For PoE and PoE++, cable gauge is not an academic detail. 23-AWG Cat6e has lower resistance than thin 24–26-AWG cable, which means less heat and less voltage drop in big PoE bundles. This guide explains why GRID / POE-Jack® standardises on 23-AWG Cat6e cabling in Canadian buildings, and when lighter-gauge Cat6 is fine versus when 23-AWG is mandatory.
23-AWG Cat6e vs Cat6 for PoE: Voltage Drop & Heat in Canada
Quick answer – 23-AWG vs 24-AWG for PoE in Canada
For basic 802.3af/at PoE on a few ports, most Cat6 that meets spec will work. Once you move into PoE++ (802.3bt Type 3/4), big camera or AP bundles and Canadian mechanical rooms, conductor size starts to matter a lot.
23-AWG Cat6e has thicker copper conductors than 24–26-AWG cable, which gives you:
- Lower resistance per metre, so less I²R power loss.
- Less heat rise in cable bundles under sustained PoE++ load.
- Higher voltage available at the far end of long runs.
- More margin for worst-case ambient temperatures and tight plenums.
When you pair POE-Jack® in-wall PoE switches with 23-AWG Cat6e horizontals like POEJC6E-CMP, you give integrators and engineers more headroom for high-power PoE, 3600 W switch stacks and dense AP/camera bundles than “whatever Cat6 was cheapest that day.”
Who this guide is for
This article is written for people who care about how PoE really behaves on copper, not just the marketing line on the box.
- Engineers and advanced integrators designing PoE++ camera, AP and AV plants.
- Consultants and specifiers writing cable requirements and Division 27 notes.
- IT teams worried about PoE heat, voltage drop and long-term reliability.
- Canadian electrical/low-voltage contractors working in plenums, shafts and risers.
- Owners and facility managers who want their PoE investment to last more than one refresh cycle.
Why cable gauge matters for PoE: a simple explanation
PoE sends DC power and Ethernet data over the same twisted pairs. As soon as you push more current, two things happen:
- Voltage drop – some of the voltage is lost as heat along the cable.
- Heat rise – the copper warms up, especially in large bundles.
Thicker copper (lower AWG number) has lower resistance. Lower resistance means:
- Less power lost as heat for the same current (P = I²R).
- Higher voltage available at the Powered Device (PD).
- Less temperature rise in big bundles in ceilings and risers.
As the industry moved from 15.4 W (802.3af) to 30 W (802.3at) to 60–100 W per port (802.3bt Type 3/4), the IEEE standards increased allowed current per pair up to 600–960 mA. That’s a lot of current for small copper conductors, especially when dozens of cables are tied together.
23-AWG vs 24-AWG: resistance, heat & voltage drop
The difference between 23-AWG and 24-AWG looks tiny on paper, but it shows up fast in PoE designs.
Conductor resistance – the core of the problem
A typical copper resistance table shows:
- 23-AWG copper: ~69 Ω/km (≈6.9 Ω per 100 m).
- 24-AWG copper: ~88 Ω/km (≈8.8 Ω per 100 m).
That’s roughly 20–25% higher resistance for 24-AWG than 23-AWG wire over the same distance. Because PoE heating is proportional to I²R, that extra resistance directly becomes extra temperature rise and extra voltage drop.
What that means for PoE and PoE++
Consider a simplified example:
- PoE++ current of ~600–960 mA per pair (802.3bt Types 3 and 4).
- A 90–100 m horizontal run from switch to endpoint.
On a 23-AWG Cat6e horizontal, the lower resistance keeps power loss and heat manageable and leaves more voltage for the device. On a thin 24–26-AWG or 28-AWG cable, that same current creates more heat and less headroom for devices that are already close to their minimum operating voltage.
Why “slim” 28-AWG is not a horizontal cable
Slim 28-AWG patch cords have their place in racks where space is tight and runs are short. They are not suitable as horizontal cabling for high-power PoE:
- Higher resistance increases voltage drop over distance.
- Higher heat rise in bundles can push cable temperatures beyond rating.
- Shorter maximum run lengths and tighter derating under PoE load.
The safe pattern is simple: 23-AWG Cat6e or Cat6A for horizontals, short 24–28-AWG patch cords only where needed.
PoE cable bundles, TSB-184-A and Canadian plenums
Real PoE plants don’t run a single cable in free air – they run large bundles through hot spaces. That’s where TIA and ISO guidance comes in.
What TSB-184-A / TS 29125 bring to the table
Guidance such as TIA TSB-184-A and ISO/IEC TS 29125 focuses on how PoE current causes temperature rise in bundled balanced twisted-pair cabling. They look at:
- Bundle size (number of cables tied together).
- PoE power level on those cables (Type 1–4).
- Ambient temperature (mechanical rooms, plenums, risers, rooftops).
- Cable construction (gauge, jacket, category).
The goal is to keep total temperature (ambient + rise) within the cable’s rating and maintain Ethernet performance. Larger-gauge, higher-category cables (often 23-AWG Cat6/Cat6A) perform better under sustained 4-pair PoE load than thin 24–26-AWG options.
