Subscriber Discussion

Aiphone Cable Manufacturer

RL
Robb Larsen
Jun 23, 2015

Looking for the manufacturer part # of Aiphone cable. I believe they rebrand Belden cable, but hoping someone could help me out. The aiphone part # I'm looking at and the wire specifics are here. I don't need 1000', that's actually my grind with their selection. I'm in a plenum space, but their selection in lengths is limited and I don't want to pay $600ish dollars for a box when I'm only using about 100'. There is a possibility to use the cable later, but my Aiphone install jobs are sporadic and I don't know the next time I'll use it.

For the JP series I'm quoting it states to,"Use PE (polyethylene)-insulated PVC jacket cable. Parallel or jacketed 2-conductor, mid-capacitance, non-shielded" cable. Again i'll need plenum, but thoughts are appreciated. Thanks!

MI
Matt Ion
Jun 23, 2015

This is just basic plenum 20/2 solid core. Aiphone intercoms don't require anything special for wire - I've used station-Z (20/4), I've used various types of shielded and unshielded 18/2 and 20/2, stranded and solid, I've even seen 16/2 line cord used in a pinch. Can't recall ever having used Cat5e, but I can't see any reason that wouldn't work as well.

There really is nothing special with an Aiphone intercom - it's a single pair driving a speaker, and the call button just signals by shorting across the speaker.

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DD
Dan Droker
Jun 23, 2015
LONG Building Technologies • IPVMU Certified

The audio intercoms are pretty forgiving, but cable type does matter more for the video intercom models, like the JP series, especially as the cable length increases. They might or might not work with a different cable type, but if you run into a problem and have to call tech support, the first thing they are going to tell you is to replace the cable with the proper type. But if you use cable that meets their spec, just not Aiphone branded, then you should be fine.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Jun 23, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Can't recall ever having used Cat5e, but I can't see any reason that wouldn't work as well.

Matt, many JK series (I do realize OP is about JP series) devices specify to never use twisted pair. Whether it would work or not I don't know. I have never gone down the road to try it for fear it would not work.

edited: JP series as well specifies to not use twisted pair.

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U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 23, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Twisted pairs are meant to carry differential signals, i.e. phase-inverted but otherwise identical. Using them otherwise will theoretically increase crosstalk between the two, as discussed here.

However, in practice the amount of crosstalk drops off dramatically as the frequency decreases. In the case of audio frequencies in the low kHz, esp under 100 feet, I doubt you could hear the effect.

In addition, wiring the cable so that the 4 Oranges/Greens were commonned to the RED and the other 4 Blues/Browns went to the BLACK, would eliminate any intra-pair crosstalk.

That said, unless you enjoy explaining these types of things to junior tech support people, you might be better off with zip.

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Avatar
Ari Erenthal
Jun 23, 2015
Chesapeake & Midlantic

That said, unless you enjoy explaining these types of things to junior tech support people, you might be better off with zip.

Well, this seems to be exactly the kind of thing that junior tech support people ought to know, otherwise, they never progress to become senior tech support people.

MI
Matt Ion
Jun 23, 2015

That's the theory, yes, but I've use Cat5e with 3M intercoms for years without problems. Those normally use two pairs per station - one for audio, one for call button. We've run two channels in a fuel dispenser over a single Cat5e, as well as using a Cat5e for the selector unit (two pairs for RS-485, two for audio).

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 23, 2015
IPVMU Certified

That's the theory, yes, but...

Yes but nothing, look again, I was agreeing with you 100%, I just put the theoretical stuff in there pre-emptively... ;)

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Jun 23, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Do you have an account with ADI, Anixter, CSC/Wesco or another wire distributor?

There is nothing terribly exotic about that spec. Any counter person worth their paycheck should be able to quote you an offset.

RL
Robb Larsen
Jun 23, 2015

Perfect. We do and will check in the morning. Thank you for your input guys, it is appreciated.

TC
Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
Jun 23, 2015
IPVMU Certified

I don't want to pay $600ish dollars for a box when I'm only using about 100'...

Were you really quoted $600? That's seems crazy!

Here's one for under $100 for 1000ft.

Avatar
Ari Erenthal
Jun 23, 2015
Chesapeake & Midlantic

$600ish is highway robbery. A photography store with which I'm familiar sells it for almost half that.

Besides, you don't actually have to use 20/2. 18/2 is fine, and cheap as dirt. If you comparison shop, you should be able to find it for about a hundred bucks a spool or less.

RL
Robb Larsen
Jun 23, 2015

Thanks guys. My concern was originally for the low/mid capacitance, parallel cable, etc. that Aiphone states is required. To be honest about my strengths and weaknesses, I have always found programming systems standardized in cat5e/cat6 and telling the system what to do much easier to master than using standard cables and making it work the way I want.

By the time I entered this industry on the system building side, much of the systems were being replaced with category cable and I don't had a solid foundation in some of the older technology where understanding cable properties (other than category and fiber) was mandatory. Should I, yes, and I can understand general necessary needs, but I can't tell if Aiphone's claim of specific cable properties is necessary for operation or just a marketing ploy to purchase their overpriced cable. Realistically this is probably why I shy away from audio system design (no really, this was just a moment for me).

So in the most round-about way possible, my question is whether Aiphone's cable requirements are necessary or not, keeping in mind my system design includes audio and video. Thank you.

KL
Keefe Lovgren
Jun 24, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Robb,

If it helps I have never wired an Aiphone system with Aiphone cable. We have always bought General Cable 18/2 (shielded/stranded) from the local supply house or whatever other "cable de jour" they have and have used it the systems and have had no problems (Not AX Series systems however they require category cable).

TC
Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
Jun 24, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Robb, where does the requirement for 872002P10C come from? Just browsing the JP series I could find references only to 18 awg, not 20.

Is it a higher performance substitute for added range or reduced size?

If you do decide to go for 872002P10C, a certain photography store seems to have it pretty cheap at $344, comparatively speaking that is.

As Keefe says standard cable is going to work, though Aiphone would no doubt argue that there would possibly be high-frequency attenuation, which could reduce intelligibility.

One would really have to listen to know for sure...

TC
Trisha (Chris' wife) Dearing
Jun 24, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Looking at the installation manual it says the 20 awg, mid cap cable is good for up to 100 meters. It has a capacitance of 18pf/ft. Since you are running less than 1/3 of that distance, you should be fine using a standard 35pf/ft cable instead, as far as total capacitance/resistance go.

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