Small to zero crawl space in roof...

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Small to zero crawl space in roof...

Silvrav

477 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 174

ID Verified

#303767 8-Mar-2023 09:20

So I popped my head into our ceiling void last night to put down some rat traps and to my surprise its a lot smaller than I initially thought. (very low gradient roof)

There is no way with someone of my physique to move around in there

Now I have purchased some cameras (POE) and need to pull through 4 x cat6 runs from each corner of the house to the middle. What would be the best way to achieve this? any suggestions?

The roof is a tin roof so I thought about potentially taking a sheet or 2 off and working from the outside in but the sheets sit on top of wooden boarding, so will need to take this off as well.

Stu

Hammered
8833 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2436

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3047242 8-Mar-2023 09:33

Perhaps replace the rat traps with food, and figure out how to train them to run cables? 😉

People often mistake me for an adult because of my age.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

Referral Links: Sharesies -

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? If so, please consider supporting us by subscribing.

No matter where you go, there you are.

mdf

mdf
3569 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1527

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3047256 8-Mar-2023 10:22

Just how small? As in, no-human-at-all or deeply-unpleasant-but-that-is-what-new-apprentices-are-for small? And what kind of distances? I've always been impressed in what experienced guys can do with fish tape and rods, but there are limits.

Silvrav

477 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 174

ID Verified

#3047257 8-Mar-2023 10:25

mdf:

Just how small? As in, no-human-at-all or deeply-unpleasant-but-that-is-what-new-apprentices-are-for small? And what kind of distances? I've always been impressed in what experienced guys can do with fish tape and rods, but there are limits.

well thats it, most likely deeply-unpleasant-but-that-is-what-new-apprentices-are-for but in saying that its pretty tight at the roof ends and rods will need to be used.

I posted on our local FB page to see if there is any young padawans looking for beer or party money.

mdf

mdf
3569 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1527

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3047261 8-Mar-2023 10:35

I think that will be your best bet then. If your cameras are anything like mine, I ran an over-long length of cable trhough the soffit, did all the connections from the outside, then pushed everything back up into the soffit before mounting the camera.

Depending on how straight the runs are, I guess the only other thing you might like to consider is running conduit to leave yourself the option of blowing other cables in the future.

Silvrav

477 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 174

ID Verified

#3047262 8-Mar-2023 10:38

mdf:

I think that will be your best bet then. If your cameras are anything like mine, I ran an over-long length of cable trhough the soffit, did all the connections from the outside, then pushed everything back up into the soffit before mounting the camera.

Depending on how straight the runs are, I guess the only other thing you might like to consider is running conduit to leave yourself the option of blowing other cables in the future.

yip, I have 500m of cat 6 that I need to trim down then crimp the connectors on each end.

Conduit will definitely go in for easy of repair and to make sure the dam rat/mice don't chew on the cable, but seems at this moment they prefer the pink bat foam.

pipe60

129 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 33

#3047296 8-Mar-2023 11:31

https://www.tradetested.co.nz/p/tools-hardware/hand-tools/reachers-grabbers/cable-rod-set-990mm-12-piece?gclid=CjwKCAiA3pugBhAwEiwAWFzwdVm-U5jOuvxHKth8DOMlzeel-b3Baw7MI5JRlXFML5FSO9Xr5zS12BoCGIAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

AliExpress

Shop now on AliExpress (affiliate link).

deadlyllama

1293 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 483

Trusted

#3047299 8-Mar-2023 11:42

Sounds like our house in Karori before we moved back to Whanganui.

Just a total PITA, couldn't find anyone willing to install insulation for anything other than stupidly large amounts of money.

