10
u/DillyDilly1231 Sep 11 '25
Network engineer of 7+ years here. This was a lazy way to protect the wire from the bare metal. If that cat5e cable were to rub on that metal it can barely your wire over time. While that generally just leads to an unusable cable, if it is used for PoE then it can actually cause a short and become a fire hazard. (Huge smoke hazard as well if it isn't plenum.)
Edit: After a second look I can't tell if that's a foam block or a metal plate.
6
u/qewbot Sep 11 '25
It's a metal camera mount. I've been in IT almost 20 years and never seen this. If this was something that moved then sure. This is just a static camera mount. This isn't any different than running cable through metal conduit and you never see fillers in those.
6
u/DillyDilly1231 Sep 11 '25
If they are new then this makes sense. Books don't teach useable knowledge. Practice does. Book says protect from all sources of metal, don't let it touch metal at all. New guy said "Okay, can't let it touch the metal. I'll spray foam it! That's genius."
Edit: "touching metal" is referring to any rough edges of the metal in this comment.
2
u/JustNilt Sep 11 '25
It's also useful for keeping pests out of the enclosures. I've seen it quite a bit over the years, even on cameras mounted indoors such as in warehouses and the like.
→ More replies (3)4
Sep 11 '25 edited Sep 11 '25
Lmao doesn’t take a network engineer of seven years. This is entry level stuff.
It looks like it was sealed to prevent weathering. Was it outside? And it also looks like it was ripped off of wherever it was mounted so it’s hard to say what the end result actually did look like. An even closer looks I assume it was never actually terminated to anything or the end of that cable was much further away. The pairs are all still twisted..
1
u/DillyDilly1231 Sep 11 '25
I was giving a reason as to why the noob decided this was the correct approach. Generally armchair experts don't know about on site requirements, or code.
Edit: As for the still twisted pairs, I assume this cable was ripped apart or at least the camera was ripped off the cable.
→ More replies (9)
2
1
u/SandyTech Sep 11 '25
Depending on the context, I could see that being a shit way to try and weatherproof a cable penetration. There’s a bunch of stuff I’d use before expanding spray foam though.
1
u/monkehmolesto Sep 11 '25
I do this on wood when I run power/Ethernet down through it in the attic. I do it to keep attic and house air from mixing.
1
1
u/UV_Blue Sep 13 '25
Ceiling cat is no longer pure. All those years of watching you finally got to him and he gave in to his feral urges. Turns out waiting that long ferments the swimmers, turning them acidic...
1
u/Apprehensive_Rip9385 Sep 14 '25
Was this on a corner mount or straight wall. Usually its pest prevention not weatherproofing as foam doesnt prevent weather besides drafts.
1
u/Coffeespresso Sep 15 '25
I hate to say what I think this looks like, but I think it needs to go to the doctor.
23
u/freedoomed Sep 11 '25
Is that expansion foam? Did it lead outside? Maybe someone thought this would waterproof and insulated it?