ShockValue's New Home Build Log

S

ShockValue

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Aug 27, 2001
Messages
1,641
As requested in the gallery thread, here's an ongoing log of my house build as it pertains to networking type stuff. I'm going to add some extra photos and info just so you guys know what type/size/etc house all this is going into for some perspective.

House:
1700 square feet main level
1700 square feet daylight basement (to remain unfinished until needed)

Upstairs has Garage,Laundry,Kitchen,Dining,GreatRoom,MasterBed,MasterBath,BR1,BR2
Downstairs is mostly unfinished, but I've reserved a decent size chunk for my network junk :)

House will be wired with most rooms containing 2xMonoprice 8" speakers with the outside having Polk Axioms (x4) and the Greatroom having 5 Monoprice 8" and 1 12" powered subwoofer (DIY).

Here's about 4 months ago, putting our handprints in the slab:
3503640840_db3d06a196_o.jpg


3 Months ago, taking shape:
3502829787_39a0226a95_o.jpg


1 Month ago, not much has changed on the exterior since then except we have all our doors installed now:
3502829825_1be7a2e94a_o.jpg


EQUIPMENT (more added later)

Norco 4020 currently holding 5x 1.5TB drives + System drive. Being tested and built to be file server and MediaPortal server:
3502895869_65cc149fff_o.jpg


Cat6 12 port patch panel that I've "bridged" to be my phone distribution panel:
3502829947_29aa7e2fb5_o.jpg


Speakers (10 Pairs in all including outside, but not downstairs)
3502829973_c69c1661a2_o.jpg


Nuvo Control Panel and central hub (will be patched via Cat6, it takes standard 568a/b wiring)
3502830001_bd23ca7e95_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Here's the actual shots of the work I've done so far:

27x Cat6 runs for:
Network
Telephone
Nuvo Control Pads
"Future Stuff"

26x 14 Guage Speaker wire for:
distributed audio
garage door crap :)
doorbell crap :)

9x RG6 quad shield solid copper center for:
digital audio (sub and spdif)
I don't actually use RG6 at this time for video since it's all hooked up for MediaPortal HTPCs

Main run from the basement (will be terminated on a 42u Telecom Rack) to the attic from which it is distributed to each room from there:
3503640958_0c3244979d_o.jpg

3502829909_7c718892d7_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hey,
I am glad you posted a build thread. If you have any home structure related wiring questions, please ask! I consult for 2 AV install companies here in Oregon and have unlimited resources reguarding any tech questions you can not find online.

I do have one question, why did you not conduit the run from the basement to the attic? This will make any future upgrades, unexpected bad wire replacements, ect, much easier. This way you can also separate the speaker and cat6 wiring into separate conduits. I have wired 15 houses, ground up, only the last few using a conduit for the main attic/basement runs and thanked myself later when a wire tested bad.
Also! Make sure you install metal plates on the framing over ANY place a telcom/data/speaker wire runs so your sheet rockers don't run screws through your wiring!

You have done an excellent job so far!
 
I have 2" smurf tube that I plan on running in a couple different spots for "future" expansion/fixes. I'll get pictures of that once I get it up.

Funny you mention the metal plates, thats on my to-do list for this evening for both data and electrical wires. I guarentee I'm going to be sick of those things come this time tomorrow! :)
 
I'm liking the cat 6 patch panel for the phones... but am curious why did you opt not to use a 66 / 110 punchdown block for the phones?
 
I could have I guess, but I was trying to keep everything in the rack and off the walls. I'm still looking for an CATV rack mount distribution unit, so far all I have is a dumb little 4 way splitter.
 
Nice, that's the best time to do all of this. My next home will be a custom home so I have a chance to go wild with communications, I'm quite fedup with the "oh, the builder put 10 studs in place of 3 studs" surprises that I get once in a while.
 
Ockie said:
Nice, that's the best time to do all of this. My next home will be a custom home so I have a chance to go wild with communications, I'm quite fedup with the "oh, the builder put 10 studs in place of 3 studs" surprises that I get once in a while.
Click to expand...

My favorite is the random spacing with 2 braces mid way through the wall that have no point.
Then again my house was built in 1891. I should post the remodel I just did with full network/sound/ect wiring.
 
Cool stuff... I want to help build my own house someday.

Looking forward to the updates.
 
Heh, I actually did the same thing you did with the monoprice patch panel - I used some wire from ethernet to connect the terminals to make a phone splitter. It seems that you have the 12 port version - the same one I have!

darkmatter08.
 
Some miscelaneous parts for the buildout:
Media Center Remote
2' Cat6 patch cables (I got them in 4 different colors)
F-Type compression fittings for CATV
Cat6 RJ45 jacks
Wallplate with various keystone connectors
3506050449_3e1d5370e1_o.jpg
 
Some more shots for today.

I went around and installed about 100 anti-drywall-screw-plates this evening. My back hurts thinking about the 200 more I need.
3508913581_33f19f2585_o.jpg


My work upgraded their UPS's and let me have this one for cheap. I'm actually back-feeding this into my electrical panel so I can run things throughout the house if I needed too during an outage:
3509724282_a4a7ffceba_o.jpg


The Chatsworth 19" rack with the mess of wires I have to sort out:
3509724172_688164f7b5_o.jpg

3508913533_f2c415a50d_o.jpg
 
Must be such an awesome experience to 'play' with a project like this :)

How long do you expect that UPS to hold up? (In the uk we don't usually have much seperation between power distribution, usually just upstairs/downstairs which would probably kill a UPS in seconds :p)
 
I've got 2 of those series of UPS's at home. What VA is that one? Mine are both 2200VA. What exactly would you entend to run off that other then stuff in your rack? Might you have code issues with back feeding? I'd have to dig through my copy of the NEC, but I dont think you can backfeed with out a proper transfer switch and all.
 
