Tricks to snake RG6 in finished house. And should I jump ship?

[rerod]

Hi. New here.

I want to install coax in my 70's home for my dish. I already have a setup with RG59. But want to upgrade for HDTV in the future.

My Satellite guy will sell my the cable and inform me how many cables to run. But Im doing the work. I ran the RG59 on the outside of my home in areas which will be covered by the vinyl siding I will install. But while looking at installing the RG6. I noticed the city somehow ran a water meter cable through my finished duct chase in the basement to the outside wall for the remote read. If I can do the same. It will save me from running the new cable in a routered groove on the outside before the new siding. Problem is I need to pull or push down this chase. Then jump up into a joist space and make a left. I have seen fiberglass pole system which are used to push and pull wire. Is this what the city guys did? I would need two snakes and push from both ends and somehow hook together where I need to go down the joist space. Can anyone recommend this super snake?

And one other thing. Even my satellite guy shakes his head in disgust when I ask him why the dish companies ream there long time customers with hardware upgrade fees. Yet offer new customers great deals for the latest stuff. Im very tempted to drop my provider and pickup another just for the freebies. He agreed because he said dropping your current provider and then calling back a month later as a new customer wont work. You have to be gone for 3 years to be a new customer. What would you do? I dont feel like paying $400 + for the new 1000.

Thanks

 

[bhelms]

First -Welcome! If the duct you're talking about is a forced air duct you'll need to use plenum-rated cable to sustain the hot air. It exists in RG-6 but it's more expensive. (Probably not necessary for a return duct - check with your local code folks.)

I have used fiberglass rods to fish in closed areas. These rods have a hole or loop on the tip (many possible configurations available, or contrive your own). If the only way you can stretch the distance is to have rods that meet in the middle (either due to length or a bend), one trick is to thread a string in one rod loosely through its loop and tie a magnet firmly to the end of the string. Tape a piece of steel firmly on the tip of the other rod (or the rod's tip may be enough). Push both rods into the space and manipulate them until the magnet meets the steel, then use that second rod to pull the string the whole way out of that rod's end. The string then of course pulls the cable(s). Size/contrive to match your situation.

EDIT: Another thought, use the water meter's wire to pull a string back through the space then use the string to pull the meter wire and your cable(s) through! The water authority guys won't like that, so don't say I recommended it...!

Re: equipment upgrade fees, well, IMHO, you gotta pay to play! You'll see a lot of debate on this issue in these threads. I'm not sure what you mean about $400 for the 1000. You can lease a ViP622 HD DVR from E* with 2 set capability for $299 right now and that should include everything you need to get the programming you sub. to which depending on your location will include the D1000 and accessories. When you look at what you'll be paying in the long term for your programming and related fees (probably at least $60/mo.) then that $299 up front is not much more. Just one man's opinion, it's debatable, and YMMV. I'm not exactly sure what D* offers. The packages and incentives change frequently. Wait a month or two and see what happens...

Good luck with it and let us know how you make out with the fishing expedition...!

 

[rerod]

Thanks. Good idea there.

That reminds me that I have a fiberglass chimney pole kit. But where would I find the real thing? I called the rental places and they didnt have a clue. And it need a rounded tip to skip over 2x4's.

Im not installing it in the duct. Next to it in the drywall chase.

Thought about the water cable. They wont know.. But its only 1/2 the way I need.

The $400 plus is 2 hrs of labor added.

And if I call the 'other guy'. Im sure it would be allot less $. Except the 'other guy' need two dishes and 3 rg6's. Hey. Whats to stop me from jumping back and forth every 3 years just to get the latest hardware without paying the upgrade fee? Im I missing something here? Or about to be banned?

 

[Claude Greiner]

Its really no big deal. My old house was built in 1941 and all the walls where wet plaster. Needless to say I had cables fished down every wall in that house!

There are 2 factors to correctly pre-wiring a house...

A) Do you have insulated walls?

B) Do you have a cold air return, or somehow to get cables to the attic?

The first floor outlets are pretty easy, simply go to Home Depot and get those old work plastic boxes. Cut the hole out in the drywall and get a flex drill bit to drill into the basement.

The second floor is easy also, but the key is getting the cables in the attic. Pretty much cut the box in the wall, locate the spot in the attic and drill through the plate.

Again, usually to get the cables to the attic, a simple cold air return does the trick, or sometimes you'll get luckey and find an I beam, or enough space around a vent pipe.

Finally, try to locate your outlets on interior walls than exterior walls. Exterior walls are harder to fish due to insulation, and fire stops and sometimes its harder to get access to the inside of the wall through a basement or attic depending on how your home was constructed.

 

[Claude Greiner]

As far as rods to fish the cable, Home Depot does sell Fiberglass Glo Rods. But in all honestly, anything will work. I have used broom sticks, copper pipe, and even cloths hangers!

The fiberglass rods are generally used for when you work with a tight space like between a wall.

 

[meldar_b]

I use straighted out cloths hangers to fish my cables through the floor/wall's works pretty good. also having a extra helping hand on the other side works wonders too

 

[rerod]

Thanks.

Yes I have 4" insulated walls and Im in cold & hot Iowa. Single story split foyer with basement.

