Running wire for security cameras, and tips on fishing wire?

RG-59U, Some Cat 5, and a two or four conductor 18AWG will just about cover everything that's out there.

That part I like... We use a chain saw. We rip a wire way channel down the inside wall (make sure you wear a good quality dust mask and protective clothing to avoid injury from flying splinters, odd bits of nail and insulation). It's also a good idea to use a well insulated chainsaw in case you hit a live 110 or 220 VAC wire. Lay your wire in the channel you've just created and staple it all down. Stuff some insulation on top, and nail on a thin strip of drywall. Don't forget to tell you wife that you're leaving it like this so that you can open the wireway anytime you need to service it.

Seriously, you'll need to get yourself some basic tools as well as some more specialized ones like a 6 foot flex-bit, and a good quality fish tape. Judging from your comments you have good access to the basement (that it's largely unfinished). Drilling or fishing down an outside wall is never easy, but is possible. You have to be careful about displacing insulation or damaging the vapour barrier. A fire-stop can make what looks like an "easy run" a tad more difficult too. Maintaining separation from higher voltage AC wiring also has to be considered. Sometimes it's easier to go "up" into the attic and then down an inside wall to the basement. Without actually seeing what you want to do or the way your home is constructed, it would be difficult to comment on which technique is going to work best. If you've never done this before, it would probably be a lot easier (and wiser) to have a "Pro" run the wire for you. He'll have all the gear necessary. You'll have to pay out some bucks but you'll have fewer headaches.

I would get the cameras *first* so you know what wiring they will require. If running coax, use RG-6 which is best.

So far as learning to run wires in an already built house, you need a knowledge of construction (what is inside the walls), a combination stud finder/metal detector/AC wire finder will help to keep you from damaging things inside the wall, and then long drill bits ( 7 ft.) with a hole drilled in the end to fish wires, and a fish tape will help. Then experience doing these things.

Also experience running and bending electrical conduit helps quite a bit.

In your situation, it might be about the same cost (as buying all the tools) to have an electrician run the wires for you.

Many cameras are sold without the mounting hardware. Get the cameras and mounting hardware first. A camera I have uses shielded cable with RCA jacks and 2 wire power. Another camera I have uses coax and 2 wire power. Some cameras with zoom or whatever might need more wires to control the camera. You can also get adapters: RCA to coax, etc.

Frank, you forgot to take off your **Bass** fishing hat! Switch hats and don't put on the counter guy hat either!

Atta Boy!

Haven't worn that for years. I'm pretty sure there are still hooks in it too.

But I *love* my paper hat!!

Thanks everyone.

I do have the tools, and I do have a couple of 6 foot flexbits. I have run many wires down walls, for satellite, network, phone, etc. But I am just a 'handy' DIYer, not a pro.

The fact that I have experienced fishing down insulated walls is what bothers me, and especially damaging vapor barrier as you said. Generally what I have done in the past is to drill straight thru a wall to the other side, and cut out a vertical hole just large enough to get a good bend with the flex bit to continue down. That's a pain since I have to patch the drywall later and paint it again, which won't be easy since I have a patterned design. But at least it's paint and not some intricate wallpaper I guess.

I am a little puzzled with the chain saw idea! You mean you use a chain saw inside the home to cut the channel? How do you control depth???

I had considered cutting a shallow wireway into drywall for other projects (remote controlled blinds) and just mud over it. I never got to do it, but it would seem like a rotozip with the router attachment and a wide, straight router bit would give good control and constant channel depth. You could also run it down the side of a metal guide (the kind that clamps to sheet goods for the circ saw) to make a nice straight line. Or better yet run it along a window or door using the trim as a guide to keep the channel away from potential nails.

On the other hand, I'd be a little afraid cutting a channel like this and mudding it might just create a joint in the wall that will crack during temp changes! I guess taping would help...

Anyway, I was just hunting for some tips in case there was something I was missing.

Thanks again.

Anything for kicks and giggles, eh!

We use a chain saw.....

Let's hear more about that, Frank....... I bet it gets the customer's attention.......

Is it monitored or just a DIY chain saw?

Norm Mugford

Don't laugh I knew a guy that used to post wire homes with a circular saw with several blades on the shaft, and slot the entire exterior wall of the house around the perimeter!

