WIRED intercom systems? Do they just use Cat5 or phone cable?

[PingSpike]

This is frustrating. I'm finishing a room in the basement and I would like to install a intercom in this room, one room upstairs and the kitchen. I either have pre-existing cat6 wire running do each location that I plan to reuse for one of the stations or its easy to wire the location from the basement access.

I keep searching for WIRED intercom's at home depot and amazon and elsewhere and they're all wireless it seems. The only for sure wired ones I've seen are video screen ones which are expensive and just not needed. I'm just looking for some cheap stations.

Anyway...I don't even care if I find one, I just want to know if they use cat5 or phone cable so I can confidently run the wire and have it ready. I don't even plan to install these for months. I assume they do, but I haven't been able to find a single one for sale!

 

[Vette73]

Looks like 5e might be to thin or may work. The NuTone I found uses a 22ga 6 strand wire. So as long as you have 22ga (or thicker) and 6 (or more) wires you should be ok.
Cat5 uses 24ga. So try and find some 6-8 strand wire that is 22ga or thicker. Some Cat6 is 22 but cost more then general purpose 22ga wire (think door bell,Thermostat wire, etc...). You can find the general wire at Lowes or Home depot.

http://www.centralvacuumstores.com/meta/pdfs/info/IS515+Installation+Instructions.pdf

 

[jteef]

cat 5 will work just fine.

 

[PingSpike]

I'll just wire it for cat 6 and if it doesn't work I'll just rip the cable out and put a wireless one up. Argh!

Thanks guys

 

[MiniDoom]

it's been at least 10 years since i've cabled, but we used to use one pair stranded 24 awg speaker wire and chain the speakers together.

 

[skyking]

don't waste money on cat6 for that unless you have plenty to spare and don't want to order more.
I've wired many systems and cat5 will have enough gauge for a typical situation. You need bigger wire for larger horns and talkback systems, amplified systems but the homeowner stuff pushes very little current.

 

[PingSpike]

I bought a 1000ft of cat6 awhile back, I needed less than 300ft at the time but every amount I found for sale of 500ft or less cost more than the 1000ft box from monoprice, so I have a lot to spare! Plus, one of the rooms already has 4 cat6 lines going to it and I just plan to reuse one of those lines (I won't need 4 lines up to that room as its my office moving to the finished room I working on).

Somewhat related, what is the distance you're suppose to keep cat6 away from parallel electric runs again? I think it's 12" but I don't remember. I know you're suppose to keep it away from fluorescent lights...so same question there!