Testing by one of the best structured cabling field testing companies in Knoxville

7 Benefits of Installing Optical Fiber Cabling Over Copper Wire

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Copper cables have been the gold standard for most wiring jobs for over 100 years. They are highly conductive and great for voice transmission. But fiber optic cable is superior in many ways for structured network and backbone cabling. Here are some of them.

1 — Transmits Faster

Because fiber optic cables use a light core to carry and transmit data, the signals travel at about 70% of the speed of light (or close to 470,000,000 MPH). This is much faster than any copper cable can manage. As a result, there is also less signal degradation with fiber cables.

2 – Carries Signals Over Longer Distances

Copper wiring has a limitation of around 328 feet before the signal degrades. Fiber optic cables can carry signals much farther—miles instead of feet. The distance depends on the fiber optic cable type used, the signal’s wavelength, and the network that supports it.

Testing by one of the best structured cabling field testing companies in Knoxville

3 – Greater Bandwidth

When comparing copper cables to optical fiber cables of a similar size, fiber optic cable carries far more data than copper cables can.

4 – More Reliable

Copper carries electricity. As a result, bad weather, extreme temperature changes, and even a little moisture can reduce copper cables’ connectivity and effectiveness. Also, because it carries electric current, it is susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI), which can disrupt transmission. Because fiber uses light instead of an electric current, it is immune to extreme temperatures, bad weather, EMI, and moisture. It is also corrosion-resistant.

5 – Lighter and More Rugged

Copper is heavy and bulky. When comparing fiber cables to copper cables, fiber optic cables are thinner and lighter. Because of the nature of fiber optic cable, it is far less fragile than copper. It can be pulled, bent, and twisted in ways that copper cannot.

6 – Easier to Install

When installing cabling, copper can be more challenging because it has to be thicker to handle the bandwidth of a typical organization. For this reason, it is challenging to run copper wire through walls, it requires bigger holes to run them through and more construction to make the copper cable work smoothly. Because fiber optic cable is significantly thinner, it requires a lot less space and work to get them where they need to go in a building.

7 – Integrates Well Into Existing Technology

Today’s network equipment manufacturers produce components that allow you to integrate fiber-optic-cable into existing networks. Because fiber optic cable uses light instead of electricity, it can be installed along old electrical cables without causing interference.  

Looking for a Fiber Optic Network Equipment Installation?

Give Tri-State Electrical Contractors a call at (423) 800-2134, fill out our simple online form, or email us at info@tristateec.com  Our industrial and commercial electricians understand the components, networks, and needs of modern-day fiber optic systems.

Electric vehicle charging station in Chattanooga

Two Things You Need to Know About Electric Vehicle Chargers

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Since 2010, over 2.4 million hybrid and electric vehicles have been sold in the US. Between January 2021 and January 2022, there has been a 37% increase in the number of “plug-in” electric vehicles and hybrids sold. With a Biden Administration executive order targeting 50% of all vehicle sales to be electric vehicle sales by 2030, US drivers have numerous incentives to purchase these vehicles. What does this mean for you? A greater need for infrastructure to support electric cars. But what are some of the things you should know about electric vehicle chargers?

Electric vehicle charging station in Chattanooga

There Are Different “Levels” of Electric Vehicle Chargers

A Level 1 charger uses a standard 120-volt electric outlet which most homes already have in their garages or near where they park their vehicles. The convenience is great, but the speed of charging using a 120-volt is very slow, up to 8 hours to fully charge a hybrid and up to 20 for an electric vehicle. And for commuters who drive a lot, that might be a problem.

Level 2 chargers use a 240-volt outlet—like the one used by your dryer and allow you to charge your vehicles up to 5 times faster than a Level 1 charging station.

Level 1 and Level 2 charging stations are designed for residential use. Level 3 charging stations use very high voltages to charge electric vehicles quickly and are better used in commercial applications when many vehicles need one charging station.

The Cost of Electric Vehicle Chargers

There are two significant expenses associated with powering electric vehicles; the cost of hiring a qualified commercial electrical company to install an electric vehicle charging station and the cost of electricity.

The cost of charging the average electric vehicle is about the same as running the average central air conditioning system for 6 to 12 hours. When compared to the price of gas, this cost is a bargain.

Although you can install an electric vehicle charging station yourself, that might not be a good idea. If it isn’t done correctly, the charging station may damage the vehicle’s battery which is (by far) the most expensive component in the vehicle. Instead, having a trained professional such as the commercial electricians at Tri-State Electrical Contractors is a better idea. At Tri-State Electrical, our electricians have been trained to properly install electric vehicle charging stations and can do it for residential, commercial, or industrial electrical customers.

For more information or to get a quote for our commercial or industrial electrical services, call (423) 800-2134, fill out our simple online form, or email us at info@tristateec.com today.