Riser vs Plenum Cabling Explained

Author: Brian Rhodes, Published on Oct 07, 2014

You could be spending twice as much for cable as you need. The difference between 'plenum' rated cable and 'riser' rated cable is subtle, but the cost difference is big.

What is the proper use for each type, and how can you avoid costly mistakes? We look at the differences between 'plenum' and 'riser' types, and why not knowing the difference could be costing you big.

*** ***** ** ******** ***** ** **** *** ***** ** you ****. *** ********** ******* '******' ***** ***** *** '*****' rated ***** ** ******, *** *** **** ********** ** ***.

**** ** *** ****** *** *** **** ****, *** *** can *** ***** ****** ********? ** **** ** *** *********** between '******' *** '*****' *****, *** *** *** ******* *** difference ***** ** ******* *** ***.

[***************]

Flammability ********

*** ********** ******* ***** ***** ** ****** (***/***) ***** *** none-rated ***** ** ***** ** *** ****** ***********. ******, ******* ***-**** ***** ******* *** ********* *** *** ******** like ***** ** * ******** ****, ********* ** ****** *** flame ** ****** **************** ********. ********** ** ******-**** ***** **** ******** ****** ** ******** spaces, *** ******** ** *** ****** ** *** ***** *** turn * ******* **** * *************. *** ***** ****** ****** provides **** **** *** ******* *** * ****.

** ********, ***** (***) *** ****** (***) ****** *** ******** differently **** ****-********* ********* **** ****-********** *****, ** *** *** *********, to **** *** ******** **** ***********. **** ** *** ** fire-segregated **************** ******** ****** ** ********, ***** ******** ** *** ********** ** * ****'* ******.

Plenum ** *****

** **********, ****** ******* **** **** ********* **** ****** **** Riser *******. *** *** ******** ****** ** ******* *** ****** rating ** **** ********* **** ******** ** ***** ********:

***: *** ****** ******, *** ******** '*********** ******** *******' *** * **** **** ******* ***** (***° *). ** jackets, ** ******* ******** ****** ** ***** ************ ** **** and ****** **** ***-***** *****, *** *** *********** ********** ********** properties.
****: *** ***** ******, ****** ******** ******** ** *********** ********* ************* * ****** ******* ***** **** '*******' *** (******* *** °*), and ** **** ********* **** *** ** * *** ********.** **** *** **** ********** ********** ****** *** ******* *****.

Cost **********

*** ********* **** ********** ** ***** ********* *** ** ***** steep. ******** *** ***** ** ***-***** ** ***** ******* ** almost ****** ****** *%, *** **** ******* ***** (***) *** plenum (***) ********* ****** ** ****. *** ****** ***** *** *** **** foot *****:

When ** *** ****

**** ********** ***** *** ******** ********, ** *** ** ****** and ******** ** ******** ** ********* '****** ***** **********'. ***** plenum ******* ***** *** **** ********* ************ ** ******* ** a ********, **** ********** *** ** ****** **** ** ********* inventory ** **** ****** *** ***** *****.

** *** ***** ****, **** **** ******* ** ********** ***** specify ****** **** **** ** *** **** **, **** ** avoid *** ******** ** ******** ************* ** ** '***** **********' if **** **** * ******.

*******, ** **** *****, **** *** ** ******* ** ***** the ******* ***** **** *** *** ***. ** ********* ****** where **** **** *** ** **** *****:

***** (***) *****

**** ***** ****** ******* *** ******, ** ********* ** *** through * **** ** * ******** ******* ** * ******** spot. **** **** ** ****** * '***** *****' *** ** usually ******* ** * ******, ** * **** *********** '***** closet' **** ********* ****** **** ****** ******* ******. ***** *** riser ******* ** ******, *****, *** ********* **** *** **** a **** ******** *******, *** ***** ******* ******* **** ***** does *** **** ** **** ****** '******' **************:

****** (***) *****

**** ***** ******* ******* ***** ** ****** ****** **** ********, it ****** ** ****** *****. ******* ***** *** ***** *** shortest ******** ******* *** ******, ***** ** ****** ****** ** on *** ******* ******* ** *** ****.

*******, ******** ** ******* **********, *** *** ***** ***** * drop ******* ** *** ****** ******. ** **** *****, **** is * ****** ********** ** **** *** ***** ** *** an ****** **** ** *** **** *** **** *******.

***** *** ** ***** **** *********** **** ***, ** *** be **** ** *** ***** ** ***** ******* ** *** expense ******** *****.

******** *****

** ***** ******* ******* ** * ****** *****, *** ******* floors, ** ******** ** ******* ******:

*******, ***** ************ *** *****, **** ******* ****** ********* ** conduit, ***** *****, ** **** *****. ******* ****** *********** **** ceiling *****, ********** ** ****-******* *******, ** ** ***** ******* to *** *** ***** ****** ********, *** ** ******* ************ rating *******.

****** **************'*

** * ******* ***, ***** *** ***** ** ** *** actually ******** **** ********, ***** ********* *** *** ****** ****. If * ** **** ***-***** ***** *** ***** ~$*.** ** cable, ********** ***** *** *** **** **** ****** ***** ** ~$7.60.

*******

** *******, ****** ***** ****** ** **** ****:

******* **** ** ** ** ********:**** **** ***** *** '** ** ******* ******, ** **** be ****** *****', ** **** ****** *** ******* * **** run **** ** *** *****.
******* **** **** ** ****** ******** ********: **** ** ***** ******** **** *****, ** ***** *** be ** ******** ****** **************. ** ******** ********** **************** ** ******* *****, ** ****** ** *** ******. *******, if ***** ******* ***** ** ****** ***** *** *******, *** space ****** ******** *** *****.
******* ******* ******: *** *** ** **** ** ***** ** *** ** needed.

