

    I have had the lights for about 20 years ... so I cant complain ... personally i dont enjoy the LED lighting ... I prefer the old daylight lamps (the expensive ones).
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
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    Just be careful with LED lights and rotating/moving machine parts which are rotating/moving at 50Hz/3000RPM or multiples of this value, due to the strobe effect.
    If LEDs are powered directly off the mains frequency, unlike incandescent lamps, will flash at 50/100 times per second depending on what rectifier is being used.
    This flashing which is not noticed by the human eye, can cause the light effect that machinery which is spinning as if standing still due to the strobe effect.
    Manny have injured themselves thinking that the machine is not turning.

    If you do want to use LED lighting in this area of rotating machines, then you must find the LEDs which are powered purely by a DC supply, to avoid the strobe effect.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

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    Quote Originally Posted by Justloadit View Post
    Just be careful with LED lights and rotating/moving machine parts which are rotating/moving at 50Hz/3000RPM or multiples of this value, due to the strobe effect.
    If LEDs are powered directly off the mains frequency, unlike incandescent lamps, will flash at 50/100 times per second depending on what rectifier is being used.
    This flashing which is not noticed by the human eye, can cause the light effect that machinery which is spinning as if standing still due to the strobe effect.
    Manny have injured themselves thinking that the machine is not turning.

    If you do want to use LED lighting in this area of rotating machines, then you must find the LEDs which are powered purely by a DC supply, to avoid the strobe effect.
    I have also heard about the strobe effect but nobody seems to take much notice of the warning ... 100% of the factories we work in ... have LED highbays or strip lights.
    Comments are based on opinion...not always facts....that's why people use an alias.

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    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ians View Post
    I have also heard about the strobe effect but nobody seems to take much notice of the warning ... 100% of the factories we work in ... have LED highbays or strip lights.
    High bay lights should be supplied from a DC source, but then again, price starts playing a role on the cost, so who knows.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

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