Sealing holes in concrete and vinyl siding

[Dave88LX]

The outer most joist is called the "header joist" from what I can find, which seems a little confusing since it isn't really a header in the true sense. I always called it the "box end" since it forms the end of the "box" made by the joists.

For fishing up the wall, the trick is to use the natural curve of a standard electricians snake to your advantage. Working from the bottom, put it in the hole with the curve facing out so that the end stays tight against the sheathing. When you fish that out at the top, your "hook" for locating it also needs to stay tight to the sheathing while you find the fish tape end. Then, once your sure you're a little past the fish tap, give it a 180 degree turn to engage that hook around the fish tape and pull it on out. It can be a lot easier with someone working the fish tape and another person using the hook. I've done it more times than I care to admit to and worked through holes at the "top" end as small as 1/2" which is a real PITA.

This makes sense -- trying to work it with my wife -- NOT fun sounding haha. I do have the tape and walkie-talkies though.

 

[Dave88LX]

Work fast, before the sheetrock goes up and you won't need to fish diddly squat. Personally, I'd pull one side of the insulation in the bay I was working in, drill down, run the cable and just staple the side of the insulation I pulled. While you're at it, you might want to include alarm wiring while the walls are open.

Ah, sorry to mislead. These are old pictures. Walls are already closed up.

I was just posting the insides of the walls of where I was going to wire. No obstructions, everything looks standard. I wanted to run wiring or have them run wiring while the walls were open but they were not willing to budge.

 

[awsum140]

I've never run into disturbing the insulation much using an electricians fish tape. The trick is to tape the hook end so it can't grab the loose insulation. The same is true when pulling the wire back down, but with the walls still open on the inside you wouldn't have to fish anything at all.

 

[blake]

Work fast, before the sheetrock goes up and you won't need to fish diddly squat. Personally, I'd pull one side of the insulation in the bay I was working in, drill down, run the cable and just staple the side of the insulation I pulled. While you're at it, you might want to include alarm wiring while the walls are open.

I agree. While the walls are open, pull everything you can. Even if your going to Install a hybrid system, wired sensors to wireless are easy and second cheapest to full wired system.

 

[awsum140]

If you really want to future and fool proof, consider using flexible 1/2" PVC electrical conduit in the walls, especially since they're open and give easy access right now. With that adding or replacing cables is a simple job that will go very smoothly. Trust me, things go wrong all the time...Murphy is a regular visitor.

 

[Dave88LX]

I hear you...I wish the walls were still opened up.

 

[awsum140]

Oh well, too late now from the sound of it.

 

[guykuo]

I'll try to illustrate to make clearer...

 

[blake]

If you think you're going to be pulling more wires behind the sheetrock, pick you up a Magnepull XP-1000LC kit. Makes pulling wire in and thru walls a breeze. Tie your wire to magnet, drop inside the wall. Take magnetic roller, place where you dropped wire magnet in wall. Once the two are connected, just roll the roller down the wall to your opening and done.

 

[Dave88LX]

That is awesome @blake. I'll try conventional means but I may end up needing a new toy, especially when I get out to the garage. Thanks for posting that.

Just noticed this while reading:

* Note*** Designed for Professionals only, not designed for DIY applications. Do not use this at home

 

[tangent]

Ah, sorry to mislead. These are old pictures. Walls are already closed up.

I was just posting the insides of the walls of where I was going to wire. No obstructions, everything looks standard. I wanted to run wiring or have them run wiring while the walls were open but they were not willing to budge.

So at this point is the house fully finished / Are the builders completely done? Is the basement unfinished? Have you moved in?

I felt like it was a stupid question when I was typing it, but I'm glad that I asked! It sounds like I should just be able to just come out through the outermost floor joist (what the heck is that one called?), or on the front of the house, through the rim/band joist.

I'll need to do some digging on how to fish up through a sill plate and inside a wall, to a hole in the outside wall. PITA being full of insulation.

Lets take a step back. Can you post some more pictures of the current state of the house and locations you are thinking about putting cameras?

As far as placement for LPR, give this a read: Camera Configuration — openalpr 2.5.103 documentation

When setting up your camera, try to capture the license plate at as direct an angle as possible. Accuracy degrades beyond a 30-degree horizontal or vertical angle. If possible mount the camera high enough and angled slightly downward so as to avoid direct headlight/taillight glare.

You'll also want to consider whether vehicles parked in the street will block your view.

 

[blake]

That is awesome @blake. I'll try conventional means but I may end up needing a new toy, especially when I get out to the garage. Thanks for posting that.

Yes it is. Those of us that do this for a living have to find ways to work smarter. Anything that is useful and saves time is worth a try.

 

[Dave88LX]

So at this point is the house fully finished / Are the builders completely done? Is the basement unfinished? Have you moved in?

Lets take a step back. Can you post some more pictures of the current state of the house and locations you are thinking about putting cameras?

