Wiring my house for Network! Yet another thread!

[tmbrown97]

OK, when I proposed that someone go to Home Depot and find what fits, I expected them to at least exercise some good judgement! As has been clearly stated in this thread, a good support structure is vital to help disperse pressure and prevent pinch-points.

Robe Hooks? yeah - *probably* not the best solution!

 

[drvnbysound]

Heh, certainly not a recommendation, but it was only about 2 wks ago when I saw it and I instantly thought of this thread...

What I found amusing was that they had J-hooks installed as well, but apparently only purchased a limited number of them... The J-hooks were installed about 6-ft apart, and I think they had 2 robe hooks between the J-hooks. I wanted to take a picture, but there were too many people around for me to get away with it

 

[Del91574]

They could've just gotten a bag of stackers for the price they paid for a few robe hooks.

Sometimes the stuff I see in the wild, as a pro, couldn't even be made up for someone to believe.

The best I've seen, however, was cable tied or wrapped around the bridging in a house and any other structure that was around....as the crow flew back to the panel location in the basement, with the drops not even long enough to make it there with some flying splices in air.

 

[activemind]

Success!! I managed to drill four holes and draw pull strings from them today. I used a 4' 1/2" aguer bit and it came out fine.

I am thinking or ordering another 3/4" and 1" bits too. I dont think 1/2" will be enough for the number of wires I will be pulling.

The enclosure came in yesterday. So I think I am all set for pulling the wires tomorrow using the draw strings and then start cutting for the enclosure.

I will go back later on in the crawl space and put the wires up again the base of the house later on when I am done pulling all the wires.

A big Thank You to all of you!

I will post my update and pictures as I move along.

 

[Del91574]

If you can drill down, why not drill up next to those holes with a larger bit? I don't understand why you can't do this unless the area is boxed out and access is not available from below.

 

[activemind]

You are right, I could. There is access from below and with these holes in place, I now know exactly where to drill.

 

[homejones]

This is what I used all throughout my attic to hang my cabling

http://www.lowes.com/pd_83152-34146-AV83152_0__?productId=3223781&Ntt=pipe+hanger&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dpipe%2Bhanger&facetInfo=

 

[activemind]

Okay, back from the dead
 
It was the holiday season and then cold and rainy! Didn't want to go down in the crawl space in that kind of weather
 
Anyways, So after wiring *most* of the downstairs, I thinking of doing a couple of more outlets downstairs before I call it done and start on the upstairs!
 
Yes, I owe you guys pics of the project. Let me clean it up a little and then I will click some pics!
 
So, here is one lesson I learnt. 3/8" is not big enough for more than 1..max 2 cat6 cables. Use a 5/8" to easily get 3 or maybe 4 cat6 cables.
 
I didn't want to drill larger than 5/8". I read somewhere that 2 5/8" holes are better than 1 1/2" hole...wood integrity!
 
So now I am looking at some flexible drill extensions .... I have regular bits and 1 5 feet 3/8" Auger...but I used a 5/8" Spade for all these holes.
 
Now I want to make it longer because I could not find any spade flex bits....
 
Anyways, I found this and this which I think would do what I am trying but I am not sure what size to get.
 
So whats the rear size of a std drill bit. Like if I take a regular 5/8" Spade .... whats the size that goes into the drill? Is it 1/4" or 3/16" ...

 

[sda]

So whats the rear size of a std drill bit. Like if I take a regular 5/8" Spade .... whats the size that goes into the drill? Is it 1/4" or 3/16" ...

 
Just about everything you get today is going to be 1/4" hex.
 
I have an old Craftsman 1/4" spade bit that has a 3/16" hex shank.
 
You could always measure your own drill bit. :nutz:
 
 
 
 
 

 

[Neurorad]

I don't recall the specifics of your install.  Why are you using the long Flex Bit, and not a shorter bit?

 

[activemind]

Just about everything you get today is going to be 1/4" hex.
 
I have an old Craftsman 1/4" spade bit that has a 3/16" hex shank.
 
You could always measure your own drill bit. :nutz:

 
That's the plan but my impatience gets the worse of me. I thought if there is a size std then I could just order that rather than measuring.

 

[activemind]

reviving a really old thread here...
 
Adding on the wiring for Security system ...Elk...
 
Most of the wiring was already done but for some reason all the upstairs sensors were tied to one cable and then it was run downstairs to the server room (...read area under the stairs).
 
I decided to split all of the upstairs sensors and hence run some more cables following the path of the original cable.
 
So I traced the cable from attic to second floor right next to stairs. Now it drops down to the area under the stairs where I have the security panel.
 
