# ecmag article on cat6 teflon jacket



## Wiresmith (Feb 9, 2013)

anyone catch the ecmag article "Cabling Infrastructure In Buildings: Material For Terrorists?"
http://www.ecmag.com/section/systems/cabling-infrastructure-buildings-material-terrorists

it says the common material used for insulation in data cable gives off nerve gas when heated up. i looked up the common belden cat6, the outer jacket is pvc but the insulation is FEP teflon


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

hd13 said:


> anyone catch the ecmag article "Cabling Infrastructure In Buildings: Material For Terrorists?"
> http://www.ecmag.com/section/systems/cabling-infrastructure-buildings-material-terrorists
> 
> it says the common material used for insulation in data cable gives off nerve gas when heated up. i looked up the common belden cat6, the outer jacket is pvc but the insulation is FEP teflon


I think the writer's qualifications are sketchy. He makes some very dubious statements. 

He claims that because corrosive gasses are released when teflon insulated cables burn, they will destroy the media stored on hard drives in data centers. Mmmm hmmm. I doubt very seriously that's a major concern. 

Remember that the PVC jacket on riser rated cables certainly releases toxic gasses and is more prone to burn. I have seen videos that demonstrate plenum and riser rated cables side by side, it's a lot harder to get smoke out of the plenum rated and harder to get them to burn. 

The sensationalist suggestion that terrorists can use teflon to make and capture a weapon type nerve agent gas - doubtful, and if it's true, there are a lot of pots and pans around that terrorists are going to use. 

I would bet dollars against doughnuts this person is involved with a company that claims to have a safer insulation for plenum rated cables and is trying to scare people over nothing. That or he's just a nut job, or a moron, always a possibility. I'll assume it's one of those things until I saw much more convincing evidence.


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## Wiresmith (Feb 9, 2013)

yeah i overlook the terrorist part, but the off-gas is still a concern


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

They can make a form of "nerve gas" from bleach and ammonia, and they don't have to light it on fire. But, why bother when they can get better siht from the government.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

joebanana said:


> They can make a form of "nerve gas" from* bleach and ammonia,* and they don't have to light it on fire. But, why bother when they can get better siht from the government.


That's some nasty stuff.

It was used to power the Me 163.


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## LV Phoneguy (Nov 3, 2016)

Because of the Fire Rating of the cabling we are talking about the amount of gas being given off by the Plenum Rated cable is minimal. The other cable in pathway is enclosed and has a lesser chance of burning and off gassing. The amount of materials contained in a modern building which would give off noxious fumes when burnt is staggering. But the reason that the gas given off is not a major issue is that the smoke from the fire is the major issue, both in terms of visibility and inhalation. it's like complaining about the rust on the nails used in a fragmentation bomb.


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## Silversam (Feb 8, 2010)

In 1978 I ran the Telephone System installation at a VA Hospital. Teflon cable was not allowed because when burned it produced Phosgene Gas. As a result there were NO plenum areas in the hospital. In any ares that could have problems, all wiring was piped.

However, at the temperature required for Teflon to burn, the steel beams in the building will already be compromised so it pretty much becomes moot.

IMHO.

Sam


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