Running a cable through a chimney.

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
If you have a gas fire, how much heat goes up a chimney? Could you drop a network cable down it, or would it just melt?
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
Interesting question and wouldn't have a clue. I suppose it might be argued that a certain amount of un-burnt gas rises up a chimney and therefore it might not be a safe practise, but that wouldn't stop me personally as I know the cable wouldn't cause an ignition source anyway.

Heat wise it would depend on the type of fire. Some gas fires are more efficient than others regarding heat loss up the chimney. I think in worse case scenario it's about 30% but don't quote me on that. I'm sure someone like Rikki will come along and give a more knowledgeable answer to this :)
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
It doesn't really matter how much heat goes up there. All that matters is what temperature is reached. I would expect you to get away with it, but Rikki will have a better idea of the temperature that the flue gasses will reach from the actual fire in question..
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Cheers all, it appears the maximum operating temperature is 60c, would it get that hot?

I want to relocate a server to my attic, and hard wire all the upstairs rooms.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Also, how easy is it to move a fireplace out of the way while I chuck a cable down? Does it need disconnecting at all, or should there be a bit of play in it?

EDIT: I am sure you used to be able to buy twin power sockets with network connectors in them too, but can't seem to find one now. Did I imagine them? You can get one with USB, but I can't see one with RJ45?
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Really? Hadn't considered that, I assume its to do with fire as I'd have installed something that caused it?

EDIT: How much heat actually goes up a chimney then? If its a lot, doesn't that mean the gas fire is crap?
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
tek-monkey said:
How much heat actually goes up a chimney then? If its a lot, doesn't that mean the gas fire is crap?
To be honest, the efficiency of them has never been that great but if you have a newer sort of fire I would expect it to be alot better. Either way I wouldn't have thought that your cat5 cable would be exposed to enough heat to do damage IMO

sofa said:
If you try it out I would suggest giving the fire brigade a bell first.
It would be obvious the answer you'd get no doubt, as they would legally need to advise you not to do it to eliminate themselves from any risk of blame. In reality it might be perfectly safe to do, but they're gonna tell you it's hellishly dangerous in any case I'd have imagined.

Put one of them room thermometers that stores the highest temperatures up in there somewhere tek... put the fire on full whack for a couple of hours and when you remove the thermometer later you'll see for yourself..... if it hasn't melted!! ;)
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
If you're just doing the upstairs rooms from a source in the attic, why not put the sockets in the ceilings? Apart from the unsightliness of the dangly wire, it would be a bit easier, unless you intend to plug in and out a lot...
 

My Name is URL

Well-Known Forumite
wmrcomputers said:
Put one of them room thermometers that stores the highest temperatures up in there somewhere tek... put the fire on full whack for a couple of hours and when you remove the thermometer later you'll see for yourself..... if it hasn't melted!! ;)
Good thinking

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.36137

Oh and instead of all of this hassle... could you not just use those power line network adapters?
 

joshua

Well-Known Forumite
tek-monkey said:
I've got powerline adapters, they don't work well in my house :(
And if you have a ham radio user nearby heaven help them, they cause no end of interference to short wave radio

http://www.frequencycast.co.uk/powerline.html
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
tek-monkey said:
I've got powerline adapters, they don't work well in my house :(
No reason for them not to work well UNLESS somebody else uses similar units on the same phase of mains wiring as you.
I believe there used to be a device which clamped around the main electricity supply cable to your house and filtered your own mains supply, which might help if this was the cause.

How come you aren't using a wireless router to spread your network?
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I am, but wired works so much better. If I could hard wire the main PCs and just leave a few on wireless it'd help, we already have 3 PCs on the wireless and once 2 stream it gets a bit sketchy.
 

wmrcomputers

Stafford PC & laptop repair specialist
tek-monkey said:
I am, but wired works so much better. If I could hard wire the main PCs and just leave a few on wireless it'd help, we already have 3 PCs on the wireless and once 2 stream it gets a bit sketchy.
Have you gone wireless N spec though?? Made hell of a difference to us and there are several connections in use at once here without a glitch
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Yup, we're on n, but 2 machines streaming off a third all on wireless still results results in the odd dropout. Probably doesn't help that there are usually downloads running on the server too. Plus I want the server in the loft, and not tried wireless up there yet. If I have to stick with wireless I will, bit if I can install Gigabit cabling I'd rather do that.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
My latest findings are I forgot about it! However I just had a new loft hatch fitted, so can get in easily now, so am looking at my options again.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Are all of your first floor walls solid? If you have a partition wall(s) anywhere, then you might be able to run down through the hollow centre, if there isn't a horizontal piece in the way. I've done that to put a pumped shower in that required a pipe down from the attic as well as one up from under the bath, but that was in a Victorian house. Yours is a bit younger, and the dreaded cross-piece can frustrate this method. An extremely long drill could get you through it, but I don't have anything over a metre - wouldn't take a great deal to codge one up, though...
 
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