So I drilled from the bottom 1 inch away from the original hole thinking I will come out 1 inch away from the existing wire. So I drilled a hole from the top too.
 
This is where I get stuck.
 
Looks like from the bottom I drilled THROUGH the 2x4 and then I have what looks like a subfloor...
 
From the top, I drilled through what looks like a subfloor...
 
My understanding was that from the bottom there was no subfloor...just the drywall...and then on top of the joist we have the subfloor and then the floor...
 
Is this because of the stairs because I am right next to it...
 
If I start from 1st floor...what is the typical stackup...
 
drywall...2x6....subfloor...then the second floor carpet...
 
What am I missing here...
 
-AM

 

[RAL]

I'm not sure I completely follow where your alarm panel is and how the existing wire is run from the attic down to there.
 
Is the panel in the basement under the stairs?  Does the wire from the attic drop down into the wall that encloses the stairs on the second floor?
 
Typically, a stairwell is framed with joists on all sides.  Since the stairwell opening often doesn't line up with the spacing of regular joists, the joists framing the stairwell are trimmer joists, which may be a double thickness, composed of two boards nailed together (e.g. two 2x10s).
 
The studs in the wall on the lower level will be capped with a top plate, which is usually composed of two 2x4s. Then, the joists sit on top of the top plate.  The subfloor for the next level sits on top of the joists.  On top of the subfloor will be the bottom plate for the wall on the next level, composed of a single 2x4, and then the studs for the wall on top of that.
 
So, from top to bottom, you would see:
 
Wall studs for second floor wall
Bottom plate of second floor wall (one 2x4)
Subfloor of second floor
Joist
Top Plate of first floor wall (two 2x4s)
Wall studs of first floor wall
 
So drilling up from below, you would have to drill through the top plate 2x4s, possibly the trimmer joists, the subfloor, and the bottom plate for the upper floor.

 

[Del91574]

What you DON'T want to do is drill straight through the double joist that is going to be boxing in each side of the stairs. Usually the cabling is angled through the bottom plate, around the joist and angled back into the stud bay below. Drilling straight through is going to take out all the meat of the joist.
 
Usually, it's pretty tough to get a large mass of cabling to a spot under the stairs without multiple smaller holes (3/4 or 1" max) and angling from the top plate of the wall enclosing the stairs to form a "closet" space under them and to the joist space or stud bay above.
 
Sounds like you've got glue-lams or TGI's in your house? If so, proceed with caution.

 

[activemind]

Sorry, I will try to be clear-er this time
 
We dont have a basement. Its the area under the stairs that I am using as the server room (if you can call it that).
 
Its an enclosed area with a door and entry to the crawl space is also from this area.
 
Looking at the picture you attached, I would say I am trying to drill right top side of the picture...somwhere in the vicinity of where it says "double plate" and joist.
 
Based on what I am seeing, I dont think I am drilling through a joist.
 
If I try to feel from the top hole, my fishing stick goes in approx a foot before I hit something solid which I think is the top plate.
 
From the bottom, I drilled through the 2x4 and then with a smaller drill, drilled some more and I feel that I am getting through.
 
I tried to set a flashlight from top to see if I can see some light from bottom through the smaller hole, but nothing.
 
I can drill more from the bottom and make the smaller hole bigger to see if I can get in the open.
 
My feeling is that I am in the empty space between the two floors and the holes are not aligned.
 
Would some pics help? I can try to click some to give a better idea of my situation.
 
-AM

I'm not sure I completely follow where your alarm panel is and how the existing wire is run from the attic down to there.
 
Is the panel in the basement under the stairs?  Does the wire from the attic drop down into the wall that encloses the stairs on the second floor?
 
Typically, a stairwell is framed with joists on all sides.  Since the stairwell opening often doesn't line up with the spacing of regular joists, the joists framing the stairwell are trimmer joists, which may be a double thickness, composed of two boards nailed together (e.g. two 2x10s).
 
The studs in the wall on the lower level will be capped with a top plate, which is usually composed of two 2x4s. Then, the joists sit on top of the top plate.  The subfloor for the next level sits on top of the joists.  On top of the subfloor will be the bottom plate for the wall on the next level, composed of a single 2x4, and then the studs for the wall on top of that.
 
So, from top to bottom, you would see:
 
Wall studs for second floor wall
Bottom plate of second floor wall (one 2x4)
Subfloor of second floor
Joist
Top Plate of first floor wall (two 2x4s)
Wall studs of first floor wall
 
So drilling up from below, you would have to drill through the top plate 2x4s, possibly the trimmer joists, the subfloor, and the bottom plate for the upper floor.