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Steps 1-10
Step A Locate and Mount
the Distribution Panel
1. Use a
drywall saw to cut out the drywall between two wall studs. Stop the cuts at the
top plates at the ceiling and 2 in. above the baseboards at the floor. (Cut a
small inspection hole first to locate wires within the wall to prevent damaging
them.)
2. Screw the
distribution box to the sides of the studs at a comfortable working height.
Make sure the box projects past the drywall 1/2 in. to allow for the thickness
of the access panels (Photo 18).
3. Drill a
2-1/2 in. hole through the top and bottom plates to access the attic and
basement for cable runs.
4. Install
1-1/2 in. male adapters with locknuts. Cut two 12-in. lengths of 2-in. conduit
and cement 2-in. male adapters to one end. Drop one from the attic and poke one
up from the basement (Photo 6).
5. Hold a
low-voltage remodeling box against the wall between two studs so the center of
the box is 12 in. above the floor (or match the heights of other outlets in the
room) and draw around the box and holding wings. Then cut out the opening with
a drywall saw.
Click image to enlarge.
6. Fish the cables from the openings into the distribution box in pairs of coaxial and cat-5e. Mark the ends of the cables with colored electrical tape for the outlet location. Run the fish tape down into the outlet stud cavity through a 3/4-in. hole drilled through the plates from the attic, then tape both of the marked cable ends to the fish tape. Pull them up into the attic and then push them down to the distribution box. Leave about 3 ft. of extra cable at the distribution box. Cut off the outlet end of the cables about 12 in. past the openings and mark the ends with more colored tape.
Step C Wire the
Jacks
7. Install the
remodeling box, then cut into the end of the CAT-5e cable about an inch with
the electrician’s scissors and peel back the insulation. Pluck out the
internal string and use it like a zipper to peel open about 4 in. of cable.
8. Snip around
the base of the insulation with the scissors to remove it. If you cut it with a
knife, you might nick the wires.
9. Gently
untwist the colored pairs and bend them into the matching terminals. Work from
the front of the jack toward the back, using the punch-down tool that comes
with the jacks. Push them in until you feel the little snap that tells you the
connector has bitten into the wire. Using the scissors, cut off the excess
wires flush with the side of the jack.
10. Clamp the
stripper tool around the coaxial cable with about 5/8 in. of the cable
projecting past the tool. Spin it around the cable several times until the
sound of cutting metal stops, then remove the tool. You may need to adjust the
cutting depths of the little knife blades inside until it strips the cable as
shown below right. Expose the three layers of the cable by stripping with your
fingernails to reveal the inner signal wire, white insulation and metal
shielding.
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