Cat5 Connectors for Temp and Gas Valves

[dp2001]

I'm designing my panel for a single tier 3 burner BCS-460 gas system. I'm wondering if I can wire 4 temp probes with a single Cat5 connector as well as the 3 Honeywell gas valves to another single Cat5 connector? I'm looking to save space on the bottom of the panel. If I use a single connector for everything I'm looking at 4 connectors for the temp probes, 3 for the gas valves and 2 float switches. A total of 9 connectors. If I consolidate, I only need 3 connectors.

I'm wondering what potential problems I may face with this.

Thanks.

 

[alien]

Someone may have done this successfully but I would say you probably want to buy the temperature probes first and then figure out what connections work best for them. Cat5 connections use pretty skinny wire and you may have problems crimping them if the insulation is too thick or something. In general I would recommend shielded wire for analogue probes like the BCS thermistors but it's probably not that critical.

 

[ryan_george]

When consolidating connectors like that, you should also think about maintenance and replacement of probes. If one dies and you need to replace it, you will need to rework that entire connector. If they are individual connectors, you just plug the new one in.

 

[FastTalker]

For resistance- or voltage-type temperature probes (i.e. RTD, thermistors, thermocouples, etc) you should try to limit the number of terminations as this will affect the accuracy of the measurement. An RJ45 connector definitely has potential to add additional resistance/voltage drop to the circuit. A cable glad through the enclosure that allows you a direct connect from the temperature probe to the controller would get you the most accuracy. It's not the most space efficient, but there are cable glands that allow you to route multiple cables through it.

 

[alien]

PT100s & thermocouples I would agree, RJ45 connectors not the best. BCS uses 10K thermistors so a few ohms here or there won't matter so much.