Why this matters in Canadian buildings
In Canada, many PoE bundles run through:
- Warm mechanical rooms and fan coils.
- Ceiling plenums above heated/cooled spaces.
- Shared risers alongside other services.
- Exterior walls that see both winter cold and summer heat.
A 3600 W PoE switch stack feeding dozens of cameras, APs, POE-Jack® plates and AV endpoints means a lot of continuous current in those bundles. Choosing 23-AWG Cat6e horizontals gives you measurable margin against temperature rise and helps keep cabling within its rated temperature envelope.
When 24-AWG is fine vs when 23-AWG is mandatory
When 24-AWG (and even slim patch) is usually fine
- Short patch cords in open-air racks or under desks.
- Low-power PoE devices (Type 1/2) near the switch – phones, light APs.
- Small bundles with few cables, not tightly constrained.
- Cool, conditioned telecom rooms with modest PoE density.
When you should insist on 23-AWG Cat6e horizontals
- PoE++ (Type 3/4) loads such as pan-tilt-zoom cameras, APs with multiple radios, AV endpoints, lighting and controls.
- Long horizontal runs (50–100 m) from core or IDF to edge zones.
- Dense bundles of 24+ cables in trays, plenums or risers.
- High-wattage PoE cores (e.g. 3600 W GRID switches) where many ports run close to full load.
- Warm or poorly ventilated spaces – mechanical rooms, roof penthouses, crowded ceilings.
Rules of thumb for Canadian projects
- Treat 23-AWG Cat6e/Cat6A as the default for new high-power PoE builds.
- Limit 24–28-AWG to short patching where temperature and length are easy to control.
- If you’re unsure, assume ambient is warmer and bundles are tighter than the drawings show.
- Write “23-AWG solid copper, Cat6e or better, PoE-suitable” directly into the spec.
Why POE-Jack® designs standardise on 23-AWG Cat6e
GRID Networking / POE-Jack® is built around the idea of a DC microgrid over Ethernet: high-wattage PoE switches at the core, Active POE-Jack® in-wall switches at the edge, and PoE-powered endpoints (APs, cameras, AV, controls) hanging off those ports.
In that world, horizontals are no longer “just data.” They are the power feeders for entire PoE zones.
Typical POE-Jack® zone
A common pattern looks like this:
- One 23-AWG Cat6e home-run from a GRID PoE switch (e.g. POEJK-S8-240 or POEJK-S48-750E).
- That cable lands on an APOEJK2-WH in-wall PoE switch plate.
- The plate powers a Wi-Fi AP, a camera or AV endpoint and possibly a touch panel or IoT node.
Each zone might draw 20–60 W of PoE power continuously. Across dozens of zones on a floor, that adds up quickly, especially in bundles and risers. Standardising on 23-AWG Cat6e keeps those feeders efficient and robust.
POEJC6E-CMP as the baseline cable
Cables like POEJC6E-CMP are designed as the “default” 23-AWG Cat6e horizontal for POE-Jack® installations:
- 23-AWG solid copper for low DC resistance and better PoE performance.
- CMP/CMR ratings appropriate for Canadian plenum and riser use (check local code).
- Cat6e performance for Gigabit/Multigigabit and futureproofing.
Paired with PoE-optimised switches and in-wall PoE plates, 23-AWG Cat6e cabling becomes the quiet hero that keeps PoE heat and voltage drop in check.
Design patterns & recommended GRID combos
The table below shows how 23-AWG vs 24-AWG plays out in real GRID / POE-Jack® scenarios. Adjust model counts and wattage to your project.
| Scenario | Cable & hardware pattern | Why 23-AWG Cat6e wins | Canadian gotcha ⚠️ |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-density Wi-Fi on a floor |
1× 48-port PoE switch (e.g. POEJK-S48-750E) + 23-AWG Cat6e (POEJC6E-CMP) horizontals + APs near POE-Jack® plates or directly on jacks. |
Dozens of AP drops in hot ceiling plenums benefit from lower resistance and better thermal performance. 23-AWG keeps voltage drop and heat rise manageable. | Avoid bundling all AP cables in one tight bundle; spread across ladder racking or use multiple smaller bundles where possible. |
| Camera rings around a building |
24–48 PoE cameras fed from GRID PoE cores + 23-AWG Cat6e to exterior walls and soffits + POE-Jack® plates or junction points mid-run where needed. |
PTZ and IR cameras draw high PoE++ power, especially at night. 23-AWG mitigates voltage sag and heat in long runs and outdoor transitions. | Check cable and device temperature ratings for Canadian winter and summer extremes at exterior wall penetrations and parkade levels. |
| AV & HDMI-over-IP over PoE |
GRID PoE switch (e.g. POEJK-S8-240) in AV rack + 23-AWG Cat6e to APOEJK2-WH plates + PoE HDMI-over-IP endpoints and DS1 players at displays. |
AV receivers and players can draw significant power and often live in warm cabinetry or above ceilings. 23-AWG reduces cable heating and stabilises voltage. | In tight AV furniture, avoid bundling many PoE-loaded cables together with no airflow. |
| Mixed IoT / lighting / controls zone |
3600 W PoE stack feeding POE-Jack® plates + 23-AWG Cat6e horizontals into each zone + Sensors, switches and controllers hanging off plates. |
Many small devices create continuous load. Thicker conductors improve efficiency and minimise long-term thermal stress on cabling. | Coordinate with mechanical and lighting teams so trays and conduits are sized for both PoE heat and mechanical clearances. |
| Low-density office with light PoE |
24-AWG Cat6 horizontals + a few 802.3af phones and APs + short 28-AWG patch in racks. |
With low PoE density and short runs, 24-AWG Cat6 can be acceptable if properly rated and installed. Still, 23-AWG is a safer default for future-proofing. | If you expect future PoE upgrades, note that 24-AWG may limit what you can do later without recabling. |
Installer’s take – real-world cable gauge stories
“The 24-AWG camera bundle that ran too hot”
One integrator inherited a large camera system in a Canadian parkade. 24-AWG Cat6 had been bundled tightly in hot ceiling spaces and run close to PoE++ limits. Cameras randomly rebooted in summer, especially on the longest runs. After spot-checking voltages and temperatures, they recabled the worst runs with 23-AWG Cat6e and saw:
- Lower bundle temperatures under load.
