Do you run your wires to wall boxes?
- Thread starter jms5180
- Start date
tmbrown97
Senior Member
Standard LV wall boxes work fine - something like these:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100157326/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=low+voltage+new&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202891090#.UGW_WUKS6AU
In my experience, I'll coil the wires just outside the box then wrap them with some plastic - otherwise the drywall texture guys will coat them in so much gunk you'll never read your labeling again. You need to find a way to leave sufficient slack for termination while keeping the wires clean and tight so the drywall guys don't ruin the wires. Often times they like to use a dremel-type tool (roto-tool) to trace the box - in that case any wires hanging out would get shredded. To get around that, you can coil the wires in the wall and attach them loosely enough that you can break what's holding them with a slight tug - that way everything is behind the surface of the wall.
If you have any way to talk to the drywall people, ask them what's easier for them.
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100157326/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=low+voltage+new&storeId=10051&superSkuId=202891090#.UGW_WUKS6AU
In my experience, I'll coil the wires just outside the box then wrap them with some plastic - otherwise the drywall texture guys will coat them in so much gunk you'll never read your labeling again. You need to find a way to leave sufficient slack for termination while keeping the wires clean and tight so the drywall guys don't ruin the wires. Often times they like to use a dremel-type tool (roto-tool) to trace the box - in that case any wires hanging out would get shredded. To get around that, you can coil the wires in the wall and attach them loosely enough that you can break what's holding them with a slight tug - that way everything is behind the surface of the wall.
If you have any way to talk to the drywall people, ask them what's easier for them.
I agree with Work2Play. The open-backed low-voltage Carlon boxes from Home Depot worked great for me. They also have retrofit "boxes" that mount to the drywall (rather than nailing to the studs). I coiled and zip tied all my cables and pushed them back into the box so they were flush with the outer edge of the box. This wasn't far enough - they still got nicked in quite a few places by the rotozip the drywallers used. I'd suggest pushing the coil back further into the box, so it is at least .5-1" from the edge of the box.
In some places, I didn't want boxes (e.g., alarm keypads, glassbreak detectors, in-ceiling speakers). In these locations, I ran plastic pipe strapping between two studs, coiled the excess wire and secured it to the closest stud with a zip tie and nail/screw, and then poked one end of the wire through the plastic strapping. I then asked the drywallers to just drill a hole in the drywall and poke the wire through, so I could come back later and enlarge the hole and get at my slack. That worked great.
Here's the plastic pipe strapping I'm talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/Harvey-014650-Plastic-Pipe-Strap/dp/B00310ZDXA
In some places, I didn't want boxes (e.g., alarm keypads, glassbreak detectors, in-ceiling speakers). In these locations, I ran plastic pipe strapping between two studs, coiled the excess wire and secured it to the closest stud with a zip tie and nail/screw, and then poked one end of the wire through the plastic strapping. I then asked the drywallers to just drill a hole in the drywall and poke the wire through, so I could come back later and enlarge the hole and get at my slack. That worked great.
Here's the plastic pipe strapping I'm talking about:
http://www.amazon.com/Harvey-014650-Plastic-Pipe-Strap/dp/B00310ZDXA
Neurorad
Senior Member
For some cables that you may not use immediately, e.g. audio zone in guest BR, leave the wire buried behind the drywall indefinitely, and take hundreds of photos before drywall goes up (so you can find it easily later).
Just a tip - audio/security keypads are best located at eye height, not switch height. I've had to move several, from the volume control/switch height to eye height, with my distributed audio retrofit.
I've seen this back box mentioned at AVS:
Used with spray foam - neat idea.
Thread here, includes many good tips:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1353080/new-home-av-distribution-plan/30
Just a tip - audio/security keypads are best located at eye height, not switch height. I've had to move several, from the volume control/switch height to eye height, with my distributed audio retrofit.
I've seen this back box mentioned at AVS:
Used with spray foam - neat idea.
Thread here, includes many good tips:
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1353080/new-home-av-distribution-plan/30
For future cutouts, another user here recommended these: http://www.hometech.com/hts/products/audio/speakers/rough_in/oe-mrcvr.html I put these in everywhere I will be installing ceiling speakers. They're much cheaper than the full-size round speaker patterns. My drywall hasn't gone in yet so I can't speak to the finished project, but so far so good.
In the case of items that can't be moved/relocated based on asthetics (smokes, speakers, data/phone outlets, etc.) yes. In other cases it's dependent on how detail oriented the contractor and crew is. I've had a few jobs where the trim was changed to a heavier trim and that caused issues with keypads, some automation switches, etc. Security keypads end up at shoulder height typically. Tends to work the best for the largest group of users.
Speakers, I'd rather run a zig zag in a general area and then have the rockers cover it up, unless I'm putting specific rings in.
If you're using boxes, plan on getting the wires as deep as possible inside, with the deepest boxes, even using them as a locator and then leaving the slack in the wall to be pulled slightly through, otherwise they're going to get hit. If you've ever seen them use a rotozip to cut a box it's easy to see why, they use the interior of the box as the guide, even cutting the boxes sometimes.
I've left the bulk cable in a small mass, taped and bagged, to be brought through, however extreme amount of cabling requires thinking like them, if you make their job harder, damage is inevitable. I'm a fan of the plastic mudrings in many applications.
Speakers, I'd rather run a zig zag in a general area and then have the rockers cover it up, unless I'm putting specific rings in.
If you're using boxes, plan on getting the wires as deep as possible inside, with the deepest boxes, even using them as a locator and then leaving the slack in the wall to be pulled slightly through, otherwise they're going to get hit. If you've ever seen them use a rotozip to cut a box it's easy to see why, they use the interior of the box as the guide, even cutting the boxes sometimes.
I've left the bulk cable in a small mass, taped and bagged, to be brought through, however extreme amount of cabling requires thinking like them, if you make their job harder, damage is inevitable. I'm a fan of the plastic mudrings in many applications.