This is a 2200VA unit as well. I do have a proper transfer switch at the panel thats being wired for both generator and this UPS. I consider this a "small perk" because I know it wouldn't power much, but it would run say, the fan on my woodburning stove for a few hours or the kick-lights in the stairs and hallway so I could see to move around. I've purposely segmented my circtuits pretty liberally so I can have finer control of what's being powered or not, but even where I have larger rooms on one circuit, I'll just have to make sure I have all the stuff turned off before backfeeding the panel :)

How well will this work? I don't know.. Never done it... But I figure for 1 more 12-3 romex run, it wouldn't be that hard to put it in :)
 
Sounds like you've got it pretty well planned out to me. Since Hurricane Ike hit the Houston area last year, I've been thinking real hard about a standby genset. Depending on the age of that UPS you might want to check the date codes on the batteries. Of the 2 I bought on Craigslist, one had a bad set of batteries. I've found a good source for replacements, just haven't had the need for the second unit yet.
 
Yeah, I've got a couple of old rackmount APC UPS's that probably have dead batteries in them in my garage. I'm planning on upgrading my entire electrical system in my home and probably will do the same thing. I've kicked around the idea of a completely separate circuit (likely with orange outlet cover plates and receptacles to distinguish them) for essential systems like clocks, cordless phone, etc...

Lookin' awesome! Makes me wish I had a basement!!
 
The Spyder said:
My favorite is the random spacing with 2 braces mid way through the wall that have no point.
Then again my house was built in 1891. I should post the remodel I just did with full network/sound/ect wiring.
Click to expand...

Please post it, I am excited to see it!
 
Sorry not too many updates in reguards to network for a while. Been busy getting the electrical done for the first inspection tomorrow. Anyway, here's a couple shots just to keep the thread alive:

Smurf tube condiut located close to the main runs for the "oh shit I forgot I needed that" moments:
3541771056_8c429951d0_o.jpg


Me (green shirt) working on a live panel trying not to shock the shit out of myself:
3540963995_e08577764a_o.jpg
 
How are you going to shock yourself when the covers still on the panel ;).

Are you wiring the house yourself?
 
Hehe, I guess I should have clarified that was me putting the cover back on after doing the work :)

I happen to have a friend who is an electrician by trade, so we did it together (AKA, he told me what to do and I did it :))
 
The first house I did really had me nervous, as we were just following a code book. After we met the inspector and his first words were compliments on how perfect our work was, it was easy sailing from there. Probably the most important thing he told us was to call him any time we had a question, its his job to make sure you have the correct answer.
 
Awesome work!! I'm probably gonna' run conduit myself in my house when I wire it for the very reason you stated. I just can't possibly anticipate what I'm going to need in a few years. Hell, we may all be upgrading to fiber optics in the next 5 years (well, it's my dream anyways)... Thanks again for sharing your project!!
 
The number of drops varies from room to room. At the very minimum each room has 2 Cat6 drops (1 for network, 1 for phone) and 1 RG6. The great room where the media center will be has more, 4 Cat6and 3 RG6. The RG6 is being used for digital audio streams only at the moment since the cable feed goes directly into the HTPC server in the basement.
 
ShockValue said:
The number of drops varies from room to room. At the very minimum each room has 2 Cat6 drops (1 for network, 1 for phone) and 1 RG6. The great room where the media center will be has more, 4 Cat6and 3 RG6. The RG6 is being used for digital audio streams only at the moment since the cable feed goes directly into the HTPC server in the basement.
Click to expand...

What is your HTPC setup like? I have always wanted to set one up. How do you have the cable feeds coming in?
 
The Spyder said:
The first house I did really had me nervous, as we were just following a code book. After we met the inspector and his first words were compliments on how perfect our work was, it was easy sailing from there. Probably the most important thing he told us was to call him any time we had a question, its his job to make sure you have the correct answer.
Click to expand...

Isn't that scary? I've done tons of electrical distribution and wiring work and every time I get compliments by the inspectors. When I made portable power distribution units for events, I was asked where did I buy it from because they want to recommend it to other people.

It's a good but scary feeling at the same time... because it makes you wonder what are some of the electricians doing.
 
Well we didn't pass our electrical inspection yesterday, but it was all stupid stuff that I forgot and not really the quality of work. Things like I labeled 1 of the circuits as a bedroom and got dinged for not having an arc-fault breaker, when in fact it was the hallway outside the bedroom which doesn't require one. Made me laugh though, because I got marked for not having any grounding rods. Which was strange, because if you just followed the big copper grounding wire outside the house, they were attached to the 2 very obvious rods (which were well over code requirements). I guess that's what happens when you can't be there to hold his hand when the inspection happens.

On the plus side, none of the data/speaker/etc wire (the stuff I did myself) got any comments at all.
 
Thall860 said:
What is your HTPC setup like? I have always wanted to set one up. How do you have the cable feeds coming in?
Click to expand...


Not currently in yet, but the plan is this:

Cable comes in out through trench and to the server rack in the basement. Split to the cable modem and then 2x split for the HDHomerun in the HTPC server running MediaPortal TVServer. Upstairs in the great room and in the master bedroom there will be MediaPortal frontend computers hooked via gigabit to stream the content from the server in the basement.

The 2 frontend computers send their sound via the RG6 back down to the distributed audio system, so you can listen to either of the HTPC streams in any room of the house.

Hrm. Error in thought process. How do I send a stereo PCM stream down an RG6 and put it into a L/R RCA input configuration. Will have to map that out.


Also still looking for a rack mountable cable splitter. If anyone has some ideas...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top