Cable routing

[Wayne02 0]

I will be routing 3-4 RG6 cables through my attic over about a 60 foot distance. This is a single story older rambler with the typical roof truss construction and loose blown in insulation between the joists. Said insulation covers the bottom of the truss joists for the most part. I'm guessing there is maybe 4' height from truss to peak, so not enough height to stand up but enough to crawl around.

 

I'm wondering what the proper way is to route/secure these cables up there. I assume just leaving them lay on top of the joists willy nilly is not acceptable, but I'm hoping that clamping each cable individually to the upper part of the truss (angled part) is not required. Can the 3-4 cables be grouped in some sort of larger clamp that can be fastened to the truss every couple of feet? Or is there concern about signal bleed over between the cables if they are grouped together like that?

 

The second question has to do with the transition of the cables from a wall cavity to the inside of the room and then to the dvr. I will have 8 RG6 cables routed to the wall cavity in the room where I want the dvr. This is your typical old style 2x4 construction 16" on center, wall covered with sheetrock. What is the proper way to transition these cables out of the wall such that they can then be routed to the dvr for hook up? Is there some sort of transition box that mounts in the wall or is there some sort of face plate that the cables get routed through when the exit the wall?

 

Thanks

[Soundy 1]

I will be routing 3-4 RG6 cables through my attic over about a 60 foot distance. This is a single story older rambler with the typical roof truss construction and loose blown in insulation between the joists. Said insulation covers the bottom of the truss joists for the most part. I'm guessing there is maybe 4' height from truss to peak, so not enough height to stand up but enough to crawl around.

 

I'm wondering what the proper way is to route/secure these cables up there. I assume just leaving them lay on top of the joists willy nilly is not acceptable, but I'm hoping that clamping each cable individually to the upper part of the truss (angled part) is not required. Can the 3-4 cables be grouped in some sort of larger clamp that can be fastened to the truss every couple of feet? Or is there concern about signal bleed over between the cables if they are grouped together like that?

 

Actually, draping them across the joists is just fine. The only real concern might be damage from someone crawling around in the attic.

 

But if you want to keep them up from there, you can just zap-strap them to the trusses - no fancy clamping needed, and yes, they can all be bundled together. I've done sites where 16 cameras run to a MUX at one end of a store, and then a bundle of 16 RG59s take the signal from there to another MUX and VCR at the back of the store, 100+ feet away.

 

The second question has to do with the transition of the cables from a wall cavity to the inside of the room and then to the dvr. I will have 8 RG6 cables routed to the wall cavity in the room where I want the dvr. This is your typical old style 2x4 construction 16" on center, wall covered with sheetrock. What is the proper way to transition these cables out of the wall such that they can then be routed to the dvr for hook up? Is there some sort of transition box that mounts in the wall or is there some sort of face plate that the cables get routed through when the exit the wall?

 

"Proper"? Well, unless local code requires it, there's no need to dress it up - you can just punch a hole through the drywall and pull the wire through... nothing wrong with that, except it's not very pretty. You can cut out a cleaner hole and use an "easy-box" frame in it, then drill a large enough hole in a standard wall plate and pull the cables through that to make it nice and clean.

 

Keep in mind that none of this cable is carrying any voltage, other than about a 1V video signal. If you're running power along with it, that's maybe 12VDC or 24VAC, generally classified as "low voltage" and not usually needing any special handling.

[jeromephone 6]

we use j hooks or bridal rings where the joist may not be in the right place to turn a corner or make another type of transiition. The main thing is to keep it out of the insulation if you ever have a problem it is better not to have to dig the cable out of the blown in stuff or fibergass

[Soundy 1]

^That's right - there's no reason the cable can't live its entire lifespan in and among the insulation... but it can be a PITA to work with if you have to get back at it. Ease of future access is really the only reason for stringing it up nicely.

[slowforthecones 0]

Use 7/8" drive-rings, zip-tie them at each drive ring. You can use a 2x4 or 4x4 box mounted in the ceiling secured to the joist, cut out the hole in the drywall..put a cover plate with a hole in the middle for the cables to exit.

 

if this was a commercial building or job, i would use 1" flex conduit to the ceiling mounted junction box where the wires enter the room. makes it much easier if you have problems later on to add a cable or swap a cable out.

[VST_Man 1]

home depot & lowes sell plastic cable hangers that nail in quick and easy. They are found in the electrical depts. I use them in attics............