Pull Through?

mikkyG · Aug 05, 2008 1:18 pm

I was chatting to a mate about cabling our new house after build (we are only single story) and he mentioned to 'make sure we have plenty of pull throughs'. Naturally I nodded and said 'oh yeah... plenty of them...' then ran to Google to check what the heck he was on about

, but have come up short.

My best guess was he meant make sure we drill noggins so we can poke cable down the walls, but I thought we'd run them the same route as the power then just divert at floor level and terminate there. Not having done it before maybe that is impossible and/or stupid, suggestions?

So can anyone help me with the cabling terminology, "pull through"?

kexkez · Aug 05, 2008 1:24 pm

Mikkyg we paid to have conduit with wire "pull through" ( draw wires) included as our builder doesn't do any wiring for HT or cabling just tv and phone points so in order to set everything up we had to get conduit put in where we wanted things. Perhaps this is what he meant.

mikkyG · Aug 05, 2008 1:25 pm

Sounds like you might be on the money there! Thanks.

kexkez · Aug 05, 2008 1:32 pm

mikkyg there is meant to be a set spacing away from power cables for all cabling for ethernet if this is the kind of cabling you are talking about. I gather having conduit can help cut the need for this to some extent. Be aware that cabling for internet ( ethernet) legally has to be done by a licensed cabler.

Yes I know lots of people don't get it done this way. Just thought I'd let you know.

IN our case in WA we are building in double brick with insulation to all external wall cavities so we put in 8 conduits. Three for additional tv points and the rest for ethernet which will also be for phone. ( I hope)

Rodda · Aug 05, 2008 4:33 pm

Hi MikkyG.

If you can drill holes in all noggins where you think you may want to run some cables then that will be plenty (it is still easier to run cabled before the plaster goes up, but this would be the next best thing). If you can identify where you would be more likely to run cables with bigger plugs/ends on them - HDMI, VGA, etc. - then try to ensure the holes in the noggins are big enough to get those ends through.

Just running 'pull throughs' is not going to add much benefit in a single storey house (in a 2 storey house it could, obviously, allow to you to run what would otherwise be impossible after the house is finished).

It's not a good idea to run the other cables close to the power cables if you can help it, as it would dramatically increase the chance for the other cables picking up interference from the electrical ones...

mikkyG · Aug 05, 2008 7:04 pm

Thanks guys at this stage it was only going to be cat5 but good idea to think a little further ahead and make sure that HT gear could make it through also.

Im sure that I could run the wire myself, its only cat5! But I heed your warning and just hope that our builder lets me in, if not I'll have to wise a mate with a lisence up on the gig.

Is there a good way to guestimate the length required? Is measure off the plan and add 10% the go or is there a more industry standard % thats used?

Rodda · Aug 05, 2008 7:29 pm

I usually allow approx. 3m for each wall the cable needs to ascend or decend, the lengths across each room etc. should be easy enough (although I often allow for the cables to only travel horizontally or vertically (when looking down on the plan), rarely straight diagonally, just in case you can only actually run it that way), then I allow about an extra metre each end for slack.

mikkyG · Oct 02, 2008 10:39 am

Digging up an old thread here as it seemed a waste to start a new one

I've got my cable and will be heading in in the next few weeks to run the cable, just a simple question really, for those of you who ran their own cable pre plaster, did u just leave the cable ends in the wall with slack? so that when the plasterer was finshed you just punched a suitable sized hole in the wall and retieved the end? or was there some conversation with the SS to have the plasterer put those holes in and left exposed until you temrinated the wire?

Whats the norm?

Thanks guys n gals.

Rodda · Oct 03, 2008 8:52 am

You just leave it inside with slack (I leave a fair bit of slack).

I will often take detailed photos of where every cable is - long shots and close-ups. It can really help in the end.