Prewiring silly question? Faceplates

[ginnytr]

Ok, I've read and read and read about prewiring and structured wiring systems. I like many other posts I've read am interested in getting all the wiring I can in before they close up the walls. I've got all that pretty much figured out. Now for the silly question--

If I'm not putting in speakers, audio controls, and touch/key pads now, but want to wire for them for the future, how do I terminate them in the wall? I know I could put a bunch of blank plates over the jboxes, but I don't really want to see that in my brand new house. Does anyone just drywall over them and cut them open when ready? Will this pass an inspection? Is there a special cover plate for the box for this? It seems like it would be cool if there was something like a metal plate cover that I could then detect the location of precisely when I need it. We will be using plastic, deep jboxes. It would mostly be unused cat5e, but potentially some unused high voltage in a couple locations where there would be a future touchscreen computer in my dreams. Then there is the problem of making sure I know EXACTLY where to cut into, but we are detail people and I think we could overcome that.

I'm sure this is an easy one for you guys...

 

[jlokanis]

I don't know what the code is on thia, but I am simply leaving the speaker wires in the wall cavity, coiled up and tie wrapped to a staple. When I install the speaker, I will cut a hole in the drywall and attach the wire to the speaker.

For flushmount devices, such and motion seonsors, glass break sensors, keypads, etc I am having the wire poke though a hole in the drywall.

For future use wires, I am leaving them in the wall and I will fish them out when needed.

I plan to take a lot of pictures!

 

[Mike]

I'm not an expert on code, but I do know you cannot bury electrical lines if that is what you meant by 'high voltage'. For example, you cannot terminate a line in a box and spackle/drywall over it.

Low voltage is probably different, but you can't do this with regular power lines.

 

[upstatemike]

Wouldn't it be best to put metal boxes in for all your low voltage devices and speaker lines and just drywall over the ones you are not ready to deal with? Metal boxes are easy to detect later and will keep your wires safe from stray sheetrock screws.

 

[ginnytr]

hmmm...it seems I was told that I should use plastic boxes, but I can't remember the reason now. Something to do with future RF devices or some kind of interference?

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Does anyone just drywall over them and cut them open when ready? Will this pass an inspection?

I don't see why you can't do this if you don't want to go with the blank cover plates (which I really don't see as a big deal).

In my experience there are two inspections a pre-drywall and post drywall. As long as the boxes are marked as low voltage (we just sprayed orange paint over them and used orange tape to hold the coiled wired into the box) you will pass the pre-drywall inspection. (Make sure wires are properly capped off). This is done even before plugs or switches are installed so one would have no idea you plan on not cuttnig it out right away.

As far as the post-drywall inspection, how is the inspector going to know those boxes are even behind the drywall? I'm sure he is not going to remember where each box was before the drywall was up.

Then, just cut into the drywall as needed to expose the boxes.

If you think about it, aren't all boxes actually covered by the drywall, then cut out? You are just delaying cutting them out! <_<

Hopefully someone with more "inspection" experience could confirm this.

 

[upstatemike]

hmmm...it seems I was told that I should use plastic boxes, but I can't remember the reason now. Something to do with future RF devices or some kind of interference?

That is only for AC and only if you plan to use Z-Wave. Your speaker wires don't care.

 

[huggy59]

I do know that local codes vary, so check with your local building inspector. However, I'm quite sure if there is a box that you must not "bury" it - it has to be exposed and it must then be covered with a plate even if only a blank plate is used. You can always paint or paper them to match the wall covering.

Personally I assume that burying cabling in the wall for later use would also be against code, but there may be special circumstances to cover this situation. Check with your local building inspector/code enforcement officer.

Also, box and termination code may vary for low voltage (class 2) wiring. In some cases we were allowed to use "caddy" fasteners to put in Cat5 UTP and coax. A caddy fastener is just a ring that is pushed through a hole in the drywall and flaps are bent to hold it in place. I used to use metal ones, but they now make them in plastics. Then you put a plate on it with a wire termination point and fasten the plate. (See the first few caddy items on this page: http://www.twacomm.com/info/Caddy.htm )

Take pictures of where everything is AFTER all wiring/plumbing is done and BEFORE drywalling - it will help SO much after the walls are up. You can even write details or measurements on the studs and/or floor to make it easy to identify in the pics and therefore find it later after things are all closed in and finished.

 

[ginnytr]

OK, thanks for the help. I am going to lower my regular switches 4" and install the low voltage in a box above the switches and cover with a blank faceplate for now. The blank plates will just be motivation to get those keypads in. The wire for speakers, motions, etc. I will see if the builder will let me install them in metal boxes and pull them out later.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

ginnytr;

You may want to look at THIS post, especially the last few pictures.

I mounted a few items over and beside a low voltage box. You just punch the hole above, under, beside the box and fish the wire from the box to the hole. This way you can have a lot of wires "pre-run" to a single box and install the sensors as needed later on. (In other words you don't have to have the sensor "right at" the box).

 

[ginnytr]

Great idea. Your work looks very tidy!

 

[v1rtu0s1ty]

(Make sure wires are properly capped off). This is done even before plugs or switches are installed so one would have no idea you plan on not cuttnig it out right away.

HI BSR,

I will also be putting wires next week or two. I would like to know what you mean by "Make sure wires are properly capped off". Are you saying that the end of the wires hanging outside the plastic gang box should be covered with an electric tape?

Please let me know.

Thanks,

Ron

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Ah, I was just saying that if you had any high voltage (120 Volts AC for instance) boxes that you were just going to have the unterminated wires (say 12 gauge) there and put in your equipment/plugs/etc... later, that you should cap them with wire nuts.

This way if they would "accidently" get voltage from the breaker source or if they were on a leg going to other circuits, there is no chance of the wires shorting to each other (or the box itself if it was metal).

 

[v1rtu0s1ty]

Ah, I was just saying that if you had any high voltage (120 Volts AC for instance) boxes that you were just going to have the unterminated wires (say 12 gauge) there and put in your equipment/plugs/etc... later, that you should cap them with wire nuts.

This way if they would "accidently" get voltage from the breaker source or if they were on a leg going to other circuits, there is no chance of the wires shorting to each other (or the box itself if it was metal).

Ah, gotcha. Here is another question. What should I do so that those installers will not touch my lowvoltage wires that are coiled inside the gangbox? Will the electricians get confused(post drywall) if they will see new gang boxes and wires? The builder told me to put the wires after the electricals has been installed and after pre-drywall meeting.
My pre-drywall meeting is June 30 and I will be installing the wires saturday and sunday. Drywall installation is July 7.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

What we did was put duct tape over those low voltage boxes and just painted them with orange paint.

This way the inspector knew they were low voltage (for the pre-drywall inspection) and the electricians knew not to touch them.

The drywallers treated them just like they did the other electrical boxes. Low voltage boxes that were not going to be used right away (did a lot of wiring for future) had blank covers placed over them.