I need to staple about 1000 feet of coax cable and cat5 wire. What is the best brand of a cable stapler to buy? I see Arrow makes one that shoots a round top staple. Then PowerFast makes one that uses 3 different styles. This seems to me you have to keep switching between wire sizes and staples?? Are these my only brand choices?
I have the Arrow and it knicks the jacket on RG6 if you are not very careful. The staple is almost exactly the same size as the cable. I am not sure it gets to the braid but it looks bad. Works good on the CAT5. Just don't get to aggressive and pinch the wire. Hold it back a bit
The local electrical inspector said I had to pull out all the staples (Arrow) because they were not UL approved. I showed him the box of staples where it *was* UL approved and he said I couldn't use 'em anyway, just because.
You might want to ask the inspector's office before you use them, just in case you have to deal with an asshole.
After typing the above, I noticed that you you said "coax", not "romex". The Arrow round-top metal staples work great. I think a T-25 stapler will work for both coax and CAT5. T-18 works great for #12 and #14 ground wires, or plain-old-telephone cable, but it tends to damage the jacket on CAT5 and could cut the wires if you're not careful.
You can also just use poultry fence staples since this is low-voltage wiring, and save the cost of a staple gun.
Article 725 has as much a force of law as article 300. Low voltage is still regulated by the NEC and if an inspector is questioning your Romex staples he could screw with you on the CAT5 staples too.
It is becoming a lot more common that low voltage installers need to be licensed and pull permits. That has been true in Florida for almost a decade.
THANKS for all the replies! Sounds like Arrow could cut it, not good. I spent extra for quad coax, so I don't want to mess up impedance. Single plastic wire clamps should take a while to install... Power fast does make a stapler for nonmetallic sheathed cable. Has anyone used it?
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Now I'm guessing I should run all this wire into wireways. It's only my own house, not a commercial building... :-) Would plastic ties be OK? or could that cause a problem with phone, network & cable all tied in a bundle.
T > Single plastic wire clamps should take a while to install...
Admittedly they do, but using hex-head sheet metal screws and a magnetic hex-head driver speeds things up. Get the super-pointy screws: they pierce the old wood easily ==> a little pressure makes a starter hole; the hex head is easier to balance than a Phillips (don't even consider slotted!), and the magnet keeps the screw head in place.
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