Need help with in wall cable/wire installation

[twentyfourseven]

In process of getting all my compenets for home theater. I am a new to this site (1st post) and installing speakers and plasma tv into walls. I have a 13x13 room/den with rooms above and below with fixed ceiling /floors. I want to install 5 speakers and a plasma TV in the wall and need ideas on how to accomplish this, do I need any special tools (to string wire?)?

My thinking was to pull up the carpet, maybe the wall trim, and get the speakers installed between the studs at the right heights, then run the wire/cable to the floor, under the carpet, and somehow bring it back up through the wall at the area were all my components are. Im also planning on putting a Pioneer Plasma 5050 on the wall and have the same issues with getting the cables and connections to the components.

Any tips or cautions or best practices or things to consider would be greatly appreciated....Thank you

[Andrew Pratt]

You can buy wire snakes from most hardware stores that are really just long thin metal strips similar to a tape measure only more stiff and longer. You can then use that to push it through the holes and then attatch either a rope or the cable to the other end to pull back though. Running in wall speakers is pretty easy since you've got a nice big hole to work with at one end but smaller holes on either end can be a challenge.

[twentyfourseven]

Thanks Ill get one today

Once I get the wire to the floor, to the smaller hole, what do I do then?...will I have problems putting the trim back...or is there space between the trim and carpet I can bring the wire through? Do I even need to take the trim off? This is the part I cant figure out yet.

[Andrew Pratt]

There's usually space under the drywall to run cables...or what's below the floor? If there's a false ceiling below it (or above into the atic) maybe consider running the cables there then up/down the walls to the equipment rack

[ekkoville]

twentyfourseven, I noticed you said "plasma tv into walls" and I have heard that plasma tv's in walls can cause airflow issues and possibly overheating. A local A/V store installer had responded to a plasma in the wall overheating and ultimately being ruined. I think installing it on the wall is better than in the wall.

Erik

[Shane Martin]

My friend installed his plasma like this:

He cut out an baseplate square and then drilled a similar sized square hole where the Plasma belongs. He then fished the wires up thru the wall that way. He then covered up the holes with wall plates and it looks like a pro job.

[Snap]

Ventalation for the plasma is a must. It can be done, but I agree with Erik about hanging it on the wall. Better all around for Maint, changing cables what ever. If you do set it into the wall try and get it some air to breath. It would be a heart break if the thing died in a year or 2! :nonod:

About Pulling wire, Pratt is right. Snake is a MUST. But one thing also STRING! Hook the string to fish and pull it back through. Pull rod would be nice to. You can get that at a hardwar store or Electricians store. If the area is not to far, metal coat hangers have been used before. :B

Retrofitting a home is a time/pain-in-tail if it is a 2 story. Trying to pull wires through can become a HUGE problem. If you could go through an attic, or under via a crawl space that is one thing. But having to do all the work in the room that you are working in....ouch! There are a LOT of variables that can cause you problems with your sheet rock and walls if you mess things up! Then you are looking at having to do major sheetrock repairs. 8O

I recomend the following. Hiding the wires under, Trim, crown molding, base board, or carpet. Women generally like the idea of adding new crown molding to there room!

[Chris D]

I've done extensive snaking and wiring, including for my plasma mounted on the wall. For the plasma specifically, I installed the mount on the wall, then figured out where the cables needed to be behind the display. At that location, I cut the drywall and installed a single gang low-voltage mudring, and then snaked all wires behind the drywall to the cutout. It looks great. Wish I had time to post pictures tonight.

[Radec]

Wait a minute Chris....
Didn't you just get a Panny AE700U, and now you talk about your plasma??? Are these in the same room? This after I get done reading about your 4500+ Watts of power??? Are you TRYING to kill us here!!!!!!!! :W

Radec

[ekkoville]

Chris, is your wall mount screwed into two studs or one? Some mounts, I notice, seem to narrow to reach two studs, but I would want to make sure I reach both for stability. Interesting, an A/V guy locally gave a long disertation about running power up to the unit because it is against code to run a power cord through the wall. Is that what you did? The more you look into getting a hanging display, the more work seems to be involved.

Erik

[Andrew M Ward]

Plasma / LCD on the wall

You really want to mount Plasma's & LCD's on (not in) the wall. The advantages are overwhelming compared to burning your plasma up (flush in the) wall.

Many of the new wall brackets for TV's allow for nifty pull and twist, so you can not only pull the TV way out for easy rear access but you can aim the TV in almost any direction!!!! Fun!

[Patt]

Oh now that's cool......being able to tilt or turn. I thought they had to be stationary.

[Chris D]

The plasma I bought a couple years ago (42" Philips) came with a cheap simple mounting bracket. No frills, just wide enough to anchor each end on a stud and totally stationary. It's an inch or two right of the center of the wall because of the studs, but looks fine. It's in my bedroom for a very clean finished look to the room, no clunky equipment.

As for the power, well, you're right, you're not supposed to run extension or power cords through the wall. Okay, fine. So instead of my power cable going from the outlet straight up the wall to the plasma, completely killing the clean finished look, it goes in a single-gang wall hole and behind the drywall for a couple feet until it come out at the plasma. Whatever.

[twentyfourseven]

sorry for the delay in responding ---Flood Warnings!

okay..thanks for the feedback,,,,

I meant On The Wall... I got a peerless mount and am happy with it...


But now the good stuff.


the contractor who put the wire and cable in nicked the drain pipe coming from above my room with the plasma.....didnt know for a couple of days....that water was going into my basement office.....and into the wall I just put my Plasma on......

Its amazing what these water/ flood guys can do today with their big humidifiers and blowers...got the wood, carpet, and drywall Dried out in 2 days....Contractors insurance company going to fix the situation ( I hope)

Water got on my subwoofer cable in the wall and on the wire for the speaker in the wall just above the cut in the drain line....Both monster cables/wire... Should I replace these, or is it safe to think that no water got into it?

I havent tried the speakers yet....or anything else ...

It's lots easier to get them cables and wires in the wall now!