AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › Dedicated Theater Design & Construction › Can someone please help me with electrical in my HT room I made a video
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Can someone please help me with electrical in my HT room I made a video

post #1 of 10
12/13/09 at 3:13pm
Thread Starter 
So I am finishing my basement and making a home theatre room it was 1/2 done when i moved in and the guy didnt have the electric hooked up all the way

Ok, here is a video on youtube....it shows where the outlets are...the first few have just the wires hooked up but no "hot wires" going to them at all....I shoot the video as if I am following the wire.....

when you see the first light switch im wondering if I can pull off of that and hook it to the nearest outlet to give that power and then so on? Looks like that actual wire is already powering 3 lights and then the on/off switch.....

any other ideas or questions please let me know if u need me to take pics or do another video let me know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkF-QimvER8
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 10
12/13/09 at 4:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tibasnatch View Post

...the first few have just the wires hooked up but no "hot wires" going to them at all
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkF-QimvER8

Have you actually tested the outlet wires to see if they are energized?

You also really should determine exactly where every wire goes before hooking up the circuit. You will need some test equipment to do this. Somewhere one of the outlets must have a wire leading somewhere where the guy intended to energize the circuit.

The outlet with only one wire in is likely the end of the line so start tracing back-wards from there.

Now to be bluntly honest. If you can't figure this out you are well over your head in doing any wiring in your house without the hands on over-site of an experienced electrician. Based on all the sloppy work I see in the video I would cut the power to the basement if you expect to sleep in that house.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 10
12/13/09 at 5:03pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for replying.....I did trace all the wireing in the beginning of video and they all go to those 4 blue boxes and nothing else...I just checked in the breaker box and there is no wire going into there ready to be hooked up.....

so it sounds like I need to run my own wire from the breaker box and a new 15 or 20 amp breaker to where they left off?


oh and yes I have a tested and tested each wire and the testing light never came on...none of them have power to them.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 10
12/13/09 at 7:26pm
I would say running a new line from the box would be your best bet. Check the gauge on the existing wires in there to make sure which size breaker though. 12 gauge then you are ok with the 20 amp. 14 gauge --> 15 amp
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 10
12/16/09 at 9:17am
Also check outside the main panel. The circuit may come back to the panel but not enter it. If there is sheet rock around the panel, you may have to bust through it.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 10
12/16/09 at 10:26am
That is a crap job they did. The wiring is supposed to be tacked down periodically and shouldn't be hanging down or have those odd loops. Also, the wiring should be situated a certain number inches from a surface of a stud or joist. If you're not familiar with these rules, I highly recommend buying a book like Wiring a House or similar:

http://www.amazon.com/Wiring-House-P...0987880&sr=8-1
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 10
12/16/09 at 12:12pm
That drywall work is pretty shoddy too. Those large gaps between the sheets will never be free of cracks. I would tear the whole job back to the studs and start over.

Keep in mind if you were to bring in an inspector, this is what they would make you do as well.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 10
12/16/09 at 12:59pm
The first few seconds of the video show wires coming out of the electrical box not strapped to the stud, and a wire that is on the face of the stud. The wires for the light boxes in the laundry room also should be strapped to the joist. And that's just the really obvious stuff...

I'd be pulling drywall off to see what other code issues are present. Whoever wired this, knows just enough to be dangerous...
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 10
12/16/09 at 1:38pm
Quote:


That drywall work is pretty shoddy too. Those large gaps between the sheets will never be free of cracks. I would tear the whole job back to the studs and start over.

Keep in mind if you were to bring in an inspector, this is what they would make you do as well.

I agree, do it right before you get to far in,you won't regret it.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 10
12/16/09 at 1:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tibasnatch View Post

So I am finishing my basement and making a home theatre room it was 1/2 done when i moved in and the guy didnt have the electric hooked up all the way

Ok, here is a video on youtube....it shows where the outlets are...the first few have just the wires hooked up but no "hot wires" going to them at all....I shoot the video as if I am following the wire.....

when you see the first light switch im wondering if I can pull off of that and hook it to the nearest outlet to give that power and then so on? Looks like that actual wire is already powering 3 lights and then the on/off switch.....

any other ideas or questions please let me know if u need me to take pics or do another video let me know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkF-QimvER8


If you are going to have this job inspected as it stands right now it will not pass inspection. As someone else mentioned I would redo it all just for piece of mind.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Home Entertainment & Theater Builder › Dedicated Theater Design & Construction › Can someone please help me with electrical in my HT room I made a video