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Mercury Cables

Mercury cable comes on reels for installers, and this page lists its range: figure 8, transparent and double insulated speaker cable, including 100V line and low smoke types, red/black power cable, screened audio cable, 2 and 3 core PVC mains flex, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7 network cable, RG59, RG6 and shotgun coaxial cable, alarm and signal cable and telephone cable. A few cable tools, ties, connectors and extension leads also appear here.

Choosing Mercury Cables

Pick a cable by what it carries first, then by conductor material, sheath and reel length.

Speaker and audio cable

Speaker cable is graded by its conductors. The 805.850UK uses pure oxygen-free copper with a polarity line and is rated 6A, economy cables such as the 807.055UK use copper clad aluminium (CCA), here 2.48mm² and 25A, and heavy duty cables such as the 801.696UK mix copper and CCA strands. For PA systems, the 801.817UK is a double insulated two core cable for 100V line speakers. Low smoke zero halogen cables such as the 807.096UK have a purple LSZH sheath that reduces thick black smoke and poisonous fumes in a fire. For screened audio, the 803.588UK is a flexible two core lap screen cable and the 804.263UK a four core braided screen cable.

Network and data cable

Most of the network cable comes on 305m reels. The 808.001UK Cat5e and 808.011UK Cat6 have solid oxygen-free copper conductors and pass Fluke tests at 100m, at 100MHz and 250MHz, while economy versions such as the 808.021UK use solid CCA. The 808.031UK Cat6a has foil-screened pairs and an LSZH sheath, and the 808.050UK Cat7 S/FTP is rated for 10 Gbps at 600MHz. Outdoor cables such as the 808.010UK have a UV resistant LDPE sheath.

NeedExampleDetail
Hi-fi speaker runs805.850UKOFC, 6A, polarity line
PA 100V line801.817UKDouble insulated, 2 core
Cat6 indoors808.011UKSolid OFC, 305m
Data outdoors808.010UKCat5e, LDPE, UV resistant
CCTV coax and power808.105UKRG59 plus 2 core power

Coax, mains and alarm cable

For CCTV, the 808.101UK is RG59B/U 75 ohm coax with a solid OFC conductor, and the 808.105UK shotgun cable adds a two core power cable alongside the RG59. For satellite, the 808.127UK twin RG6 suits dishes with dual or quad LNBs. Mains flex includes 2192Y oval and 3182Y round cable: the 804.335UK is 2 core, 300/500V and 15A, approved to BS6500. Alarm and signal cable such as the 808.201UK has stranded tinned CCA cores with colour coded insulation, and the 804.410UK is 7 core cable for trailer and caravan lights.

Related categories

Other makes are in speaker cable, coaxial cable, alarm and signal cable, flexible cable and the wider cables range. For plugs, sockets and leads see wiring accessories and extension leads, and the rest of the brand is in Mercury products.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between CCA and oxygen-free copper cable?

CCA cable has aluminium conductors clad in copper, while oxygen-free copper (OFC) cable has pure copper conductors. The 808.001UK Cat5e has AWG 24 solid copper conductors, and the economy 808.021UK Cat5e uses solid copper clad aluminium, which gives a balance of flexibility and strength. The 808.001UK and 808.021UK pass a Cat5e Fluke test at 100m and 100MHz, so check the job specification before choosing.

What does LSZH mean on a Mercury cable?

LSZH means low smoke zero halogen, a sheath material that reduces thick black smoke and poisonous fumes if the cable burns. The 807.096UK speaker cable has a purple LSZH sheath, and the 808.015UK Cat6 and 808.031UK Cat6a network cables have lilac LSZH sheaths. The 808.050UK Cat7 S/FTP cable also uses an LSZH sheath, with foil-screened pairs and an overall braided screen.

Which cable is used for 100V line PA speakers?

A double insulated two core cable such as the 801.817UK is used for 100V line PA speaker installations. It has a mix of pure copper and CCA stranded conductors, red and black inner insulation and a PVC sheath, on a 100m reel. The 801.816UK is the same heavy duty double insulated 100V line cable on a 25m reel.

Should I buy Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6a network cable?

Choose by the bandwidth the network needs, since a higher grade is tested at a higher frequency. The 808.001UK Cat5e passes its Fluke test at 100MHz, the 808.011UK Cat6 at 250MHz, and the 808.031UK Cat6a at 500MHz over 100m. The 808.050UK Cat7 is rated for 10 Gbps at 600MHz, with screened pairs that protect against crosstalk.

What is shotgun cable made up of?

Shotgun cable is a coaxial video cable and a power cable joined side by side, so one run carries signal and power to a CCTV camera. The 808.105UK pairs RG59B/U 75 ohm coax, with a solid OFC conductor and foam filled dielectric, with a two core stranded OFC power cable on a 100m reel with metric cut markers.

Can Mercury network cable be run outdoors?

Yes, the outdoor network cables have a sheath with UV resistant properties for outdoor installations. The 808.010UK is Cat5e and the 808.041UK Cat6, both oxygen-free copper, supplied in a dispensing box and marked at 1 metre intervals. The 808.034UK is a Cat6a U/FTP outdoor cable on a wooden drum reel that passes a Fluke test at 500MHz.

  • Established 1975
  • Birmingham trade counter
  • UK-only supply

Written by the West Midlands Electrics technical team

Updated

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