new home pre wire

[JordonMusser]

Working on a plan for pre wiring my home.

Anybody done this before? Any key things you missed?

Here is my plan. I want to mount all of my equipment in a central closet.

1)4X Cat 6 to each room (HMDI over cat 6, infrared repeater, network)
2)1X RG6 to each room
3)From AV closet to outdoor ,16awgx2 for outdoor audio
4)CAT 6 to each opening window/door (for alarm)
5)CAT 6 to each camera location
6)CAT 6 for each intended motion/glass sensor


do i need to run some additional power to the camera areas for a PTZ? I dont evne know when Ill actually install the cameras. I just want to be wired for it.

I do NOT plan on whole house audio, as these days with a TV/Latop/etc in every room and FIOS, I have access to Pandora/Ihearradio/etc pretty easily.

Any EXPERIENCED low voltage installers want some side work? Depending on when this work hits during the build I may or may not have time to do it myself.

any help or tips would be appreciated. The house will be 2 story with virtually no attic, so future runs will be nearly impossible. I am already planning conduit between the main TV area and the AV closet just incase.

[Chas_svo]

Allow yourself some options on placement of tv and audio equip. Does your builder allow this? Ours did not, and it still pisses me off. I'd try to think through every place for elect as well as cat6/etc.

Porch,garage(220), eaves, etc.

Cheap and reasonably easy now ompared to later.

Good luck.

[JordonMusser]

Yea, I definitely dont mind spending an extra $1000 on wire and some time to make sure I dont have to hack anything up to run later.

I can do whatever I want. I designed the house, and I told my builder extra where to place every high voltage component, and I will be handling the low voltage myself, or through a sub on my own.

[2K2 LS1]

Jordon pm me your email address. I will fill you all in and refer someone if you need help.

[FATHERFORD]

Is cat 6 really worth it? I was told that Cat 5e is still plenty.

[CWO]

Is cat 6 really worth it? I was told that Cat 5e is still plenty.

for the cost difference you should run 6 if you can

[2K2 LS1]

Is cat 6 really worth it? I was told that Cat 5e is still plenty.

For video distribution.....yes!

[2K2 LS1]

only about a $30 difference per 1000' roll....

[DamonH]

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan. I ran cat 6 throughout my house when it was being built and am glad I did. There is one or two that I wish I'd have put in different locations, but I didn't foresee wanting it where I do. I also wish I would have made a few extra drops from my AV closet to the attic, just for anything else that may come up.

You probably already know this, but make sure you leave plenty of extra at each drop. It makes it difficult to terminate if you are worried about not being able to trim anymore. I also ran pre-made 50ft HDMI cables in my media room and didn't bother to cover the ends and tape them up. The sheetrockers apparently did their best to get texture all over the connectors. I was pretty pissed, but my own fault really.

[2K2 LS1]

Sounds like you have a pretty good plan. I ran cat 6 throughout my house when it was being built and am glad I did. There is one or two that I wish I'd have put in different locations, but I didn't foresee wanting it where I do. I also wish I would have made a few extra drops from my AV closet to the attic, just for anything else that may come up.

You probably already know this, but make sure you leave plenty of extra at each drop. It makes it difficult to terminate if you are worried about not being able to trim anymore. I also ran pre-made 50ft HDMI cables in my media room and didn't bother to cover the ends and tape them up. The sheetrockers apparently did their best to get texture all over the connectors. I was pretty pissed, but my own fault really.

This is known as a service loop...I typically rolled up about 10' of extra cat 5/6 at each termination point to allow for this.

Jordon- also run 1 or 2 dual coaxial along with 2 cat 6 to your D-mark which is where you bring in the phone/internet and satellite. If there is night a clear line of sight from there due to trees etc. Then only run network to that point and run the coax to the roof point you know they will use for your satellite.

[red95gts]

By "central location", do you mean a structured wiring panel? If so, Be sure to plan for electrical to power cable modems, routers, etc. Also, put the structured wiring panel on an interior wall if you can. Mine is recessed on an exterior wall (no insulation behind) and it gets hot as hell in the Summer. My panel is big enough to store the AT&T RG and modem inside but I can't due to the heat.

Definitely run some conduit or smurf tubes from the panel to the attic for future stuff...

[2K2 LS1]

In addition to the email I shared with you:

So for starters you have the right idea on the home runs.


1. I would recommend also running network to thermostat(s) locations if you ever want a network-able thermostat.
2. Run dual coax to each location instead of a single.
3. Definitely run a power cable to each camera from your home run location.
4. Pre-wire for a network repeater or WAP depending on square footage and definitely with a multi-story house.
5. If you plan to wall mount any tv's have the builder add extra studding in between the wall studs for anything above a 50"

In addition to that I would:

6. Run conduit from the attic to your structured wiring panel as suggested above; as well as 1-2 1" conduit runs from the attic to panel for future needs.
7. Be sure to run the pull string in the conduit at construction to save trying to suck/blow a pull string through the conduit post construction(little pre-wire advise).
8. Make sure that anywhere you have wiring run through top plates especially in tight crawlspaces like soffits that you have a big enough hole to pass the wire needed now and any possibly needed for future expansion. Nothing worse than straddling ceiling joists being covered in itchy insulation in a 140 degree attic; and trying to use a flex bit and headlight or flash light to drill a new hole to run wire, and then to top it off the chuck loosening on the drill and dropping said $30 bit into the stud cavity abyss.
9. Any time you have to run your data/audio/video wire near a power source in the attic; be sure to intersect the two sources perpendicular, running them parallel induces interference.
10. I always liked the idea of pre-wiring for soffit power outlets for x-mas lights if you are in to that.
11. Run power to the structured wiring panel in your "home run" as mentioned before. This is a must!
12. Make sure the electrician properly installs grounding not only for the D-mark; but also for the satellite if not tied in at the D-mark, as well as anywhere you plan to have a tv, equipment, or networking. Make sur ethey don't take shortcuts. I personally had a lightening strike in the neighborhood fry all my network connected devices, and all my AT&T Uverse equipment; because our electrician had improperly grounded the house
13. The key is high and tight when pre-wiring. Make sure everything is out of the way in the attic for future service calls on HVAC, fire sprinklers, etc. Alot of those guys will just step on whatever is in the way and not theirs. You can spend alot of time troubleshooting and tracing down bad wiring that has been damaged by these techs if you don't plan ahead in pre-wiring. I suggest using d-rings, zip ties, etc. to keep it clean and out of the way. Try to tuck the wires to a stud going up a wall or support in the attic from the top plate to a roof joist and then run the wiring along the roof joists on the bottom side clear out of the way of being nicked by roofers. I can email you pics of pre-wires to show you examples.

I will keep updating you with whatever pops in to my mind on this subject. having done dozens of jobs I have a lot of experience in it; however that was over 3 years ago and I may be a little out of practice.

[JordonMusser]

Thanks again for taking the time to run through that (plus the email).

[zora04]

Working on a plan for pre wiring my home.
do i need to run some additional power to the camera areas for a PTZ? I dont evne know when Ill actually install the cameras. I just want to be wired for it.

You dont have to run power to cameras if you buy POE. Cat5e or Cat6 will work

[2K2 LS1]

You dont have to run power to cameras if you buy POE. Cat5e or Cat6 will work

I think Jordon may want to go the other route. POE switches are more expensive as are the cameras. I have installed the PTZ Panasonic POE cameras and they are kinda boxy shaped but I like them a lot and have a nice software as well.