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Framing done, now the electrician.

 
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WanMan




Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10273



PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 9:56 am    Post subject: Framing done, now the electrician. Reply with quote


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Ok, the basement framing is complete. Unless I should be looking at some specialty framing that would get in the way of electrical, I can now call in an electrician.

The baseline is to simply wire outlets in frequency per code and for 15-Amp circuits. This includes basic ceiling lighting boxes. Beyond this I need to insure necessary wiring is done in case I sell this home and need to offer the buyer an option to take the HT room and create a bedroom out of it. This baseline includes a wet-bar/kitchenette location and full-bath.

Beyond the baseline will include some 20-Amp isolated circuits for the HT (AV equipment), for the wet-bar/kitchenette area, and a bunch of canned lighting boxes placed in the framed soffits. All of this will be wired to a planned sub-panel that will tie into the main panel (also in basement), which will allow me to shut-down without affecting the upper floors when needed.

What I'd like to hear about are those things I have not planned for that others ran into that might be worth considering. I already planned on fixture-less electrical boxed in the ceiling that may not be initially used, but needed for when I sell this house.

Any items I should consider?

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Clarence




Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 3792
Location: Smith Mtn Lake, VA


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Separate lighting zones... make sure that the recessed cans nearest the screen are independently dimmable from the lights above the seats. I actually use 6 zones, but 2 will be sufficient for most rooms.

Did you run 1.5" PVC from your equipment rack to your ceiling mount location to use as a cable conduit?
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JustGreg




Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 3098
Location: Kenosha, WI


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 3:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Clarence wrote:
Separate lighting zones... make sure that the recessed cans nearest the screen are independently dimmable from the lights above the seats. I actually use 6 zones, but 2 will be sufficient for most rooms.

Did you run 1.5" PVC from your equipment rack to your ceiling mount location to use as a cable conduit?

Sounds like you're off and running WM! Congrats. Thumbs Up I have three zones even in my smallish HT (20x16) and would 'like' one more for riser accent/safety lighting. I could steal one from the EXIT sign I suppose.

One thing I didn't do was install PVC wire chases as Clarence suggests. I wish I had known better. What I DID do during framing install carpenters nylon twine through holes bored in the studs. Not as slick as PVC pipe but functional. When I need to pull a cable/wire I pull another length of the twine along with it so there's always one in there.

Did you do any kind of decoupling when framing out? I would have if I had been around the forums longer but I didn't know any better. It gets a tad boomy upstairs without it in my house. I think the biggest reason for that is I have two runs of HVAC duct for cold air return and feed (10x16-ish) boxed in over the screen wall (it runs the entire width of that end of the room). With one sub underneath the screen and the mains to each side and no insulation in the boxed duct work it's very loud upstairs.
I put some thought into insulating the ductwork while framing but adding enough to make any kind of appreciable difference would have reduced the overhead by another 3 inches. I wasn't quite sure where the screen would have ended up at that point so discarded the idea and hoped 3/4" drywall would reduce resonance enough to make it acceptable. I can always tear it all down and fix it, or cheep out and blow in some insulation. <shudder>.

Hopefully you're taking pix as you go along. I really enjoy watching people's projects come together.

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Greg

"Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don't know and I don't care!" --Jimmy Buffett
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JustGreg




Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 3098
Location: Kenosha, WI


PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just curious WM, do you plan to install the can lights and branch wiring yourself? I did all of mine and had an electrician come in and check it out. The only thing I didn't do was tie in the sub panel to the main. I had the subpanel all wired and he checked it all out good.
He DID tear out this octopus of junction boxes I that kind of grew out of desperation when I got to the zone lighting. The look on his face was priceless when he looked at it. Mr. Green His softly spoken words were..."What the f*ck????". Laughing He tried to save face for me by saying that in theory it would work, but as far as code goes, it wouldn't fly. It looked like Crazy Doc's flux capacitor wiring. <wiping a tear> Too funny.

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Greg

"Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don't know and I don't care!" --Jimmy Buffett
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WanMan




Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10273



PostLink    Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey Clarence, I had totally forgot about the PVC pipe as conduit from CRT mount location to equipment location. The joist cavity will support very large pipe (bigger than the sewer drain leaving the house). Very Happy

Zone lighting. That is a non-baseline thing I really need to think more about. Greg, I am being lazy by having someone else do it. Of course, I could probably pay the electrician to install the sub-panel, run the baseline wiring, and then come back in after him for the specialty wiring, especially since I was going to be running speaker, amp, low-voltage, etc. wiring myself.

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JustGreg




Joined: 07 Mar 2006
Posts: 3098
Location: Kenosha, WI


PostLink    Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm fairly pleased with the X10 wireless dimmers I installed to replace the slider switches. Although they (the old sliders) were advertised as not producing significant RF interference methinks they lied. Alot of noise went away (at the pj) when I got rid of them. Granted, the X10's are a po' mans solution, but they work extremely well and the wireless control pads mount with double sided tape so there are no mounting limitations (other than trying to stick them to fabric wall treatments I suppose).

It's all about the individuals budget. If the money is there to let somebody else handle all the grunt wiring all the better I say. I could have had someone do mine (barely in the budget) but I actually wanted to take it on. (bragging rights dontchyaknow). Mr. Green

At least the one fire hazard I built was taken out and done correctly... because as we all know, never yell Theater in a crowded FireHouse.....or something like that. Wink

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Greg

"Is it ignorance or apathy? Hey, I don't know and I don't care!" --Jimmy Buffett
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perisoft




Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 2920
Location: Ithaca, NY


PostLink    Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

JustGreg wrote:


At least the one fire hazard I built was taken out and done correctly... because as we all know, never yell Theater in a crowded FireHouse.....or something like that. Wink


Bwahahahah! Thumbs Up

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nomadII




Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 252



PostLink    Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am at the same stage.


My HT is in a seperate structure from the house. It was formerly a photography studio.

Looking at a Cutler Hammer CH series Loadcenters/ Breaker Box.
The CH series use copper bus bars.

Existing wiring sux & must all be redone.

My friend that runs a large commercial electrical contracting company surveyed my situation & laughed and then said "this is unsafe let me send someone out before you kill yourself".

Got to love friends!!
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dbaisey




Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 821
Location: Southern Cal LA / Seattle WA


PostLink    Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Other then sitting down to think it out for LV you might want to think about where you will need backing for mounting things. Also if your going to do any in-wall speakers. Check the framing for being plumb across doorways and setting stud trimmers on the hinge side before drywall. In the future if going digital put backing in if extra throw is needed with conduit and power.

Lighted posters? Shakers? Wired smoke detectors. A video feed for the bathroom with phone. Intercom? Motion detector for front door camera w/PNP or monitor, led for phone call coming in. Detached anything may need a raceway and or sub panel. Ventilation or roll out rack space for access with service lighting. Last sound proofing. I would allow for zone lighting, might not need it now but its a biggie. Doug
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