- More voltage at the cameras and fewer dropouts.
- Cleaner IR performance at night when power draw peaked.
“Specifying 23-AWG avoided the blame game”
On another job, the consultant wrote “23-AWG Cat6e suitable for PoE++” into the spec and called out POEJC6E-CMP by name on the drawings. When a value-engineer tried to swap in thin generic Cat6, everyone had a clear point of reference. The owner backed the original spec, and years later the PoE system is still running without the “it’s probably the cables” finger-pointing.
Canada-ready checklist – 23-AWG Cat6e vs Cat6 for PoE
- ✓ Decide if your project will use PoE++ (802.3bt Type 3/4) or mainly PoE/PoE+.
- ✓ For any high-density, high-power PoE, specify 23-AWG Cat6e or Cat6A horizontals.
- ✓ Use 24–28-AWG only for short patch cords in open-air, not for long, bundled horizontals.
- ✓ Check ambient temperatures and bundle sizes in plenums, risers and mechanical rooms.
- ✓ Call out specific cable families (e.g. POEJC6E-CMP) in the spec to avoid weak substitutions.
- ✓ Coordinate with PoE switch sizing (including 3600 W classes) so cable, power and load all align.
- ✓ Document cable types and pathways for future upgrades; note where you have 23-AWG vs 24-AWG.
FAQ – 23-AWG Cat6e vs Cat6 for PoE
Is 23-AWG really better than 24-AWG for PoE in practice?
Yes, especially once you move beyond a handful of low-power PoE devices. 23-AWG conductors have noticeably lower DC resistance than 24-AWG, which directly reduces heat and voltage drop in PoE cable runs and bundles. For PoE++ and dense plants, that extra margin is worth protecting.
How does cable gauge affect PoE++ voltage drop and device stability?
PoE++ sends higher current over the same pairs. Higher current through higher-resistance wire means more voltage lost as heat and less voltage left at the device. Thicker 23-AWG conductors keep resistance and voltage drop lower, helping endpoints boot reliably and stay online under load.
Do PoE cable bundles overheat in Canadian plenums?
They can if you pack many high-power PoE cables together in a warm plenum or riser. That’s exactly what PoE cabling guidelines are meant to avoid. Using 23-AWG Cat6e, controlling bundle sizes and respecting ambient temperatures all help keep cables within their rated temperature.
When can I safely spec 24-AWG, and when should I insist on 23-AWG?
24-AWG is usually fine for short, low-power runs and small bundles. For long horizontals, high-density AP/camera plants, PoE++ or warm ceiling spaces, treat 23-AWG Cat6e as non-negotiable. If you expect to grow into higher PoE loads later, start with 23-AWG from day one.
Does slim 28-AWG patch cord cause PoE issues?
Slim patch cord is great for dense racks, but it should be kept short and out of large bundles when PoE++ is involved. Don’t ever use 28-AWG as horizontal cabling; keep it to short, open-air patches at the rack or desk where heat and length are easy to control.
Why do POE-Jack® designs standardise on 23-AWG Cat6e in Canada?
Because POE-Jack® is almost always used with PoE switches, in-wall PoE plates and bundles of AP, camera, AV and control drops. Standardising on 23-AWG Cat6e horizontals gives GRID / POE-Jack® designs a consistent, high-margin foundation for voltage, heat and reliability in real Canadian buildings, not just lab demos.
Code & specification reminder
Always design and install PoE cabling in accordance with local electrical and building codes and applicable standards. Verify cable ratings (CMP/CMR) for riser and plenum spaces, confirm operating temperature ranges for both cable and connected devices, and co-ordinate with IT, mechanical, electrical and the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) before locking in a high-power PoE topology.
Specifications and design recommendations are subject to change. Always confirm final details against the latest GRID Networking and POE-Jack® documentation and your specific project requirements before tender or construction.