Opinion about cabling routes

[Crowtalks]

I am wiring a bank for data and phone.

The communications room is in a corner of the building. I considered running the J hangers down the center and branching off to each side for the drops.

I ended up placing the J hangers down the right side and feed ing to the left.

My ponderance is; are there pros and cons about running the cables down the center as opposed to down one side, when it comes to the number of hangers placed?

 

[skip555]

absolutely no way to say without looking at plans and seeing what obstructions there are each job will be different

in the scheme of things hangers are cheap

 

[dagwoodsystems]

I'm kinda fond of the "backbone and rib" design myself. But as skip555 pointed out, these decisions are kinda subjective. If exposed, you want it to look "pretty" for the customer. Otherwise, I would be inclined to minimize the labor. Materials (again as skip555 mentions) are cheap, which should give you the freedom to design something that satisfies the customer yet maximizes your profit.

 

[GMgerry]

I agree but add that you place it as high as you can to the deck and out of the way.

 

[pbxn]

The higher the better. This way you know your cables are out of the way of the mechanicals, and the occasional disgruntled electrician..
Of course the neat factor always comes into play. You don't want someone down the road popping a tile and making comments on just how bad of a job you did.

 

[Crowtalks]

I definitely agree with the height. I am running about 18 inches below the corrugated and have striven to be in early in the construction (drywalls are in - but that's about it) to 'claim' my space.

Our sales guy bid this out at $100 a drop, but with the specs, (cat6 for data and phone), I would have gone higher.

 

[skip555]

I like being the last one in , then I know my exactly what my cable is around .

 

[planet910]

i agree with skip555, if the drawing call for a device of some kind to be hanging where your cable path is, your cable will be moved with or without your permission

 

[LeeMcCauslin]

Hopefully, last in but before the insulation goes up into the drop ceiling. That stuff sucks. I'm still hacking up fiberglass from last week.

 

[skip555]

Hopefully, last in but before the insulation goes up into the drop ceiling. That stuff sucks. I'm still hacking up fiberglass from last week.

gloves and mask help a lot

But yea I agree I try to coordinate with the tile and insaltion guys and get a day or two before them

 

[oldtimerbob]

I always like to see the floor plans for the placement of work areas, if possible, before I run cable so I can get as 'clear' a path as I can in case I,or someone else, has to run additional cabling once the client is moved in.
I also avoid running across rooms or along a wall for the same reasons, unless the area is going to remain clear.

This keeps the disruption to the client's workforce down,and the adds,moves or changes can happen faster.

 

[pbxn]

I like to time it out between the electrical rough in, and the mechanical rough in's. This sort of ensures that my path will not be too close to lights, HVAC, and electrical junction boxes. I work in a bank environment so if I can get in and make my runs prior to the hack security companies, that sort of forces them to follow suit (ie cable hooks, off of the tiles etc)