Wiring Your Digital Home For Dummies^?

by Dennis C. Brewer; Paul A. Brewer

• ISBN13: 9780471918301
• ISBN10: 047191830X
• Edition: CD
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-10-01
• Publisher: For Dummies

Summary

Beef up your home's wiring infrastructure and control systems to accommodate the latest digital home products. Upgrade wiring in your existing home room-by-room, system-by-system or wire the home you're building. Learn wiring for the latest digital home technologies -- whole home audio, outdoor audio, VoIP, PA systems, security systems with Web cams, home theater, home networking, alarms, back-up systems, and more. Perfect whether you do your own electrical work or want to talk intelligently to an electrical contractor.

Author Biography

Dennis C. Brewer is a certified network engineer with more than 12 years of computer technology experience.

Paul A. Brewer is a veteran electrical engineer and licensed master electrician.

Table of Contents

Introduction	1	(1)
About This Book	1	(1)
Conventions Used in This Book	2	(1)
What You Don't Have to Read	2	(1)
Foolish Assumptions	2	(1)
How This Book Is Organized	3	(4)
Part I: Installing Power Distribution and Basic Wiring	3	(1)
Part II: Adding Communication, Audio, and Video Systems	4	(1)
Part III: Installing Home Networks and Advanced Technology	5	(1)
Part IV: Security and Safety Systems	5	(1)
Part V: Extending Technology to Outdoor Living Spaces	5	(1)
Part VI: The Part of Tens	6	(1)
Part VII: Appendixes	6	(1)
Icons Used in This Book	7	(1)
Where to Go from Here	7	(2)
Part I: Installing Power Distribution and Basic Wiring	9	(90)
Designing Your Digital Dream Home	11	(10)
Living on Digital Easy Street	12	(1)
Planning Your Digital Dream Home	13	(2)
Designing for new construction	13	(1)
Remodeling an existing residence	14	(1)
Completing single-focus projects	14	(1)
Choosing the Contractor --- or Being Your Own	15	(3)
Selecting a contractor	15	(3)
Being your own contractor	18	(1)
Gathering Tools and Equipment	18	(3)
Hand tools	18	(1)
Power tools	19	(1)
Test equipment	20	(1)
Bringing In the Services	21	(22)
Understanding the Power You Need	21	(5)
Alternating stuff	22	(1)
Transforming current with transformers	22	(1)
Amps and volts and other terms	23	(3)
Meeting Power Company and Code Requirements	26	(5)
Getting permitted	26	(1)
Installing in light of code requirements	27	(2)
Choosing a circuit panel	29	(1)
Choosing a distribution-panel location	30	(1)
Installing Electrical Services	31	(12)
Setting up temporary service	32	(1)
Looking up to overhead electrical service	33	(3)
Going underground	36	(1)
Connecting the electrical distribution panel	37	(2)
Grounding your service	39	(4)
Roughing In the Wiring	43	(26)
Laying Out Receptacles (Legally)	43	(11)
Spacing receptacles	44	(1)
When to use GFI receptacles	45	(4)
Setting box heights	49	(2)
Making sure the box is flush	51	(1)
Mounting boxes during rewiring projects	51	(2)
Calculating box fill	53	(1)
Drilling Holes for Wiring	54	(4)
Drilling the framing	54	(2)
Drilling joists	56	(2)
Pulling Wires	58	(1)
Wiring to Code	59	(10)
Diagramming	61	(4)
Wiring the rest of the house	65	(1)
Wiring dryers and ranges	65	(1)
Wiring closets	66	(3)
Trimming Your Home's Electrical System	69	(20)
Selecting Device Styles and Colors	69	(2)
Working with Receptacles and Switches	71	(14)
Installing receptacles and GFIs	71	(4)
Installing switches	75	(10)
Flushing and Leveling Electrical Devices	85	(2)
Testing Your Installations	87	(2)
Controlling Your Life Remotely	89	(10)
Controlling Your Gadgets Remotely	89	(7)
Infrared and radio frequency remotes	90	(1)
Motion sensors	90	(1)
X10 remotes and devices	91	(5)
Using Timers for Around-the-Clock Control	96	(3)
Part II: Adding Communication, Audio, and Video Systems	99	(84)
Wiring Your Home Phone System	101	(18)
Wiring Your Phone Service	102	(6)
Planning service entrances	102	(4)
Planning internal house wiring	106	(2)
Wiring for Conventional Phones	108	(3)
Installing a Home PBX System	111	(1)
Integrating VoIP	112	(4)
Understanding how VoIP works	112	(1)
Choosing a VoIP phone adapter	113	(3)
Choosing a VoIP service provider	116	(1)
Videoconferencing from Home	116	(3)
Equipping for videoconferencing	117	(1)
Using gateways for multi-point conferencing	118	(1)
Installing a Public Address System	119	(12)
Planning a Home Communications System	120	(5)
