Suggestions for running wire through existing walls?

[quakerboy]

Other than "your crazy, dont do it", of course.

I want to install some of the handy, cheaply had LED strip lights. But I dont want wires running all over hell and gone. Which means I need some way to run a wire about 6 feet up a wall, and then 2 feet across to the center of the ceiling.

To make it extra fun, the up the wall part is a shared wall, which means extra insulation and whatnot.

Any suggestions welcome.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

1. Get a fish tape.

You will still have to cot and patch a few small holes but what you want to do is not that hard.

[quakerboy]

10. Are those rigid enough yet flexible enough to do the job?

There are two parts to this.. first, the extra insulation will make it hard to move anything thats not fairly rigid inside the wall. And possibly the ceiling, not sure of that yet. Then there is the corner. 2 feet west, horizontal, turn 90 degrees, then 6 feet down vertical. Hopefully with as few holes as possible.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

11. Yes. They also have drill bits to go around corners but based on what I've seen here

Hire a professional. You do not have the skill set or the equipment to do this. Let some one who knows what they are doing do this for you.

[Scuba]

2. Two words: Trained mouse.

[quakerboy]

9. We had a possum in the walls for a while

But that made an aweful stink when he died. I'd imagine the mouse wouldn't be as smelly, but still.. these walls have plenty o bones already.

[intaglio]

3. What gauge cable?

If the lights are 12v run from a transformer then chase out a 1/8th deep channel with an electric chasing saw (a small 125mm/4" dia circular saw that cuts shallow grooves) - avoid nails. Then fill over the top with any filler.

If you need to use full size cable then check the width and depth you might be able to get away with cutting a couple of parallel slots with the chaser and removing any infill

[X_Digger]

4. First step, figure out which way your ceiling joists run and what are they..

Is this a one-story house, or is this the top story with an attic above? Can you get to the location of the ceiling box from the attic?

Do you have engineered trusses for ceilings? If so, that provides a lot of open space for running wires.



If not, are the joists parallel or perpendicular along the run you plan? If perpendicular, can you pick another starting destination that's parallel? I'd want to minimize the number of drywall holes you have to patch, and getting a straight shot up the wall and to the ceiling would be my goal.

I've done something similar, running new outlets above cabinets to accommodate LED rope light, and I've done something similar to run network cables. Luckily for me, I have ceiling trusses, which means plenty of room to run cables and whatnot.

At a minimum, sounds like you're going to have to cut a hole in the wall to drill the hole in the top plate. The wire goes up from an existing switch or outlet, through the top plate into the ceiling cavity, and over to the new box.

For the ceiling fixture, you've got a few choices. If you can get to the area of the box from above (attic), you can nail in a new box, or put in a brace and a new box if the location is between joists. If the place where you want the fixture is between joists and you can't get to it from above (no attic), you can get a fan bracket that expands to grip the joists, and you can bolt the new box to the bracket.

You might be tempted to get one of those ceiling boxes that have little wings that grip the drywall- I recommend against it. *You* might always remember to never put a ceiling fan or heavy fixture in that spot, but the next homeowner certainly would have no idea about it.

[quakerboy]

7. In between first and second floor

There is some space in between, in theory. Only problem, i just realized the ceiling area is between my hallway and the floor of my neighbors closet. So.. im not sure whats up there in between.

The wire actually will need to go from an existing ceiling fixture, basically rerouting power from there to a strip of leds that will run below a railing, providing much better visibility in a dark stairway. I suppose I should pull down the fixture and see if theres anything to be seen above it.

That's a good thought on the ceiling box. Though, if anyone wanted to put a fan in that particular spot, they would deserve what they got. the entryway to a stairwell, small space, not at all a high ceiling.

[X_Digger]

8. That may make it a bit more difficult, if it's not a straight shot.

In theory, you'd want to run the new wire from the existing box to the new box- which is easy if they happen to be in the same pocket between joists and the joists run parallel between those two spots.

If they're perpendicular? That would mean knocking holes in the ceiling to drill holes to run the wires, or you could use conduit up next to the ceiling, or build a small bulkhead.

[ret5hd]

5. would something like this work?

note: only if you are using low voltage led's with a transformer.

http://www.21st-century-goods.com/categories/Flat-Wire/Flat-Wire/

on edit: you put it up on the outside of the wall then paint over it.

[quakerboy]

6. Well that is interesting

I wish I had more money, I would give it a try.

[Nac Mac Feegle]

12. there are products specially for this situation

They are pieces of fiberglass rod, six feet long with screw together ferrules on each end. You can get them at professional electrical supply sources, or network/computer supply places.

I've worked for a telecom installation business, and used them a lot. With a little practice, you can get wires into all sorts of places.