Masterlan UTP5E24-MS Καλώδιο Δικτύου Cat5E PVC 305m CCA

This installation UTP cable marked UTP5E24-MS is part of the product line Masterlan – category 5E and is intended for indoor structured cabling. The cable is an unshielded version with a PVC outer sheath. The cable conductors have an aluminium core, which is coated with a layer of copper – so-called CCA with the size of AWG24. Like other cables, this one is marked with a length of 1 m in the range from 0 to 305 m. The cable is delivered in a solid cardboard box.

What is CCA and why does it make sense in these times?

CCA is a relatively new technology in data cables manufacturing, where the aluminium core is coated with a layer of copper. Copper has excellent conductivity and resistance properties, but is several times more expensive than aluminium. Although the CCA cable allows you to take full advantage of copper while maintaining a favorable price and, most importantly, helps to save globall limited copper reserves but it is not suitable for all types of installations. Even a thin layer of copper in a CCA cable provides virtually the same conductivity but with slightly higher resistance. How is it possible? Thanks to an electrical phenomenon called “skin effect” or “surface effect”. The skin effect is a physical process in which an electric current is forced to the surface of a wire. This phenomenon does not happen at direct current at all, so the CCA cable is not suitable for installations where POE power is required. In electrical wiring where 50Hz frequency is used, the phenomenon is minimal. However, data networks use much higher frequency alternating current. The quality of a CCA cable is about finding balance. Too much copper is a waste of material, while too little copper reduces the efficiency and quality of the cable. Our cables contain at least 20 % of copper, thus guaranteeing parameters that are close to ordinary copper conductors.