*******, ***** ****** *** **** ** *** ******* ***********:

******* ******* ******: ****** ******* ** ** **** ** ******** ****** ****** be *** *****, *** *** ******* ********** ******** ** *****.

***** ***** ***** *** ** **** ** '******* *******' *** non-rated ******, ** ****** ** **** ** ****** ************, *** tends ** ** ****** ****** **** ***** *********. ******* *** CMR ** *******, *** **** ****** ** **** ****** *********** for ****** *****.

*** ****** ********** ** **** ***** *** ******** *** ******* through ********, *** ** ******* ********** **** ********* ** ***** wires *** ********, *** **** **** ** *********.

Comments (8)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

10/07/14 05:41pm

" ******** ***** - ** ***** ******* ******* ** * plenum *****, *** ******* ******, ** ******** ** ******* ******: "

* ******* **** ** * ********** *********. * **** *** are ********** **** ********** ********** *** ** ** *********, *** only **** (**** **********) *** *** *** '***-*****" ****** ** when ***** ** ******* *******. ** ** **** ****** * wall/ceiling, ** ****** ***** ** ***** *** ** * ***** standard ******* **** ** ** ***. ******* ******* **** *** provide **** ******* **** ****

Jeremiah Boughton

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 10/07/14 08:46pm

* ******* ** ** *** *** **** ** **** "******" a ****** *****. *** ** **** ** ******* *** * commercial ***********.

*******, ** ** *******, *** ***** ** * ********** ******** should ** ***** ** ** ** *** **** ** ****. If ** ****** *** *** *** ** **. (** & CMG ** *****)

The ******** **...**** ** ******* ******* ** *****?

** **** *** *** ***** *****. ********** *** *** ** just * ******** *** *****. ***** ***** ********* ********* **** the ***. **** ***** ***** *** ******-***-***** **** ** ***** to *** *** *********. *** **** ***** *** *** ** is ** ******** *** **** *** ** ***** *****. *** as ** *** ****, ***** *** *** ****** ********. *** many ***** **** *** **** ** * ********** *** **** and ****** ** *** *** ******* ******* **** *** *** AV **** *** **** ** *** *** ** ** ****? You ****** ***** **** **** ********* *** ***** ** ******?

*** *** ***** **** ** *********** * *** ** ****** *** *** ******. *******, ** would ** **** ** ***** **** ********** *********...** ***** ** the ****** ******.

"*** **** *** ** *****, *** **** ** *********, ** police ** ******* ********** **** *** ******** ** **** *********."

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Jeremiah Boughton | 10/14/14 04:18pm

*** *** ***** **** ** **** ******* * *** ** things *** *** ******.

**** **** ***** ******** ** * *** *********.

Tedor Gligorich

10/07/14 07:40pm

"*** ********* *** ******** **** *****". **** ***** *********** ****** to **** **** ****** **** ********** *****. ** * ***. else ** ******* ***** *** ***** ****, ******* ***** **** down, ******* ***** **** ********.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 10/08/14 02:44pm

*-*** *** * * ***** ******** ** ********* *****/******* ****** *******, ***** *** ****** *********** (** *** ** ******* ****** go) ** ***'** ***** **** *** **********. **'* ********** **** for *** ***** **** ******* "****** ***** *****'* ****!!!" **** it ****.

Lee Zanter

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ethan Ace | 10/12/14 01:09am

***** ********* *** ********. * *** **** **** ****** *** run ****** ** **** **** ** **** ** *****'* ******* toxic *****. ** **** **** *** ***** ***** **** ***** fumes ***'* ****** ** ******* ****. **** ***** **** ***** to ** *******. * ******* ***** ****** ** ***** ****** burning ***** ***** **** *** ****.

Joe Mirolli

10/14/14 01:01pm

** **** *** ** ******** * ****** *** ******** ******* is ** **** ** *** *** **** ****** ** *** ceilings, ** ***** ** **** **** ******** ** *** ** them, **** ******* *** ****** **** **** ** * *** plenum *****. ******* ** **** **** (*** *** ****** *****) are ****** * ***** ** *** ******* **** **** ** duct ******** *** **** **** ********** ** * ****** *****. Further ************* ** *** ******* *** ***'** *** *** **** system *** * ***** **** ***** **** **** ** *** air ** **** *** ****** *** ** ******* *** **** duct ******. ***** *********** ** ****** ****** ***** *****. *** there *** ********** ***** ******* *** ** ****, ******** **** is *** ********* * ****** **** ********** ******* ** ***** installed. ******* ***** ** ***** *** ** *** **** ******, as ****** ******** ******** *********** ** ********* * ****** ** well. *********, *** ************* ********** *** **** **** ***** ** ceiling ******.

Jesse Guenter

In reply to Joe Mirolli | 10/28/14 04:46pm

** ** ********** (**+ ***** ** ************** *******/**/********) ***** **% of ********* ********* *** ****** ***** *** ******* ****** *****. We ******** **** ******** ********* * ***** ****** ** ***** that *** ********* ** *** ***********. **** ********* ***** ***** Non-Plenum ********** *** ****** ****** ** ***** *** *** ***** was * ****** *** *****. **** ****** *******!

**** **** ** ***** ****** *** **********... * **** ***** seen ****** ********* ** ** **** ****. ****** **** *** HVAC **** ***** **** * ****** *** *** *** **** cable!

*** ** ********** ** ***** ** *** *** **** *** Texas ** ***** **'*** ** ** ********* (*****) ;-*

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