OK. I had my builder stop by and we talked about my basement which has already been finished before I moved in. I know the basics of how I need to install the ceiling outlet for. I have wired outlets and switches before, but always with exposed walls. I need to tie onto an outlet in the wall. What is the best way to do that in an existing wall? ie. How do I get the wire into the wall outlet box? Do I need to remove the box and then re-attach a new one or what? I don't want to mess up the drywall in the process. Seems like a silly question. It's the small stuff that gets in the way.

You need a hole where the new outlet will be. You need a hole where the ceiling meets the wall. You will need to be able to fit a drill up into the joist cavity to drill down through the top plate. you will need a hole above the existing outlet. If you can not drill a hole through the top plate, you will need a hole on the vertical wall also so you can drill up through the top plate. Fish the wire (appropriate size for the circuit you are using) from new outlet hole to the ceiling-wall hole, through the top plate down to the hole above the current outlet box. Fit the wire through an empty slot in the existing outlet box. There you go. If this is confusing, go look at one of the electrical books at HD or lowes, the one I have from Lowes has pictures and describes the step by step process.

Your description was excellent. I was hoping I wouldn't need a hole next to the existing outlet. I guess that one is used to access the punchout slot in the existing box? I do have a good electrical book, but it's not too helpful on existing construction.

Your description was excellent. I was hoping I wouldn't need a hole next to the existing outlet. I guess that one is used to access the punchout slot in the existing box?

Yes, I don't know of a way to get the wire through that little punchout slot without approaching it from the back side. Maybe there is a way to do it with a fish tape, but I am not sure about that. Since you are going to be patching a hole or two anyway, it shouldn't be too much extra work to fix the one above the electrical box.

Anyone have a comment on the fish tape through electrical box slot?

When I wired my lcd televison for the wall mount, I used the fish tape thru the outbox with no problems, I just stripped the wire 12" before I pulled it thru, and then gently pulled the wire thru the box and used a screwdriver in the little punchout to allow for a little more room, worked like a charm for me.

like previously said, either way you have to have access the box from the backside of the box. you could cut the outlet boxes out, and replace with remodel boxes but you still have to get the fish tape down through the plates. fixing drywall isn't difficult even for one who's never done it before. good luck and let us know how your doing.

actually, i did my work from the front of the box, not the back of the box, it was quite easy.

To get it into the front of the first box, I fished it down from the wall, into the box and pulled it through the front, and then I rinsed and repeated for the 2nd outlet via a new work box, but the 1 existing box, shouldnt require any drywall work aside from the hole to get thru the sill place already explained.

You can successfully fish tape from an electrical box. I have done a lot of fish taping in the last 10 years and have never run into a situation that I could not make the fish tape work. #1 tip to fish taping – if you make your exit hole at a corner (2 sides) or a tri-corner (3 sides) – it is a piece of cake and you can get it fished in 1 try in about 10 seconds. #2 tip – don’t fish romex – too stiff – fish a nylon line and use that to pull the romex. #3 tip – silly I know, but please make sure the power is off before you mess with fishing electrical wiring – tricky part here is that walls often have more than one circuit in them, if you just turn off the circuit that is in the electrical box that you are fishing from, and use a metal fish tape, you can get a nasty surprise if you hit a different circuit that runs through the same wall.

Technique I would use for this electrical box fishing: put your exit hole in the top plate as close to the drywall and vertical stud as possible so that the hole ends up in the tri-corner directly above the electrical outlet. Put your tape in at an angle so it hits the stud/drywall – just push the tape up until it exits the top hole.

Thanks for all of the feedback. I ended up cutting a 4"x6" hole in the ceiling near the wall and drilling down into the wall thru the top plate. I fished the wires with no problem and now have a mounted projector with ceiling outlet. Only 2,356 more things to go and I will have completed my home theater ;). Thanks

I have to admit it is tempting to just 'rig' things up to have a semi-operational theater and leave it at that. I'm going to keep plugging along.