Running cables to an island

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 21, 2019

Could use a few ideas, have this room and I need to get some more PCs in there. Best way I'm thinking is island bench to replace the white freestanding desks. That will be least desk installation work, but I need ideas for getting the cables to that island. Some facts:

1st floor, concrete, no void below, not sure if I can channel the concrete as will be providing structural support. False ceiling can be seen upper right of picture, so best option probably to drop cables from above. At the moment I'm thinking 2 decent bits of trunking back to back for a nice solid drop, but wondering if anyone had any brighter ideas. Going to be 20 computers on this island so there'll be a fair bit of electric and data.

Andy78 · Mar 21, 2019

A power pole would be my standard idea if you have a suspended ceiling. Plenty of room for segregated power and data

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 21, 2019

Andy78 said:
A power pole would be my standard idea if you have a suspended ceiling. Plenty of room for segregated power and data

Thanks, that looks sensible.

Pete999 · Mar 21, 2019

Bite the bullet and install some floor trunking with points under each desk, or island, I should the concrete you talk of maybe a screed which should be fairly easy to chop out, well not easy as such, but a sight more easy than structural concrete.

John Preston · Mar 21, 2019

Yep, power pole for sure. Rigid, purpose made and segregation.

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 21, 2019

Only thing is ceiling tiles are around 3.5m up so I could get a 3.6m kit and that would look tidy. Fixed at the floor and then also held in place by the desks will make it pretty firm but I'd still want it securing properly the other side of the ceiling tiles, might need to get down to DT and see if I can cobble a bracket or some sort together.

Andy78 · Mar 21, 2019

TheReturnOfHightower said:
Only thing is ceiling tiles are around 3.5m up so I could get a 3.6m kit and that would look tidy. Fixed at the floor and then also held in place by the desks will make it pretty firm but I'd still want it securing properly the other side of the ceiling tiles, might need to get down to DT and see if I can cobble a bracket or some sort together.

Yep, they are usually fixed to the proper ceiling above. I think you can get bracket kits and extension parts for most systems.
Shop about as well as they can be extortionate.

Silly Sausage · Mar 21, 2019

TheReturnOfHightower said:
Only thing is ceiling tiles are around 3.5m up so I could get a 3.6m kit and that would look tidy. Fixed at the floor and then also held in place by the desks will make it pretty firm but I'd still want it securing properly the other side of the ceiling tiles, might need to get down to DT and see if I can cobble a bracket or some sort together.

Maybe fix it to unistrut spanned between the walls above the ceiling?

John Preston · Mar 21, 2019

So the desks are still going to be mobile? Not fixed islands? I would have fixed the power pole to the island and then used bench trunking down the island. Not cheap so it depends on the budget.

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 21, 2019

No, they'll be fixed, and something similar to what you've posted John will be installed to the desks - haven't decided that bit yet though.

I could span strut but narrowest point is about 10m and retrofitting will be a nightmare. I can't fix the pole to the real roof as it's about 3m above the drop ceiling and also riddled with the lovely dusty stuff we're meant to avoid. I haven't even looked above the tiles yet, there's likely to be trunking or strut in place I can fix to with a bit of planning and a touch of ingenuity.

Thanks for the responses.

FatAlan · Mar 21, 2019

How about just creating bays round the outside and extend whats already there? Might work out cheaper and negate the need for a bit of working at height.

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 21, 2019

FatAlan said:
How about just creating bays round the outside and extend whats already there? Might work out cheaper and negate the need for a bit of working at height.

We've measured up, it won't give us the space we need for the computers we need. Additionally, we need to run fresh circuits anyway otherwise we'd have 30 computers on one RCBO

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 26, 2019

What distances should basket be supported? Reason I ask is I need to get cables from one side of the room to the other in our server room, and can't touch the ceiling due to asbestos. I was originally going to install some strut wall to wall, and then secure the basket on top so it's using the strut for support. However, I've just had the basket delivered and it feels sturdy enough to span 2.5m without further support (wall brackets only).

What do we reckon? Put the strut in for support still?

buzzlightyear · Mar 26, 2019

when I saw the Hightower post ,me was thinking how do you run a cable to a desert island.LOL.

Charlie_ · Mar 26, 2019

Is there going to be a void created with the island?.. If so make it accessible, then you could install a small cu for the pc power circuits and a 24 port switch for all the data..
All you need to worry about then is getting 1 power cable and 1 cat6 cable to the island..

telectrix · Mar 26, 2019

TheReturnOfHightower said:
What distances should basket be supported? Reason I ask is I need to get cables from one side of the room to the other in our server room, and can't touch the ceiling due to asbestos. I was originally going to install some strut wall to wall, and then secure the basket on top so it's using the strut for support. However, I've just had the basket delivered and it feels sturdy enough to span 2.5m without further support (wall brackets only).

What do we reckon? Put the strut in for support still?

i'd not bother with basket. just fit unistrut and secure cables to that. power in the channel and cat6 underneath.

davesparks · Mar 26, 2019

TheReturnOfHightower said:
What distances should basket be supported? Reason I ask is I need to get cables from one side of the room to the other in our server room, and can't touch the ceiling due to asbestos. I was originally going to install some strut wall to wall, and then secure the basket on top so it's using the strut for support. However, I've just had the basket delivered and it feels sturdy enough to span 2.5m without further support (wall brackets only).

What do we reckon? Put the strut in for support still?

Check the manufacturers data to be certain, but I wouldnt personally be happy with a 2.5m span between supports

Wilko · Mar 26, 2019

Hi - this ones got a max of 2.5m depending on load. But as per @davesparks I'd be putting an extra one in your case, if I've understood correctly

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https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/Univolt/Cable_Basket.pdf

TheReturnOfHightower · Mar 27, 2019

Thanks all, strut with basket on top it is then. Reason for basket is for data (only 20 cables at the moment but could potentially have a fair bit of weight in years to come). Power has a trunking run right to above where the power pole is going, so that's all good.

Definitely not keen on a sub-board and 24-port switch - might cut it in a small business network but not the way to do things on this scale, if for no other reason than it creates another point to worry about.

TheReturnOfHightower · Apr 15, 2019

Out of interest, what would people charge labour only for this job. I'm starting to make a bit of a log of jobs as the school is going through a rough patch, want to be ready to say 'well if you get rid of my role this is what it's gonna cost you'.

So the job is installation of a power pole, 2 rings (10 sockets each) and 20 cat5e points in some box trunking under the desk. Cable runs are about 35-40m and a bit of a nightmare, through 3 lots of 18" thick solid wall. All materials excluded, what would you price?