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Author Topic: Running wires through insulated walls?  (Read 4594 times)

Offline Czar

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Running wires through insulated walls?
« on: May 13, 2010, 03:19:08 PM »
Anyone have any luck/experience running wires through insulated walls? Fish tape? I've tried some copper wire with no luck but its wasn't the stiffest. Thoughts?

Offline Curse_desreveR

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #1 on: May 13, 2010, 03:35:00 PM »
Well Czar depending on what it is you are doing this for.  If you happen to have some lightweight chain or my personal favorite lead sinkers (fishing weights) they both work well.  The chain one takes a little more finesse.  If you got any questions you know where to find me.

Offline Czar

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #2 on: May 13, 2010, 03:38:12 PM »
I`m running some cat5 from my drop ceiling, down the wall, and out the bottom via a box with a connector plate on it. Trouble is, the wall is insulated and i'm having a hard time getting the stuff to go through.

Will lead sinkers go through the insulation though? I could grabs of those and attach it to what, fishing line?

Offline Curse_desreveR

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2010, 03:58:13 PM »
Ok this will make it nice and simple.  Pop the ceiling tile closet to the wall (I know duh).  Find where the insulation reaches the ceiling or find a spot that is between two pieces of insulation.  Take your cat5 cable and tie the lead sinker to it.  If you have got it behind you'll hear it fall down.  Once it is down pull the other end of the cable so you can hear where the line dropped.  If everything went right you should be right between those pieces of insulation again.  Now depending on how big your box is (insert pun here) you should be able to at least get a hand in there, might not be yours sausage fingers.  Now you will either need to find where the insulation meets the floor or the spot between the 2 pieces of insulation.  This can be a real easy job or one bitch of one.   Your best bet is to try to get behind that insulation but try it without first, if the sinker is heavy enough it should drop through that wonderful fluffy fiberglass.

Offline Czar

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #4 on: May 13, 2010, 04:00:32 PM »
I`ll swing by the local amish store tonight and pick up some lead sinkers yo. Thanks for the help. I promise not to whistle my S's next time you're on... IF THIS WORKS! BWAHAHHAHA

Offline Curse_desreveR

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #5 on: May 13, 2010, 04:03:46 PM »
If you aren't rushing and trying to do it right you should be fine.  But as with all small jobs they can turn into a nightmare.  Don't hesitate to go heavy with the sinker weight.

Offline Petch

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2010, 05:46:26 PM »
Fiberglass flex rods ftw!!!!  The lead sinkers are much more cost effective if you can get them to work though.

Offline vincegun

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #7 on: May 13, 2010, 06:33:35 PM »
Use a chainsaw. The end.
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Offline zx2slow

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #8 on: May 13, 2010, 06:57:27 PM »
Fish tape FTW.  They are dirt cheap at harbor freight.

Just jam it in hard*, you will know if you hit something solid.

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Offline VinACE85

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2010, 01:02:56 PM »
Glowrods are really what you want for this but yeah.
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Offline The Shoctor

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Re: Running wires through insulated walls?
« Reply #10 on: May 18, 2010, 08:43:13 PM »
I guess I will lend him my set of rods when he gets back.

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