Phone cable to BT router next to mains cables

Posted by: Dougie Danger on 19 March 2017

Hi

I have an electrician currently working in my kitchen. As a matter of interest is it ok where the BT phone line comes into the property (in the kitchen) to then run it next to various mains cables in the kitchen before it connects to the BT router?  The phone cable is actually being concealed within the wall and ceiling and is running with and touching the mains cable in quite a few places.

Is it likely to cause any electrical interference or effect streaming/sound quality?

The electrician said it will be ok they do it all the time.

Cheers.

Posted on: 19 March 2017 by Mike-B

It is a question best asked of BT rather than your electrician.   I believe the guidance on mains cables & phone cables is a minimum of 5cm (2 inches in old money) .  Approved distribution power/data/phone trucking gives about that. 

Posted on: 19 March 2017 by Finkfan

I was always taught that different classes of cables should be segregated. Mains should be at least 100mm from data. 300mm is better. 

Posted on: 19 March 2017 by Dougie Danger

Thanks guys that helps a lot.

I'm no electrician but it just doesn't t seem very good practice the way its being done.

I'm going to ask him to separate them as best he can. He won't be happy but Hey Ho.

Cheers

Dougie.

Posted on: 19 March 2017 by Mike-B

OpenReach recommend 300mm without a divider over long distance such as area distribution for unscreened low voltage (240v) power & unscreened communication cables.   In & around installations such as offices,  typical distribution power/data/phone trucking used in office systems look like this & give aprx 50mm (5cm)       Regulations EN50174 are 200mm & also permit no separation for the last horizontal 15m of cable run.  

 

Posted on: 20 March 2017 by Bob the Builder

Unfortunately when it comes to the building game the easy way can sometimes come before the best way, it is your property and you are paying so instruct your builder to do it the way you would like and as long as it is within Building Regs he shouldn't have a problem. Be aware though that if the way you want it is different from the work he quoted for he has a right to charge more. 

Posted on: 20 March 2017 by audio1946

200 to 300mm avoid exactly parallel runs

Posted on: 20 March 2017 by Christopher_M
audio1946 posted:

200 to 300mm avoid exactly parallel runs

When I first saw this I thought it was prop blur on the nice photos thread again.

C.

Posted on: 20 March 2017 by ChrisSU

I've just run a new network cable right through the box that contains my consumer unit, virtually touching the whole bundle of T&E cables that come out of it. Fortunately, it's an optical cable, so I can pretty much put it where I like without worrying about these issues.