Camera PV 2007 » Digital Camera » Finding surround sound wires behind sheetrock
Finding surround sound wires behind sheetrock
Question:
> When our home was built, they prewired several locations for surround sound. > Now that I have finally purchased the surround sound system, I have no idea > where the actual boxes are. I have a general location, but don’t want to > start cutting major holes in my sheet rock to try and find them. > Is there a tool or sensor or some type of xray that can show me where they > are? I know the general location, but want to find within a few inches. > Thanks in advance.
Under the category of "hindsight is always 20-20:" Next time you buy a house <grin>, and moreso for everyone else out there, take pictures of everything before they put the walls up. With digital cameras now, you can easily shoot tons of high-res pictures, store them on a CD, and then pass them on when you sell. It makes life a little easier.
Response:
Home Depot carries a tool for tracing wires. At work we use this for tracing computer and phone cables between floors. Search their website for SKU: 165280. Locally they are $80 + tax. Maybe they rent this at thier rental center? Vendor is: Harris Good luck, Tom. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > When our home was built, they prewired several locations for surround sound. > Now that I have finally purchased the surround sound system, I have no idea > where the actual boxes are. I have a general location, but don’t want to > start cutting major holes in my sheet rock to try and find them. > Is there a tool or sensor or some type of xray that can show me where they > are? I know the general location, but want to find within a few inches. > Thanks in advance.
Response:
Duh. Bought the house after it was constructed so no chance of that. Although I do love the digital camera. Thanks to all who replied. Luckily we’ve found the installer who did this and many other houses like it in our neighborhood, and he’s coming out to mark the locations.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> When our home was built, they prewired several locations for surround > sound. > Now that I have finally purchased the surround sound system, I have no > idea > where the actual boxes are. I have a general location, but don’t want to > start cutting major holes in my sheet rock to try and find them. > Is there a tool or sensor or some type of xray that can show me where they > are? I know the general location, but want to find within a few inches. > Thanks in advance. > Under the category of "hindsight is always 20-20:" > Next time you buy a house <grin>, and moreso for everyone else out there, > take pictures of everything before they put the walls up. With digital > cameras now, you can easily shoot tons of high-res pictures, store them on a > CD, and then pass them on when you sell. It makes life a little easier.
Response:
On 29 Dec 2002, The voices in the head of Fat Tony uttered these words to the inhabitance of alt.home.repair. > Under the category of "hindsight is always 20-20:" > Next time you buy a house <grin>, and moreso for everyone else out > there, take pictures of everything before they put the walls up. With > digital cameras now, you can easily shoot tons of high-res pictures, > store them on a CD, and then pass them on when you sell. It makes > life a little easier.
I can’t agree more. It has saved me lots of grief on the few installs of things I’ve done over the past 3 years. — Robert S. Ely (Bob) New Lisbon Developmental Center Communications Systems Technician-3 Work Phone: 1-609-894-4057 Work FAX: 1-609-726-0357 ICQ: 33390750 Yahoo Messenger: rsely74 Check out my photos: http://www.shuttercity.com/ShowGallery.cfm?AcctID=4359
Response:
When our home was built, they prewired several locations for surround sound. Now that I have finally purchased the surround sound system, I have no idea where the actual boxes are. I have a general location, but don’t want to start cutting major holes in my sheet rock to try and find them. Is there a tool or sensor or some type of xray that can show me where they are? I know the general location, but want to find within a few inches. Thanks in advance.
Response:
> When our home was built, they prewired several locations for surround > sound. Now that I have finally purchased the surround sound system, I have > no idea > where the actual boxes are. I have a general location, but don’t want to > start cutting major holes in my sheet rock to try and find them. > Is there a tool or sensor or some type of xray that can show me where they > are? I know the general location, but want to find within a few inches. > Thanks in advance.
The price has become reasonable on wire locating devices for wiring in walls. I think I paid around $100 for one a year or two ago. These use a transmitter clipped to the conductor (and a ground, if possible) to place a radio signal on it. A separate receiver and directional antenna is used to locate the signal in the wall. These can be tricky to use. For instance, nearby wiring and metal pipes and studs can pick up the signal from the nearby target wires. — Best regards, Anthony Straight http://dotznize.com/electric/ [This free advice carries no warranty whatsoever. Use it or ignore it your own discretion and risk.]
Response:
On 29 Dec 2002, The voices in the head of Michael Rinken uttered these words to the inhabitance of alt.home.repair. > When our home was built, they prewired several locations for surround > sound. Now that I have finally purchased the surround sound system, I > have no idea where the actual boxes are. I have a general location, > but don’t want to start cutting major holes in my sheet rock to try > and find them. > Is there a tool or sensor or some type of xray that can show me where > they are? I know the general location, but want to find within a few > inches. > Thanks in advance.
There are a few wire tracing devices available. You may be able to rent one, as some of these tend to be somewhat expensive. This is not the wire identifying type. This is the kind that generates a signal into the wire and you use a wand that senses the signal. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about. http://www.davisontheweb.com/showpage.asp?L3ID=174 Here’s anotherhttp://www.e-sci.com/jensen/1/61/420/3060.html — Robert S. Ely (Bob) New Lisbon Developmental Center Communications Systems Technician-3 Work Phone: 1-609-894-4057 Work FAX: 1-609-726-0357 ICQ: 33390750 Yahoo Messenger: rsely74 Check out my photos: http://www.shuttercity.com/ShowGallery.cfm?AcctID=4359