Cat5 with 5 & 12 volt in the same cable ???

[collectors]

Hi, i was looking to operate a servo & a red/green led signal lamp via 1 cat5 cable for 3 items. IE: servo running on Brown, Blue & 2 whites as a signal wire. & the remaining 4 wires for the 12v signal light. Can you see any problems with interference with using 2 voltages. ?? IE: induction or similar. Thanks

 

[PhilP]

Hi, i was looking to operate a servo & a red/green led signal lamp via 1 cat5 cable for 3 items. IE: servo running on Brown, Blue & 2 whites as a signal wire. & the remaining 4 wires for the 12v signal light. Can you see any problems with interference with using 2 voltages. ?? IE: induction or similar. Thanks

Run the power on a pair, or +/- 5V on one pair, and +/- 12V on another..
I would use both cores of a third pair, for the servo signal, which leaves you a pair for the signal.

PhilP

 

[Cobalt6700]

What sort of distances?

It is likely that the Servo signal will pickup some noise from the power that is twisted around it. How much depends on what the 12V PSU is, what the 5V PSU is (e.g. switching PSU - noisy), how long the run is and what voltage the Servo Signal is.

As PhilP says - stick to running each 'thing' on one pair - if you can try and run the servo signal and a ground wire on the same pair.

Usually to run Servo Signals over long distance you will need some way of 'cleaning up' the Signal at the Servo - this can be done with either a Hex Logic Buffer or an Opto-coupler.

 

[collectors]

Run the power on a pair, or +/- 5V on one pair, and +/- 12V on another..
I would use both cores of a third pair, for the servo signal, which leaves you a pair for the signal.

PhilP

I could do that, but would it be ok using the same negative for the 5 & the 12v. It is all from the same supply.

 

[PhilP]

That will be fine..

PhilP

 

[Software Tools]

Can you see any problems with interference with using 2 voltages.

None at all.