Can you run the cabling outside instead, maybe hide it behind the guttering (and forgo the conduit)? Whack a PoE powered PoE switch somewhere under the eaves by a downpipe or somewhere else where you can bring the cable down unobtrusively?

dt

1152 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 371
Inactive user

#3047316 8-Mar-2023 12:46

pipe60:

https://www.tradetested.co.nz/p/tools-hardware/hand-tools/reachers-grabbers/cable-rod-set-990mm-12-piece?gclid=CjwKCAiA3pugBhAwEiwAWFzwdVm-U5jOuvxHKth8DOMlzeel-b3Baw7MI5JRlXFML5FSO9Xr5zS12BoCGIAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is my recommendation too, cable rods (maybe not that exact set, has a few bad views of poor quality)

my roof has a very low pitch and is what I used to get the job done, still some effort required but makes it a heck of a lot easier

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
9454 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6337

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3047469 8-Mar-2023 15:35

Had a similar situation a couple of years ago - problem installing the power cable for a ceiling fan above our bed.

I poked a loop in a length of light rope up through the ceiling penetration where the cable was required to connect to the fan. Then went to the manhole and used our telescopic window-wash pole, with a wire hook duct-taped to the end of it, to reach into the void and snag the rope loop. Pulled the loop over to me, tied the power cable to the rope, then pulled the rope at the fan-fitting end until the cable came down through the penetration.

Maybe you could work something like that?

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3047532 8-Mar-2023 17:14

Silvrav:
Now I have purchased some cameras (POE) and need to pull through 4 x cat6 runs from each corner of the house to the middle. What would be the best way to achieve this? any suggestions?

Got any kids? How big are they? Once they've finished the dishes, vacuuming, and weeding, they can start pulling cables.

If they do a good job, give them an extra helping of gruel.

Tick

13 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 10

#3048007 9-Mar-2023 10:55

I do it professionally with a bit of conduit. The kind where you fix a c channel plastic onto the wall and then use a cover which snaps on. They are flexible in the flat direction and sort of stiff when held on its side. I keep one in the van with a cheap old wire hanger taped onto the end of it, they are flexible and allow me to shape them quite easily.

The conduits flexibility allow you to snake it up into the roofspace between the struts towards the cable and once it's lying up there, you turn it onto it's edge and carefully move it where you need it. Obviously this is easier with a helper who can shine a torch up the small hole as well as pushing the cable up through the hole you can see them clearly. They can also pull the cable back down a bit as you get close and push it back up to thread the hanger hook.

If you're at the corner of the house, lifting the sarking boards isn't too difficult as you only need to pry off one board at the end and lift it up to get your arm in. You can also just cut truss to truss and replace that bit of sarking. They sell them at demolition recovery places for around $5/m from memory.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

Wheelbarrow01

1796 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2682

Trusted

Chorus

#3049424 12-Mar-2023 21:43

pipe60:

https://www.tradetested.co.nz/p/tools-hardware/hand-tools/reachers-grabbers/cable-rod-set-990mm-12-piece?gclid=CjwKCAiA3pugBhAwEiwAWFzwdVm-U5jOuvxHKth8DOMlzeel-b3Baw7MI5JRlXFML5FSO9Xr5zS12BoCGIAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

A similar (but different) device is this one from Jaycar. It's a flat spring steel contraption on a spool that I used to run new electrical wiring to the corner of my roof space where I had no chance of reaching.

They must be good - mine mysteriously disappeared when I subsequently had contractors working at my house. I guess they had a more pressing ongoing need for it than I did...

Wire Draw Fish Tape

johno1234

3484 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2976

#3049453 13-Mar-2023 09:12

neb:
Silvrav:

Now I have purchased some cameras (POE) and need to pull through 4 x cat6 runs from each corner of the house to the middle. What would be the best way to achieve this? any suggestions?

Got any kids? How big are they? Once they've finished the dishes, vacuuming, and weeding, they can start pulling cables. If they do a good job, give them an extra helping of gruel.

As an extra incentive, allow them out of the attic for a few hours *if* they complete the wire pulls.

wellygary

8931 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5468

#3049459 13-Mar-2023 09:28

neb:

Got any kids? How big are they? Once they've finished the dishes, vacuuming, and weeding, they can start pulling cables. If they do a good job, give them an extra helping of gruel.

Mine would jump at the chance of something different, rather than cleaning the chimney or working under the weaving loom