Running cable in conduit

[spada01]

I'm going to run coax and Cat5e cable and like the idea of running in some sort of conduit so I can replace or add to easily in the future without ripping parts of the house apart.

What sort of conduit have you folks used for this and in practise have you found it easy to add cables or still a nightmare with it?

 

[bernardgreen]

The largest conduit you can fit into the space is a good idea.

Being able to add that last but forgotten cable with space to spare is good.

Using 2 inch diameter tube means you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck a cotton wool ball and fishing line through when you need to get a draw cord through it.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

id love to see a domestic install with 2" conduit buried in the wall

To the OP, how often do you envisage having to replace the cables?

Is the effort of randomly installing conduits here there and everywhere actually going to be easier than chasing and filling for a new cable, when the need arises?

When the time comes to replace them (lets say in 30 to 40 years?), who is to say that the layout of the house at that time would still be the same, requiring the cables to be re-installed into the same place?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

There is a kind of trunking you can buy (Rehau and others) which looks just like skirting board. If you fit this everywhere, you would only have to chase up from it to any new socket positions.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Using 2 inch diameter tube means you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck a cotton wool ball and fishing line through when you need to get a draw cord through it.

Put a draw cord in with the original cable(s), and never use it to pull a new one in without also pulling in a new cord.

 

[ilikewatchingtv]

I'm going to run coax and Cat5e cable and like the idea of running in some sort of conduit so I can replace or add to easily in the future without ripping parts of the house apart.

What sort of conduit have you folks used for this and in practise have you found it easy to add cables or still a nightmare with it?

During a recent project to mount my TV on my chimney breast I ran 30mm flexible conduit from the front of the chimney breast to one of the sides - I have managed to get 2 HDMI cables pulled through it, though it was made a little more difficult by the fact that the conduit turns a right angle. All I did was cut a channel into the wall with an SDS+ chisel, then stuck the conduit in with Gripfill prior to plastering over - it looks excellent now.

 

[spada01]

id love to see a domestic install with 2" conduit buried in the wall

To the OP, how often do you envisage having to replace the cables?

Is the effort of randomly installing conduits here there and everywhere actually going to be easier than chasing and filling for a new cable, when the need arises?

When the time comes to replace them (lets say in 30 to 40 years?), who is to say that the layout of the house at that time would still be the same, requiring the cables to be re-installed into the same place?

This is exactly what I was wondering - it's a lovely idea to install conduit but will I ever use it for anything?

I think I'll run it between floors in a couple of places but leave it there. I'm also going to put some in he wall where the flat screen tv will go.

Cheers folks

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

just out of curiosity, how high up the wall will your TV be going?

Mine sits nicely centred to sides and top/bottom, looks lovely.

However, next time i re-decorate, its coming off the wall and going on a stand at a more suitable height, just to save the growing amount of neck pain i seem to be experiencing.

Mistake made. Anyone want to buy a wall bracket suitable for a 42" plasma, cost about 70 quid

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's probably most useful for lighting circuit switch drops:

1) People often do decide they want to swap their 1-gang for a 2-, to do wall lights, or to put in 2-way switching where they had 1-way etc, far more readily than wanting to move or add sockets.

2) If you use steel conduit for the drops you can avoid having the lights on an RCD.

 

[Stoday]

I would not run cat 5 cables in the same conduit as mains cables. It's asking for interference problems.

 

[ajrobb]

I would not run cat 5 cables in the same conduit as mains cables. It's asking for interference problems.

I didn't think you could mix power and signal cables in the same conduit.

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

i dont think the OP suggested he was going to run power in the same conduit, but any-hoo, good advice.

If he does, I guess that might mean that he would need to install a pair of 2" conduits then?

Id like to hear the solution for terminating them into back boxes

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I didn't think you could mix power and signal cables in the same conduit.

Not unless the signal cable is insulated for 230V.

Standard Cat5/5e/6/6a etc is not, AFAIK.

Twisted pair cable is designed to be resilient against interference, and to run for 100m, so short lengths in houses could well be OK, but I'd suggest shielded rather than unshielded.

 

[ELZ4742]

if your looking at future proofing why go c5 when c6 is a much better solution?

 

[Monkeh]

Twisted pair cable is designed to be resilient against interference, and to run for 100m, so short lengths in houses could well be OK, but I'd suggest shielded rather than unshielded.

It requires a lot of extra care in termination, not to mention special accessories. It's really not worth it for domestic use.