Do you think you know why the Cat6a plenum is more expensive than the Cat6a Riser? Think again because the real reason might not be what you think. The 1000ft Cat6a cable is the augmented category 6 of IEEE standardized twisted-pair ethernet cables. Its features are ideal for all kinds of commercial and residential LAN networks.
Whether you need to wire up your home or office, this cable has got everything you need. But the difference in the prices of its two variants: plenum and riser are strikingly different. The common reason why their prices are different is that both cables are made from different materials that have different properties and hence, different prices.
Bulk Cat6a Cable
Bulk Cat6a cable comes in lengths of 1000ft. However, it runs up to 100 meters (328 feet). This cable is an improved version of the Cat6 cable and supports data transmission at up to 10 GBit/s with a 750 MHz bandwidth. The cable is constructed with due consideration to crosstalk and external noise. So you can expect it to provide quite smooth data transfer speeds. At its core, this cable has 4 tightly-twisted pairs of 23 AWG pure copper wires.
The 1000ft twisted-pair cable is produced in two different variants known as Cat6a plenum and riser. Both of these variants are designed for different purposes. But both can be used interchangeably in a few instances. For example, the plenum cable can be installed instead of the riser cable. And similarly, the riser cable can be installed instead of the plenum only outdoors. More on their uses in the next parts.
Cat6a Plenum vs Cat6a Riser: Features
The Cat6a plenum and the riser cable have the same performance features. For example, both types of cables have the same data transfer speed and bandwidth. Both cables also have the same twisted-pair protective measures against crosstalk and external noise.
Plenum-rated Cat6a cable has a thicker jacket which is more capable of handling harsh weather conditions. It is also better able to prevent any fire hazards. The riser-rated cable on the other hand is less capable of handling uncertain environmental conditions as compared to the plenum. Note that the riser is a high-performing cable despite being relatively less capable.
LSZH Materials
The plenum cable jacket is made from LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogens) materials which are a specially designed polymer. This material is designed to be highly resistant to heat, humidity, cold, and other kinds of harsh weather. In addition to that, it is also designed to discourage the propagation of flame along the cable. Although it does not carry the flame, it does not emit toxic smoke in the least likely case of catching a flame. This is one of its best features.
To reiterate, the purpose of Low Smoke Zero Halogen materials is to eliminate the chances of the cable jacket catching fire. Even if the cable does catch fire, which is highly unlikely, it will not emit toxic smoke. This feature makes the plenum jacket of the Cat6a plenum highly safe for indoor installations. It also makes it everlasting for outdoor use.
Plenum Installation Regulations
Plenum spaces are the indoor spaces above dropped ceilings and raised floors. The HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) ducts indoors are also known as plenums. To run a twisted-pair ethernet cable in these spaces, you will need to follow certain industry regulations.
Meaning that you can only install cables that are rated for this type of installation. In other words, you need the Cat6a plenum cable. You cannot install the riser cable because it can emit toxic smoke in case of catching fire. Therefore, you must install the plenum-rated Cat6a cable.
Moreover, in certain cases, a building inspector would visit the construction site to make sure that the cables being installed are safe. One thing to note here is the fact that ethernet cables rarely cause fire hazards. The highest likelihood of the cable catching fire is while PoE use. Since PoE utilizes high voltage, it increases the risk of short circuits and fire outbreaks. Nonetheless, it is important to follow safety precautions.
Riser Materials
The riser cable jacket is made from high-quality PVC and it is coated with a fire-retardant layer. The materials of the riser jacket are not as expensive as the FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene) materials of the plenum jacket. However, the riser jacket is fairly safe to be used in vertically rising spaces.
As mentioned earlier, the riser cable jacket can emit toxic smoke in case of catching fire. But in riser spaces such as the space between floors, elevator shafts, and inside walls, it is not a problem. All of these spaces are contained and air does not circulate through them which could pose a danger to the inhabitants of the building.
Additionally, the riser materials are also quite durable. You can use the Riser-rated CAt6a outdoors without worrying. It provides fairly good protection against extreme weather conditions.
Why does Cat6a Plenum Cost More?
Except for the fact that the plenum cable does not emit toxic smoke and the riser cable does in case of a fire outbreak, both types of cables are quite similar. In addition to the non-smoke emitting feature, the plenum cable jacket is relatively thicker as well which adds to its cost. So the features of the plenum jacket are more robust and therefore it costs more.
But the real reason why the plenum Cat6a cable costs more is that its LSZH materials and the overall jacket are more expensive to make. Their manufacturing process is rather intricate and more time-consuming as compared to manufacturing the riser cable jacket. Moreover, the PVC materials of the riser jacket are more readily available and more common, therefore their cost is much less compared to the FEP materials of the plenum cable jacket.
Can You Use the Riser Instead of the Plenum?
You can certainly use the riser cable instead of the Cat6a plenum 1000ft. However, as mentioned earlier, you can only do so in outdoor use. You cannot substitute the riser with the plenum jacket for indoor use.
Final Thoughts
We hope that you now know why the Cat6a plenum cable costs more than the Cat6a riser. In short, the plenum cable is slightly more expensive than the riser but it provides safety and durability for your network in the long-run.