Selecting locations	120	(2)
Choosing wire	122	(1)
Selecting amplifiers and speakers	123	(1)
Choosing intercom components	124	(1)
Installing the Hardware	125	(6)
Installing LV rings	125	(1)
Installing a central control unit	126	(1)
Connecting radio antennas	127	(1)
Installing and wiring remote locations	128	(3)
Installing Cable TV and Advanced Digital Services	131	(12)
Readying Your Home for Prime Time	131	(7)
Bringing TV service into your home	132	(1)
Installing TV cable jacks	132	(2)
Installing TV cable	134	(2)
Connecting the common distribution point	136	(2)
Installing for a Fiber Optic Future	138	(5)
Understanding fiber optic cable	138	(1)
Consider your fiber optic strategy	139	(1)
Choosing home fiber optic service	140	(1)
Connecting to fiber optic devices	141	(1)
Hooking up to the ONT	141	(1)
Checking availability	142	(1)
Adding Stereo and Surround Sound	143	(16)
Considering Whole-House Sound Systems	143	(10)
Using monophonic sound	145	(1)
Enhancing audio with stereo sound	145	(1)
Selecting stereo speaker locations	145	(1)
Encompassing your listeners with surround sound	146	(7)
Choosing and Installing Speakers	153	(6)
Wiring multi-room systems	154	(1)
Choosing speakers	155	(1)
Wiring in the speakers	155	(4)
Wiring Family Rooms and Home Theaters	159	(16)
Designing for Adaptable Family Rooms	159	(2)
Lighting Your Family Room	161	(8)
Measuring light levels	162	(1)
Selecting fluorescent fixtures	163	(1)
Using recessed fixtures	164	(2)
Using track fixtures	166	(1)
Supplementing with lamps and task lighting	167	(1)
Controlling your family room lights	168	(1)
Planning Family Room Outlets	169	(1)
Designing Your Dedicated Home Theater	170	(5)
Maintaining access to the equipment	171	(1)
Including a control center	172	(1)
Maintaining clear sound zones	173	(2)
Installing Video Systems and Cameras	175	(8)
Selecting Video Components	175	(4)
Reviewing camera features	176	(2)
Choosing a video surveillance system	178	(1)
Installing Your Video System	179	(4)
Positioning cameras	179	(1)
Supplying power to your cameras	180	(1)
Connecting cameras to the network	181	(2)
Part III: Installing Home Networks and Advanced Technology	183	(36)
Home Networks and Internet Connections	185	(20)
Understanding Internet Terminology: Stirring the Alphabet Soup	186	(2)
POTS (Plain Old Telephone System)	186	(1)
IP (Internet Protocol) addresses	187	(1)
DNS (Domain Name Services)	187	(1)
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)	188	(1)
Reviewing Your Internet Connection Options	188	(4)
Dial-up service	190	(1)
ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)	190	(1)
T-1 lines	190	(1)
Fractional T-1	191	(1)
Broadband cable	191	(1)
DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) or ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line)	191	(1)
Fiber optic service	191	(1)
BPL (Broadband Over Power Lines)	192	(1)
Area wireless services	192	(1)
Connecting Your Home Network to the Internet	192	(5)
Installing a DSL or cable modem	193	(1)
Installing and configuring a router	194	(2)
Using firewalls	196	(1)
Understanding hubs and switches	196	(1)
Preparing to Wire Your Digital Home for Networking	197	(2)
Understanding Wireless ``Wiring''	199	(1)
Setting Up Your Home Network	200	(5)
Integrating Computer Controls and Voice Technology	205	(14)
Selecting Home Automation Components	205	(4)
Choosing automation software	206	(1)
Selecting a computer to run HAL	207	(2)
Wiring Your Home Automation Computer	209	(10)
Connecting HAL to the telephone	209	(1)
Installing voice-command stations	209	(3)
Interfacing with the home's electrical system	212	(2)
Providing backup power to the automation system	214	(1)
Networking your automation system	215	(1)
Programming the automation interfaces	215	(4)
Part IV: Security and Safety Systems	219	(34)
Working with Security Zones and Alarm Systems	221	(18)
Protecting Your Home with Alarms	221	(10)
Comparing intrusion alarms	222	(1)
Understanding sensors	223	(1)
Wiring and installing sensors	224	(1)
Increasing safety with supplemental alarms	225	(6)
Surveilling Your Surroundings	231	(2)
Digital cameras	231	(1)
Closed-circuit television (CCTV)	231	(1)
Webcams	232	(1)
Integrating Alarm and Communication Systems	233	(1)
Improving Your Home's Safety	234	(5)
Get the facts for your area	234	(1)
Screen visitors	235	(1)
Make some security elements visible	236	(1)
Secure your home	236	(3)
