Lightweight Flexible Metal Conduit for Cat5 ?

[mhurst]

I am trying to find a lightweight flexible metal conduit or possibly a cat5 cable that is shielded in metal.

Situation: Our company has a barcode scanner that connects via Cat5 with an RJ45 connector to a computer. (Usb out of the computer to a converter box. Handheld scanner plugs in via RJ 45 connection into the converter box.) The handheld scanner needs to be able to move around approximately 20-25 feet from the converter box. The problem is about once a week, someone runs over the cat5 cable with a forklift or some other heavy object gets set on the cable and cuts it. Instead of constantly replacing the cat5 cable, I would like to shield the cable, but it needs to be lightwieght enough to drag around.

Anyone have any ideas?

[johnwill]

Why not just use a wireless solution?

[mhurst]

The only wireless devices approved by our software vendor are $800 - $1000. The wired scanner is $150 (and we already own the one in use and a backup), so I can go through a lot of Cat5 cable before I would break even on the wireless.

[johnwill]

You want something flexible that won't be damaged by running over it with a forklift? Good luck.

I'd work on their silly notion that a wireless solution has to cost a fortune, they do want to solve the problem, right?

[Wozer]

you are making the 'mistake' of not including the labor cost of constantly repairing the damage done..add this in and the argument of going wireless makes complete economic sense....

here's a simile: I am generally very concerned about jobsite theft (I'm a carpenter) so I take most everything home with me daily...at one point I laughed at people who left their extension cords plugged into the temporary power poles overnight...then I noticed a few people would actually take the time to run a lock over the cords (the ends prevent 'easy' removal..yeah you can just cut the thing and then get to the copper to sell it) which does represent some sort of 'security'...hmmmm I said to myself.....hmmmmm....thinking about it I deduced that it cost at least 15 minutes of daily labor to roll out and roll up the lead power cord....add this up and a good quality 100' 10 gauge lead power cord is paid for in less than a month if an unskilled laborer does the work, and is paid for in ~ 2 weeks if I do the labor....I have as of yet had a power cord stolen...sometimes another person will hijack the use of it, but that has been it as of this writing....I have saved a lot of $ by adopting this logic...

[Cellus]

Forklifts are far too heavy for regular floor cable covers to protect. They're designed, at best, to protect against occasional kicking and a bit of foot traffic.

The only thing that comes close would be a real heavy-duty cable ramp (and/or a hose ramp), however those are not flexible and certainly not ideal when you need mobility (meant to protect static positions). They're also not ideal when you need the floor to be as flat and stable as possible (such as in some cases with a forklift).

In terms of what your dilemma is, what you are requesting, and what is available, going wireless would solve the cable breakage problem.

$800-$1000 USD to bridge a 25' ethernet connection to wireless is absurd, even if you were to include labour. Not only that but you can certainly pack up the wireless devices and go quite quickly, and the wireless devices are anything but one-trick wonders. You can use the same devices to turn other wired connections to wireless. The set up would be the biggest expense - standard maintenance if set up properly may involve the occasional reboot of a wireless access point, which is as involving as unplugging the power for a few seconds and plugging it back in. The only prominent issues in such a work environment would be interference generated by heavy machinery, and even then that is usually only a problem if the wireless is very close and the machinery is giving out a lot of interference (like a standard, unshielded generator).