Belden 6304UE Equal: 18 AWG 6C Security Cable
Security and sound systems that run through plenum spaces are often specified by part number, and procurement teams need an equivalent that matches on construction and ratings, not just on gauge. Windy City Wire part number 442391 is a Belden 6304UE Equal: an 18 AWG, 6-conductor cable with 7/26 stranded bare copper conductors, a non-shielded design, low-smoke PVC insulation and jacket, a UL Listed C(UL)US CMP rating, and a 300 volt rating. It is made in the USA and approved for plenum use without conduit per the NFPA 262 flame test.
Why Search for a Belden 6304UE Equivalent
Security and sound specifications frequently name a cable by manufacturer part number. When a project calls for a Belden 6304UE equivalent, the cable put forward has to align on the details a submittal reviewer checks: conductor size and count, stranding, shielding, insulation and jacket material, flame rating, and temperature and voltage ratings. A cable that matches some of those points and misses others is a substitute, not an equal.
Each of those details has a purpose in a six-conductor security cable. Six conductors carry multiple circuits inside a single jacket, which suits locations where several devices connect back to one panel or controller. The 18 AWG conductor size sets the cable's DC resistance. The plenum rating determines whether the cable can be used in air-handling spaces at all. Security and access control cables that cross plenum ceilings need all three to line up with the specification.
442391 Spec-for-Spec Verification
442391 uses six 18 AWG conductors of 7/26 stranded bare copper, in line with the 18 AWG, 7x26 bare copper construction of the Belden 6304UE Equal benchmark. As with other stranded cables, the seven-strand construction is more flexible than a solid conductor of the same gauge. The conductor color code is black, white, red, green, brown, and blue.
Each conductor is insulated with low-smoke PVC at a .008 inch wall, and the cable is finished with a low-smoke PVC jacket at .018 inch in white. The design is non-shielded with no drain wire, matching the non-shielded construction of the Belden 6304UE Equal benchmark. The conductors are cabled with a 3.75 inch left hand lay, approximately 3.2 twists per foot. Nominal overall diameter is .208 inch, and cable weight is 46 pounds per 1,000 feet.
Electrically, 442391 lists a nominal capacitance of 27 pF per foot, lower than the 34 pF per foot listed for the Belden 6304UE Equal benchmark. Impedance is 70 ohms, and DC resistance is 6.66 ohms per 1,000 feet maximum at 20°C. The cable carries a 0°C to 75°C temperature rating and a 300 volt rating, the same temperature and voltage ratings as the Belden 6304UE Equal benchmark.
On standards, 442391 is UL Listed C(UL)US CMP under NEC Article 800, approved for plenum use without conduit per the NFPA 262 flame test, RoHS compliant, and made in the USA. The jacket marking identifies 18 AWG, C(UL)US CMP, RoHS, and Made in the USA, which supports submittal documentation.
Where 442391 Belongs
The Belden 6304UE Equal benchmark is listed for security systems, intercom and paging, audio, and power-limited control circuits. 442391 sits in Windy City Wire's security and access control plenum product category and serves the same commercial applications.
Access Control Doors and Controllers
Commercial access control points often bring several devices together at a single opening, each tied back to a controller. A six-conductor cable can serve multiple circuits at one door or controller location under one jacket. For projects where those runs cross plenum ceilings, 442391 gives specifiers access control cables with the CMP listing the pathway requires. Among plenum security access control cables, its 18 AWG conductor size and six-conductor count align directly with a Belden 6304UE equivalent specification.
Intrusion Detection and Sounders
Commercial intrusion systems connect sensors, keypads, and sounders back to a control panel. In offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and retail spaces, those circuits frequently pass through air-handling spaces above the ceiling. A CMP-rated, six-conductor 18 AWG cable covers multi-device security circuits in those areas under a single listing.
Intercom and Paging
Intercom and paging systems in commercial buildings rely on multi-conductor cable for audio and control paths between stations and head-end equipment. When those paths cross plenum spaces, the cable's flame rating matters as much as its conductor count. 442391 provides both in one construction.
Why Riser-Rated Cable Is Not a Substitute
An 18 AWG, six-conductor riser (CMR) cable can share the same gauge and conductor count as 442391 and still fall short of a plenum specification. CMR cable is not listed for plenum use. 442391 carries a UL Listed C(UL)US CMP rating and is approved for plenum use without conduit per the NFPA 262 flame test, which is what a Belden 6304UE equivalent specification for an air-handling space calls for.
Matching gauge and conductor count is only part of the comparison. The flame rating has to match as well, and a riser-rated cable put forward in place of a plenum-rated one creates a documentation gap at submittal review.
Sourcing 442391 Plenum Security Cable
442391 aligns with the Belden 6304UE Equal benchmark on the points a specification review checks first: 18 AWG, six conductors of 7/26 stranded bare copper, a non-shielded design, a CMP listing, a 300-volt rating, and a 0°C to 75°C temperature rating. Its spec sheet also documents a nominal capacitance of 27 pF per foot and a 70 ohm impedance, and the cable is made in the USA.
For related constructions and resources, the Security & Access Control Resource Center provides additional information. For spec sheets, quotes, or procurement support, the contact page offers a direct next step.