Backup and Alternative Power	239	(14)
Identifying Your Home's Critical Systems	239	(2)
Comparing Types of Backup Power	241	(5)
Uninterruptible power supplies	241	(1)
Inverter systems	242	(1)
Green power systems	243	(2)
External combustion steam systems	245	(1)
Internal combustion systems	246	(1)
Interfacing Backup Systems to Your Electrical System	246	(2)
Alternative Energy Systems	248	(5)
Choosing an inverter	249	(1)
Caring for batteries	249	(4)
Part V: Extending Technology to Outdoor Living Spaces	253	(36)
Wiring Outside the House	255	(24)
Powering Sunrooms	255	(2)
Installing power and lighting	256	(1)
Bringing entertainment to the sunroom	257	(1)
Electrifying Patios and Decks	257	(2)
Lighting Your Garden	259	(1)
Delivering Electricity to Outbuildings	260	(9)
Retrofitting power to existing outbuildings	262	(2)
Wiring in workshops	264	(3)
Lighting outbuildings	267	(1)
Installing network, phone, TV, and intercom service	268	(1)
Wiring for sheds	268	(1)
Installing Saunas	269	(4)
Selecting a sauna stove	269	(2)
Supplying power	271	(1)
Installing the sauna stove control	272	(1)
Wiring near Pools and Hot Tubs	273	(1)
Pumping Water on Your Property	274	(5)
Powering well pumps	274	(3)
Installing garden and waterfall pumps	277	(1)
Using waste system pumps	277	(2)
Outdoor Electronics	279	(10)
Designing around the Weather	279	(3)
Running wires in bulkheads	280	(1)
Wiring directly to the point of use	280	(2)
Using Electronic Devices in Outdoor Kitchens	282	(1)
Wiring Outdoor Theaters or Sound Systems	283	(1)
Controlling outdoor theaters or sound systems	283	(1)
Planning the theater space	284	(1)
Installing a Home Weather Station	284	(5)
Part VI: The Part of Tens	289	(24)
The Ten Best Wiring Web Sites	291	(4)
Wiring Devices	291	(1)
Wire and Cable	291	(1)
Home Electronics	292	(1)
Home Security	292	(1)
Networking and Electronics Technology	292	(1)
Networked Video Surveillance	293	(1)
Solar and Alternative Energy	293	(1)
Digital Home Media	293	(1)
Outdoor Living	293	(1)
Remodeling and Repair Projects	294	(1)
The Ten Biggest Wiring Mistakes	295	(10)
Not Leaving Enough Slack	295	(1)
Not Paying Attention to Details	296	(1)
Including Lighting Loads on Receptacle Circuits	297	(1)
Ignoring Physics	297	(2)
Gravity	297	(1)
Wind	298	(1)
Water	298	(1)
Fire	299	(1)
Installations Not Designed for Use and Abuse	299	(1)
Improperly Interpreting the National Electrical Code	299	(1)
When Grounding Is Not Grounding	300	(1)
Ignoring the BOCA or IRC Codes	301	(1)
Not Following Your Own Consistency Rules	302	(1)
Minimizing Wiring Runs and Circuit Counts	302	(3)
Ten Troubleshooting Tips	305	(8)
Collect the History	305	(3)
Who witnessed the point of failure?	306	(1)
What was happening at the time?	306	(1)
Where was the device when it failed?	307	(1)
How did it fail?	307	(1)
When did the failure occur?	307	(1)
Why did it fail?	307	(1)
Understand the Process	308	(1)
Plan the Approach	308	(1)
Follow Safety Procedures	309	(1)
Eliminate the Obvious	309	(1)
Begin at the Beginning	310	(1)
Avoid the Replacement Trap	310	(1)
Check the Vital Signs	311	(1)
Eliminate the Cause	311	(1)
Verify the Repair	311	(2)
Part VII: Appendixes	313	(2)
Appendix A: Product Sources	315	(20)
Big-Box Stores	315	(1)
Best Buy	315	(1)
Circuit City	315	(1)
The Home Depot	316	(1)
Lowe's	316	(1)
Small-Box Stores	316	(1)
Micro Center	316	(1)
RadioShack	316	(1)
Wholesale Electric and Contractor Suppliers	316	(3)
Crescent Electric Supply Company	317	(1)
GE Supply	317	(1)
Graybar Electric Company	317	(1)
Home Automated Living	317	(1)
WESCO International	318	(1)
Appendix B: What Mr. Ohm Wanted You to Know	319	(16)
Using the Basic Ohm's Law Formula	319	(2)
Measuring current in amps	320	(1)
Measuring electromotive force in volts	321	(1)
Calculating Electrical Values	321	(3)
Calculating power in watts	322	(1)
Calculating energy use in watt-hours	322	(1)
Measuring power in AC circuits	322	(2)
Using the NFPA Wire Properties Table	324	(3)
Selecting Conductors	327	(5)
Limitations for using small conductors	329	(1)
Bundling conductors together	329	(2)
Using non-metallic cable (NMC)	331	(1)
Converting between Celsius and Fahrenheit	331	(1)
Ethernet Length Limits	332	(3)
Appendix C: About the CD	335	(4)
System Requirements	335	(1)
Using the CD with Microsoft Windows	336	(1)
What You'll Find	337	(1)
If You've Got Problems (Of the CD Kind)	337	(2)
Index	339