How to Prewire Audio Visual Cables
During construction or a remodel is the best time to run new audio visual cabling. With the walls open, costs for undergoing a project like this are far lower and less invasive. In addition, the space afforded by the open nature of the environment means that all of the right cabling can be run without restriction. Using appropriate techniques to make the installation code-approved will make final inspection easier (if applicable), along with the assurance that all cabling is run safely and correctly. Although there are a near-unlimited set of possibilities and variables during a prewire, the basics do not change.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Assorted A/V cables
- Drill
- Hole saw
- Philips bit attachment
- 2 inch wood screws
- Plastic low-voltage boxes (single or dual gang)
- Fish tape
- Hammer
- Galvanized nails
- Metal D-rings
- Electrical tape
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine the length of cables required to reach from the head end (or starting point) to the desired location. Bundle these wires together with a single spiral-pattern wrap of electrical tape.
-
2
Drill through the footer or studs as needed to pass wires from the starting to ending point. Cut out these holes with the drill and appropriately-sized hole saw.
-
-
3
Tightly wrap the end of the cable bundle to the end of the fish tape. Leaving slack in the cables, screw in metal D-rings every six inches along any vertical stud with the drill and Philips attachment. Pass the wires through these with the fish tape. If access is completely open, this process may be able to be done by hand without the assistance of the fish tape.
-
4
Knock out the rear of the plastic low-voltage box with the hammer. Place the plastic low-voltage junction box at the desired termination point for the bundle run. Hammer in the box through the guide holes, using galvanized nails.
-
5
Push the wire bundle into the rear of the junction box. Tightly coil the bundle, ensuring that the entire bundle fits securely into the box. Repeat this process for any location needed for prewire.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Never route low voltage wiring within 18 inches of high voltage lines, to avoid hum and potential interference. Where necessary, pass the high voltage run at a 90 degree angle.
Regardless of whether the cable bundle includes audio and video or simply speaker wire, and irrelevant to the eventual ending point of the wires, the core process remains the same. Every home is different however, so specific planning will have to take place for each circumstance.
Never cut any high voltage wiring to make access easier for low voltage.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit computer cables image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
