Classroom Gear - Plenum Cable

What is Plenum Cable?
Many school systems require a special type of cabling and wiring to be installed in their buildings. That type of cabling is called plenum. Plenum cable is coated with a fire-retardant coating (usually Teflon) so that in case of a fire it does not give off toxic gasses and smoke as it burns. For example, a traditional non-plenum cable could have five individually insulated wires in it and one outer tube of insulation that protects ands hold the five wires neatly together. A Plenum cable of the same type would have a flame retardant coating on each of five wire's insulation as well as on the outer tube's insulation. Plenum cable costs more to manufacture than traditional cable of the same type (e.g. traditional VGA cable vs. plenum VGA cable)


How Plenum Cables are used.
In building construction, the plenum is the space that is used for air circulation in heating and air conditioning systems, typically between the structural ceiling and the suspended ceiling or under a raised floor. The plenum space is also typically used as a passage way for communication cables for the building's computer and telephone networks. However, the use of plenum areas for cable storage poses a serious hazard in the event of a fire. Once a fire reaches the plenum space there are few barriers to contain the smoke and flames.

Plenum Cabling for your Activclassroom bundles
Logical Choice's hardware kit for bundle installations contains varying lengths of five types of cabling: VGA, Serial, video, mini and audio. The standard cabling that we use in our bundles is Plenum-rated fire-retardant cabling. Your local Sales Consultant would be please to answer any questions you might have on Plenum-rated cabling.