Security & Access Control Multi‑Conductor Composite Non‑Plenum 4‑Element Outdoor Cables
Windy City Wire’s SmartWire® composite access control cables are built for commercial and industrial projects where reliability, efficiency and clear circuit organization matter. By combining dedicated power and signal elements into a single outdoor, non‑plenum low‑voltage cable, integrators can streamline pulls, reduce conduit fill, and simplify terminations across doors, gates, and perimeter devices.
Each composite assembly is manufactured in the United States and designed for common access control architectures—supplying lock power and carrying reader/data and device signals together. Elements are specified with the shielding and pair geometry needed for their function, helping maintain performance for card readers and controllers while delivering stable power to electrified hardware. SmartWire Glide Technology® lubrication is standard on the jacket to reduce pulling friction by up to 70%, supporting faster, cleaner installations in tough pathways.
These outdoor composite cables support door access, card readers, mag locks, strikes, door position sensors, and auxiliary devices in one bundle. Non‑plenum constructions are suitable for outdoor runs in appropriate pathways, with element options that include unshielded conductors for power and overall‑shielded twisted pairs for sensitive data. Conductor color coding and available jacket/stripe color combinations aid quick identification at the head‑end and the opening. Custom jacket and stripe colors can be produced to align with your organization’s standards.
Why choose SmartWire composite access control cable
Available constructions within the composite
Shielding and element options
Where this composite cable excels
When you choose SmartWire® for your security and access control cable, you get a well‑organized composite that supports clean, repeatable installations and dependable performance across the facility. Contact Windy City Wire for assistance selecting the right composite configuration for your next project or to learn about custom jacket and stripe color options.
Security & Access Control Multi‑Conductor Composite Non‑Plenum 4‑Element Outdoor Cables are built for commercial and industrial projects where reliability, simplified installation, and clean integration matter. These low‑voltage security cables combine power and data elements in a single outdoor‑rated bundle to support a complete door, gate, or perimeter device set at scale—helping security integrators, electrical contractors, and facility teams standardize installs, reduce labor, and streamline maintenance across sites.
What these cables support
How the composite design helps your project
Typical system integrations
Industries and facilities that benefit
Where this cable excels
Key elements inside the bundle
Selection guidance
Specifications at a glance
Why it’s a fit for security integrators
A single, outdoor‑rated access control cable that covers lock power, reader communication, and door I/O reduces the number of pulls per opening, keeps panels and penetrations organized, and helps deliver consistent, repeatable installations. For large‑scale rollouts, using one composite access control cable across every opening can cut install time, minimize change orders, and make support more predictable.
This composite features multiple gauges: 18 AWG (4-conductor unshielded, stranded) and 22 AWG (3-pair overall-shielded, stranded).
Available conductor color combinations include: Black/Red/White/Green, Black/Red, White/Green, Brown/Blue, Black/Red. Custom jacket and stripe color combinations can be produced to support standardized identification across your installations.
Stranded copper conductors throughout (both the unshielded and shielded elements are stranded).
Windy City Wire manufactures and stocks SmartWire Security & Access Control cable wire in 1,000 ft length as our standard. This category also offers 500 ft lengths on select items.
RS-232 is single-ended, point-to-point signaling; it typically uses a few conductors (TX, RX, GND), is for short runs, and does not require a controlled-impedance twisted pair. RS-485 is differential and multi-drop; it uses a 120-ohm twisted pair (often shielded), supports long distances and better noise immunity, and requires proper termination/biasing. BACnet is an application protocol; BACnet MS/TP uses the RS-485 physical layer and thus follows RS-485 cabling practices (120-ohm shielded twisted pair), while BACnet/IP runs over Ethernet cabling.