Wiring

[cubedweller]

So I've been really impressed with some of the setups you guys have but I can't wrap my head around one thing.......wiring. How in the heck are you running all these wires from one end of your homes to the other?!

I live in a 2 year old house with a cement slab and I'm having problems figuring out how to run cable to adjacent rooms, let alone from the front door to the office.

Do you guys have any methods, tips, tricks, tools, that you could make me aware of?

Thanks!

[Rupp]

cubedweller,
Many of the users are blessed to have a newer home that was prewired. Others have both a crawl space and an attic that will allow them to retrofit wiring. I tend to use all of the wireless things that I can personally. I have run a few wires but that gets old quickly.

[cubedweller]

I guess wireless makes sense. But for example, if I wanted magnetic sensors on all the doors indicating their open/closed status, wouldn't I need to run wires all the way from the door to the main HS computer?

[nightwalker]

Unlike Rupp, i prefer the wired, i don't use a lot of wireless devices, of course that's what i do for a living:-)

Seriously what has been the biggest asset for me and customers is i put a 2" thinwall pipe in each corner of the house from attic to basement, or your cast attic to 1st floor, perhaps in a closet of the 1st floor. If you're doing a retrofit you may have to bite the bullet a little and cut and patch some drywall, but you only have to do it once. BTW added WAF, she gets a new paint job

[Rupp]

cubedweller,
Absolutly not. Do a search for door and window sensors on this BB. You will get plenty of information on the neat little X10 devices that are on sale from time to time for 4 for $20. They are a wireless sensor that can be "received" by a W800 device that not only "hears" these sensors but X10 motion sensors and other sensors as well.

[gcyeaw]

Cubedweller,
Depending on your final (financial) plans, you could get an Ocelot and then place some Secu16(i) devices in strategic places. That way you only have short runs to your various sensors from the Secu16's. The Ocelot only needs two wires to communicate with the Secu16's, so you could even use the extra pair in your telephone wiring, if you aren't using them already. Yes, it isn't cheap, but neither is doing a lot of sheetrock work or removing and replacing trim, painting, etc.

[zimmer62]

wires

I think it takes time to figure out each run, and once you get the hang of looking for this sort of stuff it gets easier..

My house was built in 1939 and I have over 30 cat 5 jacks that I've run throughout the house.

If you have basement access this can really help... if you have attic access this also really helps. I would suggest going to a home improvment store, and looking at electrical books that show you cut away views of how to "fish" wires through walls. You can buy "fish" tape or cable snakes that can really help you pull your cables.

Another thing is planning ahead.. if your going to pull 1 cat 5 wire for a bedroom or office, you should pull at least 2... you might use the additional wire for a 1 wire sensor, or many other things. Might as well pull an RG6 coax cable as well if you think there is a possibility you want to run a TV in that room.

If you do any remodeling etc, sometimes you have open access to the framing of the house, this is a great time to do the wiring.

Pick a location somewhere easlily accessable to have as your central hub... bring each run back to this one location, and hook up a patch panel (see structured wiring) this will make life much easier in the long run.

[MBenzo]

and more wires...

cubedweller,

There are a lot of wireless products out there, like the ones Rupp mentioned. My opinion is that hardwire is always better and more reliable...when it's feasible.

I do a lot of wiring and fishing inside walls in my profession. If you are going to do a lot of wire pulling, I highly recommend a FiberFish Kit from BES Manufacturing. It has come in handy in many situations (and works better than a fish tape, IMHO).

www.fiberfish.com

Good luck!

Matt

[BorisB]

I do a lot of wiring and fishing inside walls in my profession. If you are going to do a lot of wire pulling, I highly recommend a FiberFish Kit from BES Manufacturing. It has come in handy in many situations (and works better than a fish tape, IMHO).

I concur about the use of fiberglass fish rods. I bought mine from Labor Saving Devices (www.lsdinc.com, which sells many tools for doing retrofit wiring). I ran at least 2 Cat-5s and 1 RG-6 to each of 8 locations in a 45 year old split level house as well as home theatre rear speaker wire, a camera, and a daisy chain Cat-3 cable for my HAI thermostats, and I could never have done it without those rods. You'll also need one of those long Greenlee drill bits, about 10 feet of ball chain (the kind you use on key chains) and alot of ingenuity. It's worth it, though. Once all the wire is in place, you will constantly be thinking of new ways to use it!

[MBenzo]

Once all the wire is in place, you will constantly be thinking of new ways to use it!

And more places you need it....