On Jun 23, 10:14*am, HerHusband wrote:
As I'm getting closer to completing rewiring my 2nd floor, I'm thinking
that I would like to put cable, internet, phone, etc. in all the
bedrooms while I'm messing around... *sounds like the easiest way to do
this would be to use a "structured wiring" panel with the special
cables - 2x RG-6 and 2x CAT-6 - and I'm wondering what is the best
way to wire this.

I recommend installing conduit and double-gang boxes instead of running all
those cables now. *It's hard to forsee what technologies will be needed in
the future, and conduit makes it easy to run new cables when needed. *Why
go to the trouble and expense of installing RG-6 cables now when you may
never need them? What if technology switches to fiber optic cables?

I installed a few double-gang boxes in each room with short conduit runs to
our crawlspace. *I put caps on the bottom ends of each conduit to keep out
bugs and drafts for conduit I'm not using. *We've only lived here about 6
years, and I've already changed my cable runs a few times.

My only regrets so far is not installing more conduit and boxes in the
bedroom where I didn't forsee needing many connections, and not installing
enough boxes in my home office where most of the cables originate.

Anthony

For structured wire forget the boxes, just use mud plates, terminate
at the box by just clamping the bundle to a near stud so it doesnt
fall back into the wall, boxes just confine things needlessly, its not
high-voltage. Pulling cat and RG6 through conduit is a major pain in
the ass as it sticks easily and wont make turns at all, you'll find
out. Best way is to find passages through walls then install access
holes (covered later by heating vent covers) and use the whole wall
pocket or joist pocket to get the wire where it needs to go. Make the
holes in top/bottom plates nice and big, then caulk them again for
fire block. The only conduit I would consider would be corrugated
tubing (that orange stuff) at least 2 inches diameter as this wont
cause sticking and the larger diameter lets you get around corners
easier (but still difficult). Heating ducts are good in a pinch,
sometimes if you have a multi-story staircase you can find that wall
will allow a chase from basement to second story where you only need
to chop a hole in the floor and top plates.