Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1476549
October/November/December 2022 I 57 There are various configurations of the receiver to allow for AC or DC power to be delivered to the loads. It can be deployed in many environments with benefits including: • Power levels up to 600W per pair of conductors • Distance up to 2 km (≈1.2 mi) • Structured cabling of 16-18 AWG conductors • Class 2 wiring practices (same as Ethernet or PoE) • System monitoring and control that is remotely managed • Scalable for future additions and upgrades • Deployment is faster due to shared pathways for power and data • Sustainable with more efficient power distribution, less materials, and the ability to directly use DC renewable energy sources immense value that is derived from intelligently using the data from these connected devices to improve energy management and safety practices, all while lowering operating costs. The number of applications utilizing PoE continue to grow with 4-pair cabling increasingly being used to transmit both data and power. A structured cabling system, largely non-application specific, must consider the likelihood of the specific application of PoE. Cabling and connectivity component specification and selection, along with codes and standard-based design and installa- tion practices with respect to current-carrying capacity, become paramount with the transmission of power and data. Amperes, resistance, and heat dissipation are now a requirement along with the performance parameters that define bandwidth and transmission. The 2017 and 2020 editions of the NEC added Table 725.144 for the ampacity of each conductor of 4-pair cables in a bundle. Additionally, the NEC added the limited power (LP) designation, providing an alternative to cable selection and deployment methods. The use of 22 AWG conductors in communications cables is becoming a common practice to decrease the voltage drop or power loss over the length of the cable to ensure the maximum amount of power is delivered to the devices and applications that need the power. Over 100 m (≈328 ft) of cable and up to 88 percent of the power will be delivered over 22 AWG conductors versus 82 percent for 23 AWG. The power loss is converted to heat. Smaller cable gauges dissipate more heat which limits the maximum size of the cable bundles. Think of the structured cabling in a building as the nervous systems in our bodies: a network of connections that supply the pathways for power, data, control, and communications. Looking forward, DE will be included within the National Electrical Code ® (NEC) 2023 edition under Article 726, and will be referenced as Class 4. STRUCTURED CABLING CONSIDERATIONS TO SUPPORT POE AND FMP Think of the structured cabling in a building as the nervous systems in our bodies: a network of connec- tions that supply the pathways for power, data, control, and communications. Smart building technologies, PoE, and FMP all require a robust network that will support reliable and efficient operation for the lifetime of that network. Some considerations are required and continue to evolve to successfully design, install, and maintain a structured cabling system that will operate safely, efficiently, and reliably. PoE is not new, having been deployed since the early days of the convergence of IT and voice and data systems, powering voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) phone sets and wireless access points (WAPs). With the Internet of Things (IoT), convergence continues with OT and building systems with traditionally separate and different cabling systems. IoT and the proliferation of connected devices, estimated to be 75 billion by 2025, and the vast amounts of data they generate continue to grow exponentially. This growth is due, in part, to the