Grommet for Ethernet cable

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niekerkj

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#315304 1-Jul-2024 14:00

Hi all
I'm fitting an outdoor access point onto the soffit of our new garage, and I want to check what people would suggest i use to seal the external hole where the ethernet cable exits the soffit. I've had a look online and at Bunnings/mitre10 but could not find anything.

The electrician who ran the cabling drilled a 15mm hole into the soffit, so I heed some sort of rubber grommet to seal the hole with the cable in place.

I don't have access to the hole from inside the roof space, so the solution will need to be fitted from the outside.

Thank you

wellygary

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#3255160 1-Jul-2024 14:04

Do none of these look like they will fit?

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/products/building-hardware/fasteners-fixings/general-fasteners/connectors

Andib

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#3255161 1-Jul-2024 14:05

Would these work? https://msel.co.nz/bulkhead-panel-grommet-15mm-for-55mm-hole-black/

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niekerkj

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#3255163 1-Jul-2024 14:22

Andib:
Would these work? https://msel.co.nz/bulkhead-panel-grommet-15mm-for-55mm-hole-black/

Thanks for the link, but probably not. This grommet is for a 15mm cable or harness going through a 55mm hole - most probably an automotive application. I need something for a ~7mm cable through a 15mm hole

niekerkj

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#3255171 1-Jul-2024 14:30

wellygary:
Do none of these look like they will fit?

https://www.bunnings.co.nz/products/building-hardware/fasteners-fixings/general-fasteners/connectors

I saw these but I think they are designed where cabling need to pass through something thinner than a soffit which is 9mm thick - most probably sheet metal. The groove into which the material through which the cable pass must fit isn't wide enough.

Thanks for the suggestion though

PolicyGuy

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#3255179 1-Jul-2024 14:43

How about this: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CARDNA1336/DNA-WRG125-RUBBER-GROMMET-18X-MIXED-SIZES-WITWITHO

or this: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CARDNA1335/DNA-WRG106-RUBBER-GROMMET-64MM-WIRE-SIZE-50-PACK

raytaylor

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#3255232 1-Jul-2024 18:24

What model AP are you using?

If its a unifi or grandstream ceiling mounted AP, you will want to leave the hole as it is because the cable position needs to be able to move as you mount the AP.

The AP and mounting itself sits over the hole (at least in the case of a unifi) to provide the a weather proofing seal.

Ray Taylor

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niekerkj

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#3255236 1-Jul-2024 18:33

raytaylor:
What model AP are you using?

If its a unifi or grandstream ceiling mounted AP, you will want to leave the hole as it is because the cable position needs to be able to move as you mount the AP.

The AP and mounting itself sits over the hole (at least in the case of a unifi) to provide the a weather proofing seal.

The Ubiquiti UniFi AC MESH UAP-AC-M. I don't believe this this particular AP's mount sits over the hole.

niekerkj

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#3255238 1-Jul-2024 18:36

PolicyGuy:
How about this: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CARDNA1336/DNA-WRG125-RUBBER-GROMMET-18X-MIXED-SIZES-WITWITHO

or this: https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/CARDNA1335/DNA-WRG106-RUBBER-GROMMET-64MM-WIRE-SIZE-50-PACK

These are the same as suggested in another reply. I think they are designed where cabling need to pass through something thinner than a soffit which is 9mm thick - most probably sheet metal. The groove into which the material through which the cable pass must fit isn't wide enough.

Thanks for the suggestion though

raytaylor

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#3255406 1-Jul-2024 22:30

niekerkj:

The Ubiquiti UniFi AC MESH UAP-AC-M. I don't believe this this particular AP's mount sits over the hole.

Ahh right.

Keep it out of the sun. The antennas are made of plastic that breaks down in sunlight over a couple of years.

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niekerkj

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#3255450 2-Jul-2024 09:28

raytaylor:
niekerkj:

The Ubiquiti UniFi AC MESH UAP-AC-M. I don't believe this this particular AP's mount sits over the hole.




Ahh right.

Keep it out of the sun. The antennas are made of plastic that breaks down in sunlight over a couple of years.

Thanks for the tip. It will be tucked away under the eaves, so hopefully I'll get a few years out of it

Rickles

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#3255800 3-Jul-2024 08:28

Allow for and then pin/staple a little slack, then fill with putty or silicon?

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MadEngineer

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#3255802 3-Jul-2024 08:36

You could get fancy by mounting an enclosure against the hole then use a grommet on the outside of the enclosure

Just silicon it

(Something something best and something something rest :D)

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rhy7s

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#3255823 3-Jul-2024 09:29

If you'll be fitting the plug after pulling through the cable, cut out a disc with a holesaw and slip it over the cable and tap into place. If the plug is on there already, clamp two bits of wood together and centre the arbor on the split. Or you could cut a cable width slot part way through an external plate so that when it's butted up it holds the cable against the top of the hole.

rhy7s

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#3255824 3-Jul-2024 09:33

Or drill a hole through the wall of a junction box or use a conduit fitting, e.g. https://www.bunnings.co.nz/deta-20mm-grey-conduit-fittings-1-way-lh-junction-box_p0235128

niekerkj

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#3255954 3-Jul-2024 12:17

rhy7s:
Or drill a hole through the wall of a junction box or use a conduit fitting, e.g. https://www.bunnings.co.nz/deta-20mm-grey-conduit-fittings-1-way-lh-junction-box_p0235128

Thanks for the tips. Yep, this will probably be the best solution