"Frank Olson" wrote in message news:0%jof.112716$ki.32819@pd7tw2no... | BIOSMonkey wrote: | > I would like to install about 4 cameras around my house, not necessarily for | > security but to see who's at the front door, monitor the kid's playground, etc. | >

| > My plan is to install these cameras, run them to the equipment room under the | > stairs in my basement, then get channel modulators to insert them into my cable | > system (or maybe run them into a quad generator to create one channel). | >

| > Without knowing yet what kind of cameras I will get, what wiring should I run? | > Just a coax and 2 conductor power? For cameras with other features, such as | > motion trigger, or audio, do I need more conductors? | | RG-59U, Some Cat 5, and a two or four conductor 18AWG will just about | cover everything that's out there. | | | >

| > Also I am at a loss to figure out how to easily fish these wires through my | > outside walls to the basement. Obviously I want them to be hidden and | > inaccessible to someone with wire cutters, but I don't see how I can run them | > down inside the siding with the boards and insulation on the other side. How do | > you guys do it? | | That part I like... We use a chain saw. We rip a wire way channel down | the inside wall (make sure you wear a good quality dust mask and | protective clothing to avoid injury from flying splinters, odd bits of | nail and insulation). It's also a good idea to use a well insulated | chainsaw in case you hit a live 110 or 220 VAC wire. Lay your wire in | the channel you've just created and staple it all down. Stuff some | insulation on top, and nail on a thin strip of drywall. Don't forget to | tell you wife that you're leaving it like this so that you can open the | wireway anytime you need to service it. | | Seriously, you'll need to get yourself some basic tools as well as some | more specialized ones like a 6 foot flex-bit, and a good quality fish | tape. Judging from your comments you have good access to the basement | (that it's largely unfinished). Drilling or fishing down an outside | wall is never easy, but is possible. You have to be careful about | displacing insulation or damaging the vapour barrier. A fire-stop can | make what looks like an "easy run" a tad more difficult too. | Maintaining separation from higher voltage AC wiring also has to be | considered. Sometimes it's easier to go "up" into the attic and then | down an inside wall to the basement. Without actually seeing what you | want to do or the way your home is constructed, it would be difficult to | comment on which technique is going to work best. If you've never done | this before, it would probably be a lot easier (and wiser) to have a | "Pro" run the wire for you. He'll have all the gear necessary. You'll | have to pay out some bucks but you'll have fewer headaches.

Huh???????????????????

What "depth control"?? Chainsaw was a joke. Get with the program! ;-)

Hi Bill,

With regard to the above...... I don't do much CCTV work anymore but when I did, we always used RG59. Wire mfgs, and camera mfgs always said that was the proper wire. And also that it was important to use copper braid not aluminum. I think it also had something to do with the core conductor too. Something to do with a copper clad steel conductor in the RG6 versus a copper conductor in the RG59. Nowdays, I see people recommending RG6 for CCTV installs, yet from what I read and hear, RG6 should only be used on long runs for CCTV, (like hundreds and hundreds of feet ) and have copper braid. I remember something about the aluminum foil being ok for regular RF TV signal on the RG6 but not for video signal. Do you use RG6 regularly and have you actually compared the picture quality? Is it the same kind of RG6 that you use for RF TV? Did you just choose to use it and didn't see any difference or did someone recommend and/or say that it was alright to use?

Anyone else have any info or input on this?

No.. It's a "Huskie". The gas fumes tend to make you giggle after a while though... I use a Toronto Maple Leafs goalie mask while I'm sawin'.

We always use RG-59U. I think you'll find most professionals do.

The way I read that, it basically says that the longer the run, the larger diameter should be the center conductor.

It ->doesn't

The important thing is that all of the RG-59U I've seen uses stranded core wire (which is better suited to CCTV applications due to it's flexibility). The RG-6 I've seen available from most of the whole-salers uses solid core wire. I suppose you could use a signal converter and CAT-5 or CAT-6 but that's going to add an additional expense to your installation. It will result in a cleaner immage on the longer runs and less fuss though. It all boils down to persnoal choice I guess.

The electric saws are much better for this because they are not as loud and you don't have to go through so much gas. Also, You can plug in near where you are cutting so if you do hit the 110 it sort of acts like an automatic cut-off.

Now, That's a picture......

It's always been my understanding that RG59 was best for CCTV, and RG6 was best, because of it's bandwidth capability, for broadcast TV.

Just my cents.......