Low-voltage cabling is essential for businesses in Tampa, FL, and Palm Beach, FL, as it provides connectivity for computer networking, security solutions, phone systems, lighting, and A/V systems. Low voltage deals with anything 50 volts or less, meaning a licensed electrician for is not required for installation. Common types of low-voltage cabling include CATx (ethernet) cables, fiber optic cables, coaxial cables, and plenum cables. While DIY installation is possible, professional IT services ensure proper selection, installation, and organization, optimizing system performance, transmission speeds, and rack management while reducing technical issues and interference.
If you own, manage, or work for a business in Tampa, FL, or Palm Beach, FL, and your company operates out of an office or a system of offices, you will undoubtedly need low-voltage cabling and wiring.
What Is Low Voltage Cabling?
Buildings function on a combination of high-voltage, medium-voltage, and low-voltage cabling, all of which are crucial to the infrastructure and overall design of a building. Regardless of whether you call it low-voltage cabling, low-voltage wiring, network cabling, or even structured cabling, they all involve the installation of cables that use 50 volts or less to carry electrical signals from one source to another.
Low-voltage cables are used for things like:
- Data communication, including Wi-Fi access points and network connections
- Audio/visual systems
- Security, surveillance, and access control systems
- Phone systems
- Some lighting systems
Because low-voltage cables use less current and are not as dangerous as high-voltage cables, they do not require the services of an electrician for installation or replacement.
What Are the Different Types of Low Voltage Cables?
There are a variety of different low-voltage cables suited for a variety of applications, including:
CATx Cables, or Ethernet Cables
CATx cables are ethernet cables, such as CAT5, CAT5E, CAT6, and CAT6A, that can be used to connect computer networks, audio/visual systems, and others.
These cables are sometimes referred to as twisted pair cables, meaning that, within the cable, there are multiple pairs of insulated wires twisted together so that the wire can transmit signals with minimal electromagnetic interference.
Fiber Optic Cables
A fiber optic cable is another type of low-voltage cable that transmits data through light signals instead of electricity. Fiber optic cables are made up of long, thin glass strands. Pulses of light enter the cable and bounce down the strands at almost the speed of light to a decoder on the receiving end, where they are converted back into usable data.
Fiber optic cables are often used for connections related to the internet, computer networks, phone systems, cable TV, and more.
Coaxial Cables
Coaxial cables, or coax cables, are low-voltage cables often used for data transmission, internet connections, audio/visual systems, satellite or radiofrequency antennas, and more. The cables used for cable TV systems are coaxial.
Coax cables transmit electrical signals through the inner and outer conductors of the cable with minimal signal loss or radiofrequency interference. At least, higher-quality cables do.
Plenum Cables
Plenum cables are a special type of low-voltage cable that can withstand more extreme temperatures and physical conditions than standard low-voltage cables.
Plenum cables are designed to be housed in the plenum space of an office where air ducts and other components of the HVAC system are also housed. The plenum space has minimal airflow and can reach both high and low temperatures depending on the season. So, the plenum cables stored in this area are made to be heat-resistant and able to withstand more extreme conditions.
What Is the Benefit of Professional Low-Voltage Wiring Services?
With all the various systems throughout an office that require low-voltage cabling, none of which require the work of a master electrician, it can be tempting to do the installations yourself to set up all your systems.
Although low-voltage cabling is low stakes as far as physical danger goes, they are used for powering up and connecting equipment used in complex systems. It’s crucial to have a clear and thorough understanding of the many different low-voltage cable options and know precisely which cable applies to which system or piece of equipment. Otherwise, you could run into technical issues, from slower transmission speeds to operational problems, unoptimized performance, and more.
It’s too easy to get tripped up when choosing the proper cables for your particular systems. Partnering with an IT company trained and experienced with low-voltage cabling ensures your systems are not only connected but optimized for speed, bandwidth, and overall performance.
Relying on structured cabling services from IT specialists like those at MHD means gaining benefits like:
- Proper and optimized cable installation—We install the right cables to connect your servers, computers, phones, internet, security systems, and more.
- Clean, organized, and documented rack management—We organize your cables through rack management, saving you and your team time, effort, and headaches down the line when it comes time for a cable replacement or changeout. Plus, rack management:
- Lowers the likelihood of cable damage
- Enhances system performance
- Minimizes signal interference
- Improves airflow and cooling efforts (these cables can get hot when bundled together)
- Enhances the look of your data room, closet, or rack
Low-Voltage Wiring and Cabling Can Be Complicated to Tackle on Your Own. Call MHD for the Service You Need to Keep Your Systems Connected in Tampa, FL and Palm Beach, FL.
Optimize the cables in your office with help from the low-voltage cabling experts at MHD. From recommending the best cables for every application to installing and organizing your cables for optimal performance, we have the cabling solutions you need to get connected and stay connected.
To learn more about low-voltage cabling services for your Florida business, contact an MHD specialist today: 833-MHD-INFO (833-643-4636).
MHD is your premier IT partner, serving businesses in and around Tampa, Florida, and West Palm Beach, Florida.
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