Specifications

Level One: Protege GX Installer Study Guide | August 2013 149
Reader Cable Type
Wiegand readers also rely on data transmission, and can therefore be affected by noise. Cat5e and Cat6 data
cables were not designed to be used for wiegand readers.
It is recommended that a cable specifically designed for Wiegand readers, such as Alpha 5388c is used. This is
a Shielded, non twisted multicore cable.
Reader Cable Distance
The maximum distance between the reader and expander is 150m / 500ft if using an 0.8mm or 18AWG cable
such as Alpha 5386c or 5388c.
If using a 0.6mm or 22AWG cable such as Alpha 5196c or 5198c, the maximum recommended distance is
80m / 260ft.
Expander
Max 150m/500ft
Max 80m/260ft
18AWG reader cable
22AWG reader cable
Reader
Reader
Voltage Drop
An important consideration for cable selection, especially for devices with a high power demand, such as locks
is Voltage Drop. As the distance of a cable increases, so too does its internal resistance. This leads to voltage
drop.
Take an average Maglock for instance.
 Running at 12 volts, it will draw around 500mA.
 If this was connected to a PSU-DIN via a 0.5mm security cable, the voltage drop across the cable would
bring the voltage at the lock to below 12 volts after just 26m (85ft).