We're having our basement framed & drywalled in two weeks. I have narrowed down where the screen will be either on one wall or the one next to it. I need to put conduit in so I can run speaker wires later. Also, the ceiling will be a drop so I can modify things later.

a) Should the conduit run around the perimeter of the room? Or

b) Have multiple conduit vertical drops into the walls?

b

If you are going with a drop ceiling, do you really need conduit for the speaker wire? You should be able to fish the wire down the walls from above the drop ceiling.

...unless the walls are being insulated. In which case, now is the time for conduit. We don't have basements here in Savannah, so I have no idea what code might require from an insulation standpoint.

If you're going to run conduit, then multiple vertical drops will be the way to go...enough to separate video, audio and, obviously, line voltage, plus anything else you think you might need later. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Frank

Does everyone use a standard electrical outlet box as the end point? I used the blue smurf tubes 3/4 inch for the vertical drops. Should I mount these at ear level as well?

I think the orange boxes are used for anything low voltage.

Does everyone use a standard electrical outlet box as the end point? I used the blue smurf tubes 3/4 inch for the vertical drops. Should I mount these at ear level as well?

Do you mean a standard single-gang box? Depends on what I'm doing exactly...if it's just a few connectors or a small pass-through plate, then that's fine. If it's more I'd upsize to a two, three or even four-gang plate. If it's electrical you're talking about, then smurf wouldn't pass code...at least not here in Chatham county. Low voltage is fine.

Are you mounting them at ear level for speakers? If so, then sure...that's fine. Terminate in a single-gang box with a grommetted plate...neat as you please.

Frank

Do you mean a standard single-gang box? Depends on what I'm doing exactly...if it's just a few connectors or a small pass-through plate, then that's fine. If it's more I'd upsize to a two, three or even four-gang plate. If it's electrical you're talking about, then smurf wouldn't pass code...at least not here in Chatham county. Low voltage is fine.

Are you mounting them at ear level for speakers? If so, then sure...that's fine. Terminate in a single-gang box with a grommetted plate...neat as you please.

Frank

Anything special to soundproof the conduit and gang box?

Thanks

Sorry...I'm not sure what you mean. What do you mean by "soundproofing" the box and conduit?

Frank

Sorry...I'm not sure what you mean. What do you mean by "soundproofing" the box and conduit?

Frank

No problem. Yes. I mean soundproofing the boxes and conduit. I'm going the decoupling & dd/gg route and am now trying to make sure I didn't "spring any leaks" in the outlets/etc. I'm curious on if anything special is needed for the gang boxes to offset the "hole" in the drywall. And also does the fact that I will introduce new "open pipes" under the drywall via the conduits need to factored in.

Sorry if a dumb question, but I'm in construction info overload.

Thanks for the quick reply, by the way...

When dealing with spaces that I've wanted to isolate from each other or at least minimize transfer, I've never worried about box and pipe to be totally honest. I think the type and intensity of transfer would be such that it wouldn't be something to worry about. Other opinions welcome, of course.

Frank

No problem. Yes. I mean soundproofing the boxes and conduit. I'm going the decoupling & dd/gg route and am now trying to make sure I didn't "spring any leaks" in the outlets/etc. I'm curious on if anything special is needed for the gang boxes to offset the "hole" in the drywall. And also does the fact that I will introduce new "open pipes" under the drywall via the conduits need to factored in.

Sorry if a dumb question, but I'm in construction info overload.

Thanks for the quick reply, by the way...

This is the way I did my speaker wire. Only the wire will poke through. The box (which has been puttied) is only there is I even need to run another speaker wire. In that case I will have to make a hole in the drywall, but the box will keep things air tight.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb308/mdrueen/IMG_0034-1.jpg

This is the way I did my speaker wire. Only the wire will poke through. The box (which has been puttied) is only there is I even need to run another speaker wire. In that case I will have to make a hole in the drywall, but the box will keep things air tight.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb308/mdrueen/IMG_0034-1.jpg

Thanks, Cathan.

Makes sense. Is that plumbers putty?

It's an electrical putty pad. You can order the stuff on-line.

It's an electrical putty pad. You can order the stuff on-line.

Very cool. Thanks.

I found a pdf on Firestop Putty Pads, including their sound deadening qualities. I will definitely use this on all boxes. Thanks, again.

Used acoustic caulking to seal my electrical boxes everywhere in the theater room.

Used acoustic caulking to seal my electrical boxes everywhere in the theater room.

How did you seal the boxes?

If I follow the concept of the putty pad correct, they create a layer of soundproofing to reinforce the thin box material. Did you create a layer with the caulk or only seal gaps?

I learned a valuable lesson on running conduit... Make sure you use lubrication to pull your wires.. It is available at home depot or lowes in the electrical isle... I learned the hard way.