Trouble fishing cat6 cables

GaretJax

Getting the hang of it
Feb 16, 2015
104
7
Hello all,

Does anyone know of a pin hole camera that I can use to see what is inside a wall? I am constantly catching on something and am not sure what it is?

I am trying to use the "tunnel" that my HVAC return uses since it connects the attic to the basement and is a great conduit to run the cable. Besides that, my electrician used the same tunnel to run speaker wire.

Thanks.
 
c6884b00434501b29ad670a1c94797e1.jpg

Amazon. There are many lengths and makers. This one is wireless to an iPhone. Just got it so haven't used it for wiring yet, but I know it will work for me. Prices are good too.


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I bought THIS a while back and it works OK. The biggest issue is that it is not rigid, so if you are fishing anywhere except straight down, you need to tape it to a metal coat hanger or similar.
 
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I just sent mine back. Same brand. But it was blurry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
There are a bunch of USB endoscope style cams. Different models have different focal lengths. I've been meaning to buy one but thus far have gotten by stuffing old cell phones partially in the wall and looking at the screen.
 

Well I have some great news. I was able to use the camera to find the choke point. Without the camera I wouldn't have been able to do it. I used the camera 4 different ways:

1) Attached the camera to 10 feet of CPVC and used the piping to get the camera from the basement upto the 2nd story sub-floor. It proved to me that was where a choke point and it allowed me to find it.
2) I drilled a pilot hole in the drywall and used the camera to pin point the segment where the fish was. This allowed me to cut a small hole in the drywall and minimize the damage.
3) There was another level that needed to be drilled in addition to the sub floor. It was about a foot beneath the sub floor. Without the camera I wouldn't have been able to see it.
4) I used the camera as my eyes for the second drilling. Without I would have literally been blind.

Without it, I couldn't have done what I did.
 
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c6884b00434501b29ad670a1c94797e1.jpg

Amazon. There are many lengths and makers. This one is wireless to an iPhone. Just got it so haven't used it for wiring yet, but I know it will work for me. Prices are good too.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Thanks a lot for the suggestion.
 
I used it again to create a hook grabber thingy. I tape a curled hanger and the camera to the end of a 10 foot PVC pipe and went into a finished wall to find the other end of a fish line. It was 8 feet or so away from the small entry point I created (1.25 inch in diameter). Couldn't have done it without the camera or without creating a much bigger hole.

I have now invested in a fish n pull to make it even easier. Between the camera, the fluorescent fish line, the fish n pull and good old fashion ingenuity, I think I can fish lines to most places in my house.
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.