In-Wall Network Wiring

[imported_Paladin]

My impression is that Optical is the Network Guy, salaried. They are wanting him to do a smallish job on the side, related to his present job, rather than pay anyone. He is trying to get a feel for what is being asked of him.

If it is a small (less than 20 positions) job and there are no problems then he can do it. Where the Pro is needed is when a problem occurs that needs to be worked around. Murphy was an optimist -- even things that can't possibly go wrong will go wrong.

I do wire. If there is no path for the wire I use an electrician to place a conduit -- I do not have the tools required to place conduit and it is not worth buying such for the occassional job. IF he has easy pulls in existing pipes from each location to the equipment room he can consider the job further.

 

[imported_Paladin]

Originally posted by: Optical....Who knows I may end up learning this and this for a living if it so profitable!

There is competition, so it is not obscenely profitable. You need experience to see the potential snags so as to not underbid a job and end up working at a loss. If you were to get into this business you would have to journeyman for a few years under a master. It is a fun job, and one that cannot be outsourced to India. (A master tech is one who has no one with more knowledge and experience to turn to when he hits a new snag.)

 

[TwoBills]

I rarely use existing conduents for phone drops. I always drill the top plate, wood or metal (3/4" hole in the metal, to allow for the bushing), and drop the cable in. If you picked your spot properly then you can simply cut the jack hole and fish out the wire. But, fireblocks, insulation, medicine cabinets, other cables, and a variety of other things can ruin your day. That where the experience comes in. When plan A doesn't work, well, you've already got the holes in there, so you better be able to come up with plans B - X.

You don't need many tools, but you need the right ones and w/o the experience how do you know what those are? A mental inventory of my kit and I come up with: 1/2" x 18v Mikita w/spare bat and charger, a couple of cheap screwguns, butt set, T-18 and T25 staple guns, vom (pretty old and beat), hammer, drive pin tool, various chisels, 7/8" rotary hammer, a couple of screwdrivers, stake on tool, sheet rock knife, punchdown tool, multipurpose crimp tool, small bolt cutter, channel locks, small vise grips, small cresant wrench, tone generator/pu amp, hacksaw, canvas pocket pouch, measuring tape, a small green tackle box that holds bits, screws hole saws, anchors, resistors, diodes, caps, just a variety of small, invaluable stuff that's proven to be handy over the years, several lengths and widths of fish tapes (throw the reel away), a couple of 6', 4', 2', and 1' versibits, 4' rotary stone (to keep the bits sharp) small vacuum cleaner, and last but not least: 5" diagonals and a small (1/8"x 6") screwdriver (this does 80% of the work). These tools arn't used on every job, but when you need 'em, you need 'em. Just to give you an idea.

If I were you I would avoid this job. If you do decide to take it, just a few suggestions: 1st day tools, a tablet and a pencil/pen. Plan the whole job. Visualize every wire run, the entire wire run. Map it, draw it, get it straight in your head. When you come across a spot that looks easy, don't just say "nothin' to it" and move on. Look at it again. Really look at it, because at the end of the day these are the spots that'll bite you in the a**. You should have the whole job "finished", in your head, before the 1st tool is even on the job.

Time estimate: 4 hours per jack should cover it + another day or two in the "control room". Good rule of thumb: estimate your best time, then triple it. Never fails.

BTW Scott, the term is wire monkey, not wire geek.

 

[imported_Paladin]

I do installation and maintainance, long term. If my installation fails ten years later I am the one who has to fix it. If the requirements change I am the one who has to upgrade the wiring. I require conduit to both protect the wire and to allow easy repair/upgrade. Your milage may vary.

The installer can work with or without conduit. The owner can save money now by not using conduit and pay much more later when the wiring fails or needs upgrading. Or he can spend a little more for the conduit and not worry about having to open walls/ceilings/floors from the jack to the terminal room to upgrade/repair. Assuming you plan to stick around in that location. It's your call.

 

[TwoBills]

Jeez, Paladin, I wasn't dissin' conduit, I was just pointing out an alternative method.

I, too, do installation, maintenance, and service of all of my systems and am considered a master in my field. The method I've discribed is perfectly acceptable, if properly done.

I was just picturing the mess, approaching total destruction, when a newbie, or anyone else for that matter, installs conduit into existing walls. If the conduit is already there, then by all means, use the existing wire as a pull wire and yank some fresh cat5 down it. But if there's no existing conduit, well............ the wirings NOT going to fail or resist an easy upgrade.

BTW after 10 years you should be able to charge for a service call to fix any problems, which are almost always caused by new construction anyway.

 

[imported_Paladin]

Sorry, I saw "I rarely use existing conduents for phone drops" and took that to mean you prefered to bypass the conduits. I am "in house" as is, from my reading, Optical. I don't get to charge for service calls. Like I said, I don't place conduits -- that's what the electircal contractors are for.

In an office situation, for a novice/apprentice the only alternative to using existing conduits should be watching/aiding a journeyman. Except for endless options depending on the individual site. Optical hasn't described the office where he is thinking about wiring, other than it is "small." (which can be anywhere from 5 to 50 positions.) As someone else brought up, outisde of an existing conduit from an existing jack location to the terminal/telephone room you start running into building codes -- which vary by city.

 

[TwoBills]

In house, huh. Is that you, Charlie? I started out in house a lifetime ago. Being young and dumb, I went into "private industry". Talk about the school of hard knocks.

The reason I "rarely use existing conduit" is because the customer always seems to want the jack(s) on the opposite side of the office/room. Murphy, ya know.

I'm mostly residental/small commercial security/phone systems nowadays. Little bit of video and access. Still carrying the bic w/solder and tape around it. Kinda my trademark. Never bought into the beanies the phone company cast off on us, so many years ago. They always seem to be at the other end of a swinger.

Anyway you look at it the op is going to be in to it up to his neck. No way he's going to get a clean, tight job. He just doesn't have the stick time. Course, if he's got conduit lined walls, with back boxes already in place, he just might pull it off.