[Greenbuilding] Fwd: SCIPs questions

[Bruce Donelson]

Chris Green wrote:
IT and media system installers try to run their wires at right angles to
power lines to minimize inductive current build-up. (On my last house
job, the installer made a point of telling me these details.)

If you *have* to run wires and data cables in parallel, it would be a
safe bet to go outside and judge how far apart the service providers
have run the two different lines in the neighbourhood and add a few
inches to that.. (If they aren't underground, at which you'll have to
ask the installers long before they're scheduled to show up.)

Power and telecommunications providers insist on a 1' minimum separation
between incoming buried conductors. Safety issues may be a factor here, but
I think it is based on noise on the telephone lines. This can add
significantly to the costs of boring under streets for utilities: we have to
bore twice. In new construction, we try to run all the low voltage lines
after the higher voltage lines are run, and to keep them well separated. We
NEVER run them through the same penetration.

Bruce Donelson
A BEtter Builder