Page 1 of 3

Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 12:17 pm
by jar
Hi,
We are looking forward integrating our first WS-12-250-XX and I have a quick question. We have had several instances where the jacket of the cable going out to a radio is torn/broken/chewed, etc. and water has seeped down the inside of the jacket and shorted out the POE. We replace the cable and the POE and we're good to go.

I was wondering how the Netonix switch would handle this situation. Would we just short the interface or could we short the entire switch. Is each interface protected independently? Although it is frustrating to go out to a transmitter just to replace a POE, it doesn't cost us any money. I would be concerned about blowing a several hundred dollar piece of equipment.

Thanks for the help!
J

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 1:28 pm
by lligetfa
Never ever let water reach the switch port. Very bad things can happen.

Use the WHT approved method of cutting a long slit in the bottom of a drip loop. I prefer to use gel filled or dry tape so that water cannot migrate down through the cable.

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:13 pm
by jar
Yes, totally agree. If one port does fail/short, does the switch continue to work?

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:23 pm
by Dave
Yes, switch will continue to work.

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:51 pm
by jar
Thanks! :thumbsup:

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2015 9:52 pm
by sirhc
The switches are not designed to be aquatic, water and electric do no mix.

If water gets into the switch you run the risk of physical harm, fire, shocks, and such.

The best thing to do is to just NOT get them wet!

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 5:42 pm
by JustJoe
When running outdoor cables into a switch inside a cabinet, even with as few as 8 ports, we terminate each cable with a shielded keystone jack and snap the jack into a keystone jack panel. The remaining water in the cable stops there and the panel is a great place to label the circuits. From the panel, short shielded jumper cables into the switch. :D

The only place I would skip the jacks/jumpers is maybe a 6 port MINI.

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 3:23 am
by jjonsson
I just had this situation. A strip was broken causing the cable to rub against a sharp edge and the cable got filled with water because of a very tiny hole and very heavy rain.
The port in the WS-8-250-AC switch just shut off. Nothing else happened.....


Thanks Chris for great switches :-)




PS: Where can I read about the WHT approved method ? I want to learn from such a situation....

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 8:00 am
by lligetfa
jjonsson wrote:PS: Where can I read about the WHT approved method ? I want to learn from such a situation....
Frequently on the UBNT forum when someone would complain about water in the cable WHT would say that he cuts a slit in the bottom of a service loop to let the water out. Of course it is not without controversy. I prefer to use gel filled or dry tape cable. You need not read the whole thread but starting at post 15 on to about 30.
https://community.ubnt.com/t5/airMAX-Ge ... 649#M26877

Re: Water shorting an interface

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2015 7:36 pm
by JustJoe
lligetfa wrote:
jjonsson wrote:PS: Where can I read about the WHT approved method ? I want to learn from such a situation....
Frequently on the UBNT forum when someone would complain about water in the cable WHT would say that he cuts a slit in the bottom of a service loop to let the water out. Of course it is not without controversy. I prefer to use gel filled or dry tape cable. You need not read the whole thread but starting at post 15 on to about 30.
https://community.ubnt.com/t5/airMAX-Ge ... 649#M26877


Gel filled is great for burial, but not a good idea for vertical runs, because it migrates down and out of the cable and into your rack/box/switch/etc. covering everything with that hideous goo. That was something WHT also mentioned. :wink: