Ideas for "fishing" cat5 through a finished ceiling

[Buckeye]

I am looking for advice or experience from those who have run Cat5.

I have a span of finished ceiling (drywall, popcorn mud etc) which has recessed can lights every 8 feet or so. I need to run some cat5 through a 25 foot length before it can surface in a back office and track externally up into my electrical service room.

What is the fishing technique most effective?

 

[Lebeter]

I guess the question is do the ceiling beams run in parallel to direction you want to push the wire? Fiberglass push sticks work well to fish the wire up/down walls but also in ceilings, but they can still get caught easily in walls where there might be a wall nailer, a noggin, or a cripple between the studs. You could run into something put in during framing which could impede the push stick in the ceiling. I've got a boroscope I use for working on my cars, but it could be useful for figuring out routes for running cable. Somewhat expensive though for a one time job. Assuming there is a floor above the ceiling and there is no crawl or access above the ceiling. Dumb question but it has to be asked. Depending on the home, sometimes its easier to take the long way up to the roof and then back down the other side if the walls have easier access to fish the push sticks down that way you can string it across the roof crawl areas.

 

[DaveP]

Only tip I can give that may work, depending on the construction above the ceiling (as pointed out by Lebeter) is to drop the light cans and then you only have to get some fibreglass rods to reach the 8' or so.. and go from hole to hole.

Problem 1 and the solution ... How the hell do you get the rod to bend enough to go into the light fitting hole and point in the right direction you may ask, the answer is to use a waste pipe fitting to act as a 90 degree bend (the OD of the hole dictates how large an OD waste pipe fitting you can use) anyway, push the rod through the fitting so an inch or three pokes through, then stick it into the hole, point it in the right direction and push (hint... hold onto the fitting with one hand, and use the other to push the rods that you have already joined up)

The other problem is that as its a commercial premises, the installation & grade of cable should comply with what ever building / electrical / fire requirements are in force., getting a cable across may be the least of the worries.

If everything else fails and there is no other route in the whole wide world, then mini / quarter round trunking run around the perimeter (either at ceiling or baseboards/skirting level) could be an option, so could homeplug adapters or what ever they are called in your part of the world.

 

[pcmcg]

Borescope is good option. If you don't have access to one, you can get cheap "usb inspection cams" from china on ebay for like $20. I did this and it really helped me with a 1st floor run to my attic. I don't think i would have been able to do i without the cam, cause of all the obstacles I had to get around. I just duct taped the cam to the end of my fish rod, removed it in the attic and pulled the cat5 down. That was the hardest part of my entire cam install.

 

[Buckeye]

All the tips are appreciated. I had no concept of a Borescope, and I will also look into commercial grade/Shielded Cat5. yep...the prep seems like 90% of the work to install the system. The EASY part (so to speak) is picking out the cameras. THEN positioning them strategically. THEN...how he heck to get the cable run!

Thanks again all! Will keep you posted.

 

[pal251]

Have you looked at a wiremold trim option?

 

[Lebeter]

I don't do commercial installs beyond my worksplace and my own home, but i do it the best way every time. Boroscopes can be had off ebay for ~50 and i use it for engine assembly as well, so it was easier for my to justify its use over time as multi-purpose tool. you'd be surprised at what you can use it for. clogged drains etc. anyway most installers won't take the time to figure out the route for wiring that also takes into consideration the least obstructive to cutting into the framing of your home. I'm a DIY'er so i over-analyze everything and take great pride in attention to detail, but if you are going to do anything, its worth doing right. It's your home, do it right, take pride in your work, it defines who you are. When you look around your environment you can see when people put in the extra effort and show a craft, regardless of their trade.

 

[Git]

How about installing crown molding and hiding it underneath?

 

[vector18]

http://www.amazon.com/Greenlee-06186-Cablecaster-Pulling-Three/dp/B001HWAGRM

 

[acvb]

Just use a 30-06 for the holes... patch the exit hole on the outside wall. Done.

 

[Razer]

You laugh, but I have seen my dad do that. Needed to run a flue for the furnace on our house that he was building. He took a level, put it on a revolver barrel and once it was level he shot through the ceiling and roof. Said it gave him a nice straight shot for the duct once he used a hole saw to open up the small hole. I mean at least he used a level so he was being "professional" right?

Yes. Redneck. It's ok, I'm aware of where I came from lol.

 

[Daffy]

You laugh, but I have seen my dad do that. Needed to run a flue for the furnace on our house that he was building. He took a level, put it on a revolver barrel and once it was level he shot through the ceiling and roof. Said it gave him a nice straight shot for the duct once he used a hole saw to open up the small hole. I mean at least he used a level so he was being "professional" right?

Yes. Redneck. It's ok, I'm aware of where I came from lol.

I hereby announce that I'm not your father, I have no money nor teeth and will if confronted pull the trigger.... ROFLAO

I do however have a pistol crossbow with a abu garcia reel on it and a flipover rc truck that has been used numerous times to pull string over blown in insulation...

 

[Buckeye]

These ideas are more fun than a barrel of monkeys....hey I got it! I'll duct tape the end of my Cat5 to a crossbow arrow....hook 'er up and let it fly. Solves TWO issues simultaneously...creating the wiring passageway AND feeding the cable through....

Thanks for all the inspiration folks!

 

[frankred]

Borescope is good option. If you don't have access to one, you can get cheap "usb inspection cams" from china on ebay for like $20. I did this and it really helped me with a 1st floor run to my attic. I don't think i would have been able to do i without the cam, cause of all the obstacles I had to get around. I just duct taped the cam to the end of my fish rod, removed it in the attic and pulled the cat5 down. That was the hardest part of my entire cam install.

Bumping this oldish thread to ask which one you bought @pcmcg. A friend just showed me this http://bensbargains.com/bargain/15m-6-led-usb-endoscope-borescope-inspection-camera-17-at-ebay-150137/ > http://www.ebay.com/itm/221809811101?rmvSB=true
Now my father in law needs to inspect his HVAC ducts. With slow shipping, I thought I would ask if you had any insight on how to chose these cameras. I would be looking at a 15 meter. I would try to use it with a USB OTG cable and my tablet. I hope they would be recognized as a webcam...
If I felt comfortable enough to read the specs on these, I might look for one that is in the US from eBay or Amazon...
Thanks!
John

 

[bp2008]

Amazon has quite a few with prime shipping. You could expect to pay $30, give or take, for a 15 meter one. Keep in mind these tend to have soft, flexible cables so you would need a rigid rod or fish tape to tie the camera to.

 

[Buckeye]

Amazon has quite a few with prime shipping. You could expect to pay $30, give or take, for a 15 meter one. Keep in mind these tend to have soft, flexible cables so you would need a rigid rod or fish tape to tie the camera to.

In the end, I chose to use a combination of drilling, building construction photos, cable conduit wrapped in matching wallpaper, and use of existing gaps, holes, and that old-faithful friend (and cousin to duct tape...) - wire coat-hanger opened up. Job finished. Thanks everyone!

 

[alastairstevenson]

and that old-faithful friend (and cousin to duct tape...) - wire coat-hanger opened up.

Got a few of them - carefully bent in various ways specific to the task in hand. So versatile and useful ...