As far as placement for LPR, give this a read: Camera Configuration — openalpr 2.5.103 documentation

You'll also want to consider whether vehicles parked in the street will block your view.

Yeah the house is fully finished at this point, builders are long gone now.
Basement is unfinished, I have access to everything from below.
I've moved in (4 years ago haha).

Good questions -- to save retyping things, I'll just link my previous threads if you don't mind. (I need to go re-read them all myself to remind myself what I bought for where).

I split the different camera angles up into separate threads, otherwise I noticed they tend to get very mixed up and confusing with too much going on.

License Plates:
Catching license plates in this scenario (pics included)

Front Door:
Front door, flat house, vinyl siding ideas? (pics)

Driveway:
Driveway camera coverage and lighting (pics)

 

[tangent]

Yeah the house is fully finished at this point, builders are long gone now.
Basement is unfinished, I have access to everything from below.
I've moved in (4 years ago haha).

Good questions -- to save retyping things, I'll just link my previous threads if you don't mind. (I need to go re-read them all myself to remind myself what I bought for where).

I split the different camera angles up into separate threads, otherwise I noticed they tend to get very mixed up and confusing with too much going on.

License Plates:
Catching license plates in this scenario (pics included)

Front Door:
Front door, flat house, vinyl siding ideas? (pics)

Driveway:
Driveway camera coverage and lighting (pics)

Have you installed any of your cameras yet?

 

[Dave88LX]

Have you installed any of your cameras yet?

Not yet. I had a bigger plan for where I was going to mount my NVR, but that plan got shot full of holes, so I'm just getting things set up semi-permanently now. I've had the stuff sitting around too long. Just fired up the NVR, but my monitor is on my mining rig now, so I need to pick up another monitor.

Probably won't get around to it until this weekend, installing a camera.

 

[tangent]

Not yet. I had a bigger plan for where I was going to mount my NVR, but that plan got shot full of holes, so I'm just getting things set up semi-permanently now. I've had the stuff sitting around too long. Just fired up the NVR, but my monitor is on my mining rig now, so I need to pick up another monitor.

Probably won't get around to it until this weekend, installing a camera.

An unfinished basement seems like an obvious location for networking and equipment and an NVR / PC running VMS software.

It's not that hard to get cables from the basement to the second story if needed. Just figure out where walls line up between levels, and cut holes in the wall in locations like the inside of a closet so you can drill holes and a do a drywall patch with high WAF.

RE: your LPR cameras, I would mount them to some part of the garage. You'll get better angles to the plate, it will look better, and the install should be easier. Mounting to the 1st story garage soffits in these locations will be fine, you end up with a small vertical angle at these distances and you're high enough to see over parked cars and avoid headlight glare.

Some options:

 

[Dave88LX]

Haha found my ugly yard.

So I was playing with IPVM (before) and came up with these locations for the street by putting in the values for the cameras I was using, with the hopes of getting the best coverage on the street. I'll check out your locations (temp, cam on a stick) as well and see how things look, once I start putting cameras outside.

The FOV of the locations I initially had I thought gave me the best chance of snagging plates/time in the frame. I could be way off though. Adjustments/testing obviously will be necessary.

 

[CCTVCam]

I've got one of these (home user) - mines a 2-22DRE (had it many years), this seems to be the closest: GSB 21-2 RE Professional

They go through concrete and masonry like butter due to energy levels approaching that of a 6kg drill.

If you're a pro and drilling concrete constantly, then you probably want a 6kg demolition style hammer. But for an all round drill with very high impact energy and fast drilling, these are hard to beat. I'd estimate it will go through masonry probably 10 times as fast as my Makita Cordless Hammer drill. What takes tens of seconds in the Makita takes 3 or 4 secs with the 2-22DRE.

As for sealing holes in concrete, not a pro, but I just use cement for the various cables I have around the house. Silicones only last a few years before shrinking and cracking. You can buy a mortar gun to inject cement into smaller holes. I have a roughneck one. Far from perfect in operation - tends to squeeze the moisture out so the last few inches of cement have to be thrown out as they become too solid. That said, it does the job well enough idf you accept you're unlikely to get out everything you put in.

 

[Dave88LX]

Thanks @CCTVCam. Going to try and run it out of the siding and see if I can work it that route. If I end up needing to go through the foundation wall, I'll take a look at some new equipment!

 

[Dave88LX]

So I got lots of good information, but still wondering exactly how to seal up the holes in vinyl siding/house sheathing.

Can any anyone give a rundown on exactly how one of these vinyl siding mounting blocks will be installed?
Builders Edge 6.625 in. x 6.625 #001 White Triple 3-Surface Universal Mounting Block-130110007001 - The Home Depot

Also, using the Dahua PFA137 mounts on top of those blocks. I'm looking to find out exactly what is sealed where, and what hardware should be used to attach to the house. Thanks!