I dont have any duct work going to the attic. But I think I can pull through the B vent chase maybe. The only thing hooked to the B vent doublewall pipe is a water heater. No furnace so it wont get to warm on the outside.

I already have a few coax outlets in the TV/ livingroom area with rg59 and I dont want to take the chance of disturbing the insulation rewiring them from above. So I either need to drill the bottom plate in the wall for one, or come in from the outside. It all depends if I can get through the god forsaken areas. Mainly the basement ductwork chase built from 2x4's covered with drywall for about 5 feet. Then up into a joist space and over about 10 feet. It will be fun. And into a addition TV room area which has a unfinished ceiling thank god.

Thing is ,I need 3 coax cables for Direct over the 2 for Dish. Running 3 on the outside routered into my plywood siding may be more challanging than one rg59. So Im pushing for inside.

How sharp can you bend copper wire (Belden 7915A) Coax? Does it ruin it to bend it tight which I would need to do if running on the exterior?

 

[VIPERS-PIT]

The rods can be picked up at Lowes. They work beter than fishtape. Lowes also caries 4 and 6 foot flex bits to drill at crazy angles into walls. They work well, but do not run them to fast thet they become over heated, as this will warp them.Sorry I tried to look them up online. Got into lowes and ask for the section with the klein tools, they will both be in that area. The rods are red/orange and will be in a plastic tube standding upright. the drill bits are also standding upright but are not in any casing.hope it helps.

 

[VIPERS-PIT]

Thanks.

Yes I have 4" insulated walls and Im in cold & hot Iowa. Single story split foyer with basement.

I dont have any duct work going to the attic. But I think I can pull through the B vent chase maybe. The only thing hooked to the B vent doublewall pipe is a water heater. No furnace so it wont get to warm on the outside.

I already have a few coax outlets in the TV/ livingroom area with rg59 and I dont want to take the chance of disturbing the insulation rewiring them from above. So I either need to drill the bottom plate in the wall for one, or come in from the outside. It all depends if I can get through the god forsaken areas. Mainly the basement ductwork chase built from 2x4's covered with drywall for about 5 feet. Then up into a joist space and over about 10 feet. It will be fun. And into a addition TV room area which has a unfinished ceiling thank god.

Thing is ,I need 3 coax cables for Direct over the 2 for Dish. Running 3 on the outside routered into my plywood siding may be more challanging than one rg59. So Im pushing for inside.

How sharp can you bend copper wire (Belden 7915A) Coax? Does it ruin it to bend it tight which I would need to do if running on the exterior?

Do not pinch the wire but a tight 90 degree angle is fine. I wouldn't do anything less than a 4 inch radis bend.

 

[rerod]

Thanks. I wont need to bend the coax tight is I can run it inside. Not sure about the flex bits cuz I have to drill through a floor joist at a angle and then the floor & double plate. Prolly 8" of wood!

I fished a wire through my worst area with the chimney cleaning poles. Not a big deal. But drilling up to and through the bottom plate under the coax wall outlet has me concerned. I cant get directly under the bottom plate since its for a gable end wall and the last joist is in the way. I will have to drill at a 30 degree angle starting in the side of this last joist to end up in the wall cavity above. And Im also worried high voltage wires 'might' be on the, or under the bottom plate. I need to remove the old coax box so I can see and reach the bottom plate. And then replace the box with a larger for at least 3 connections. Can anyone recommend a remodel coax box kit?

One other question.. The joist space I ran through has 110 high voltage wires in it as well. The coax wont run right next to it. But it could cross it maybe. Will I have a problem with interference? Do I need to pull the coax through a space with out any high voltage wires?

 

[webbydude]

If your coax is going to be near 110, keep parallel runs to a minimum. A few feet maximum. It's alright if the paths cross perpendicularly. Theoritically, coax is an insulated cable, correct? With that in mind you shouldn't have too many problems. Higher voltages (anything above 220) can give problems. The EMF can be strong enough to penetrate the insulation and create some funky things.

 

[rerod]

Theoritically, coax is an insulated cable, correct? With that in mind you shouldn't have too many problems. Higher voltages (anything above 220) can give problems. The EMF can be strong enough to penetrate the insulation and create some funky things.

Theoretically..
Im sure I can run it down another joist space further down. I think.. It will be more of a challenge being further though. Second heat run for the addition.

Im more concerned with drilling up a joist and through the bottom plate right now. Iv heard some horror stories and dont need to fix anything with the squeduale Im on.

Thanks

 

[VIPERS-PIT]

You will be fine. I have fished coax in walls with 100 thousands of times with zero issues. Try to find a hole hog drill and a good 1/2 inch wood (not paddle type) bit at least 16 inches long to drill that hole. Should be able to rent that drill (electricians use them all the time.

 

[rerod]

After a few days of cursing and cobwebs I have finally fished rg59 through the interior of my home.
Satellite on & into Chimney through attic, down conduit to furnace room, and then through duct chase to TV room. And one run down a insulated wall between the vapor barrier and drywall. All concealed. I will use the 59 until I can get my hands on some good coax and then pull 3 with phone wire. But the worst has been pulled. Thanks everyone.

I do have another question though and will start another topic.

Mike