Network Cable

[OliverJohnson]

Hi All

I'm looking for some advice and recommendations on the best cat5 and cat 6 network cable that you guys have used. I'm a CCTV installer and was on the hunt for a new supplier of cable as I kept getting let down on delivery. 

Started using VueNet cat5e from these guys and can't fault it, came next day as promised which was what I was after and is decent quality! 

What do members of Talk Electrician Forum use for installations?

Thanks in advance 

Ollie

 

[Sharpend]

Whatever the wholesaler has available? 

 

[Evans Electric]

As Herr Sharp says , whatever they stock . 

 

[OliverJohnson]

Understood! I was the same until I ordered some off the net and haven't looked back

 

[kerching]

I get mine from a very nice company near Abingdon....and I use a lot of Data cable and gubbins BUT I will only use Hellerman Tyson Alpha Snap ports unless it is an absolute dire emergency and I am out of stock then I have to buy from local electrical wholesalers. I have had to use some total,and utter in these situations. Absolutely pure shicking frite

 

[Murdoch]

I find a box lasts me a long time so I tend to buy locally ....

 

[OliverJohnson]

I really try and avoid getting my cable from electrical wholesalers, I'd rather buy in advance and get the bulk discounts!

 

[Doc Hudson]

I really try and avoid getting my cable from electrical wholesalers, I'd rather buy in advance and get the bulk discounts!

But then discounts have to be quite big to counteract any delivery charges and or wasted time for late / missing deliveries, as you said; "was on the hunt for a new supplier of cable as I kept getting let down on delivery". If you are really buying sufficiently large quantities then I would image a lot of wholesalers would be happy to price match. However it can also be false economy storing excessive stock yourself if it ends up sitting around for long periods and not being turned back into profit. Stock on your shelves is dead-money and discounted dead money is still dead money. 

Doc H.

 

[Apache]

It's interesting the different views. Assuming the OP uses a reasonable volume of data cable then having a stock makes sense. I appreciate that is money tied up, but if a few pounds in cable is going to make or break you then I'm worried about your business.

I know when we were having some work done, many of the trades were grossly unable to plan ahead and 1, 2 or even 3 trips to various merchants were not uncommon. It's not hard to plan a couple of days ahead and I can get reliable (usually free) delivery next day from Screwfix/Toolstation/TLC etc. I did resent paying the builder for an hour of his time to pick up a tube of silicone.

I very quickly found I got a lot more work done if I did the ordering, and I'm not doing the job. As a customer I don't want to pay you as a delivery service! That's WAY more costly.

You might save a couple of pounds buying locally, but I can order off my phone in a minute up to 8pm and have it in my hands by lunch. Get vastly more work done.

 

[Doc Hudson]

Absolutely agree, contractors who have to leave site part way through a job because of poor planning don't deserve any custom. And in this day and age where stock availability, costs and delivery timescales are available from numerous suppliers there is no excuse for not forward planning. I think the context of this thread is CAT5/6 data cable, which is supplied in standard 305m length boxes, and assuming we are not talking major industrial sites, can last for quite a reasonable time as Murdoch pointed out. So for the OP to be talking about bulk discounts I could not envisage many applications where 'bulk' quantities of 305m boxes would be needed. I tend to think people who overstock on a bit of cable probably also overstock on numerous other items as well.

The days of manufactures and numerous other trades and services holding stock that is not allocated to a job is a dying breed. The concept of  "Just-In-Time" is a standard principle in manufacturing processes nowadays, only get stock as you need it.  Small traders can also apply this principle with the ease of internet ordering and stock checking.  Of course we don't know if this thread relates to a sole-trader working on individual jobs at a time, or a small business with a team of guys working on multiple jobs simultaneously. Which would make a bit of a difference to stock levels.

Doc H.   

 

[OliverJohnson]

Hi guys!

Thanks for your comments. We're a team of 8 but occasionally use contractors depending on the size of jobs so it's important for us to have plenty of network cable to hand.

We primarily work on a lot of large commercial buildings so we do go through a fair bit of cable & we know that when we buy it in bulk it isn't going to go out of date and will be used, unlike cameras or recorders where tech moves quickly!

 Think I'll be sticking with VueNet for the time being......

Appreciate the feedback

Ollie