Recommendations for flexible conduits for ethernet underground

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PJ48

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#299277 25-Aug-2022 16:13

I am wanting to connect our garage back to our house with ethernet cable, and looking to bury in the ground over approx 20 m run. It will be much easier to use something flexible, and I was wondering if the professional installers here have any recommendations? There seems to be a plethora of products around, and I wasn't sure of the comparative benefits. I notices that Bunnings stock a DETA brand where I could get 20m of medium duty 25 mm conduit for aprox $50, which seems way cheaper than the Marley conduit.

Is it any good? Grateful for any suggestions!

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#2959379 25-Aug-2022 16:20

As long as you are using Gel-filled outdoor rated Cat 6 it probably doesn't matter that much,

openmedia

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#2959387 25-Aug-2022 16:34

The retail price difference between Deta and Marley is extreme.

Anyone found other reasonably priced brands of conduit?

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

Lias

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#2959417 25-Aug-2022 17:45

Marley conduit is stupidly overpriced. I've used plenty of deta (non flex) conduit and have no issue with it.

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PJ48

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#2959516 25-Aug-2022 19:31

If I have it all protected in conduit can I get away with standard ethernet cable which is cheaper and more flexible?

Spyware

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#2959518 25-Aug-2022 19:43

PJ48:

If I have it all protected in conduit can I get away with standard ethernet cable which is cheaper and more flexible?

No.

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Jase2985

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#2959521 25-Aug-2022 19:46

PJ48:

If I have it all protected in conduit can I get away with standard ethernet cable which is cheaper and more flexible?

yes i ran conduit (32mm) from my garage to the house when i built. i ran 5x cat6a and 1x cat5e in it and it was pretty tight, could maybe have gotten an extra cat 5e in there but pulling it through would have been a lot harder.

Just be aware any bends need to be swept bends, or switch to flexi or try not to use any at all if you can help it as its a pita to get a lot of cables though the bends.

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Jase2985

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#2959522 25-Aug-2022 19:47

Spyware:

No.

please explain why not

Lias

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#2959534 25-Aug-2022 20:06

I'm with Jase. I've run standard Cat5 in conduit from house to garage at more than on occasion without issue.. Then I upgraded to fibre cos who doesn't need 10gb to the rack in the garage? Just need 40gb to drop a bit in price and I can upgrade again :-)

tweake

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#2959585 25-Aug-2022 20:39

PJ48:

If I have it all protected in conduit can I get away with standard ethernet cable which is cheaper and more flexible?

depending on how its done, conduits can get filled with water.

i would recommend leaving a draw wire in so you can pull other cables through. i've had cables/conduit cut through or crushed before, especially near gardens and under driveways.

i would use the cheaper cable and just pull a replacement through when it fails.

cyril7

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#2959587 25-Aug-2022 20:49

Conduits,even if fully sealed at each joint will always be damp due to condensation as a result of their underground location and air from above moving through them. Believe me an underground conduit will always have a moisture aspect regardless of how hard you try.

Hence I recommend using polyethylene sheathed gel flooded cables are used in conduit. As for flexibility, I always have one or two 300m reels of cat5e gel flooded cable in my workshop, it's the most practical of cables for outdoor applications and very flexible.

Cyril

PJ48

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#2959609 25-Aug-2022 22:34

Thanks all - very helpful

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Wellingtondave

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#2959619 25-Aug-2022 23:29

What does 20m of conduit plus 20m of gel filled, plus digging (time) cost nowadays versus a wireless bridge kit?

itxtme

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#2959704 26-Aug-2022 11:15

Wellingtondave:

What does 20m of conduit plus 20m of gel filled, plus digging (time) cost nowadays versus a wireless bridge kit?

Your sanity vs $139.00

I choose sanity

duckDecoy

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#2959770 26-Aug-2022 12:52

I have a very similar question.

I am about to lay ethernet out to the garage for POE security cameras. I have various retaining walls etc that I can attach conduit to in order to get it to the garage but want to protect it from the elements and branches (we live in the bush) and children. I don't want to be digging anything so it will be above ground but exposed to the elements. In a few places the cable will need to be outside the conduit to make some turns before i can get it back into conduit again.

Someone mentioned using deta conduit, so I will grab that unless there's a better/cheaper above ground option?

Can someone point me to ethernet cable that is able to be exposed outdoors, this thread was the first I heard about things like 'gel filled'. I probably have to get about 50m. With this sort of cable could I omit using conduit? I can probably snake the cable into fairly protected places and avoid conduit if I try hard enough, but I don't want failure due to exposure to the elements.

openmedia

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#2959791 26-Aug-2022 13:51

itxtme:

Wellingtondave:

What does 20m of conduit plus 20m of gel filled, plus digging (time) cost nowadays versus a wireless bridge kit?

Your sanity vs $139.00

I choose sanity

I'd choose performance

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

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