# Help with home theatre wiring around beam/joist. Stuck!!!



## stephpar17 (May 2, 2020)

Hello all, 
Haven't been on this forum for ages so apologies in advance for jumping back in and starting with a help request. I've got a 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup. In wall wiring except for my front 2 speakers and center channel. Was looking to remedy that today as I have an electrician and drywaller on site for other house work. Got a surprise with a bulkhead when the drywall came down (see pic). My plan _was_ to move the electrical plug down and install a gang plate for all the banana speaker plugs coming in from the wall to go to the receiver while installing in-wall for the remaining front speakers mentioned. I was moving this down so it would be out of the sight line of the media console you see and out of the way of the in wall center speaker channel i was going to install. Unfortunately, with that bulkhead there, it looks very tough to move the power plug down and the gang plate down. Now what? How do i do this where the power plug and speaker gang plate would be out of the way from eyes and still get those wires to devices in that console. I'm stuck. No idea. Anyone else? Thanks in advance. Wanted a clean look and can't figure it out now.

Steph


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Ouch, that really sucks!

The only option is to cut a hole in the bulkhead that an electrical box will fit in. 

One way do that is to trace out the box pattern on the bulkhead, and then drill holes in the four corners. I’d recommend a 3/4" auger bit for that. Then you can use a saber saw to cut between the drilled holes.

At that point you can drill a hole in the footer plate the drop the cable down to the new box. Any way you cut it (no pun intended), it’s not going to be easy.

Oh yes, you really don’t need a box for the speaker wires. Just make a hole large enough for the bananas plugs on the plate to clear, and small enough that you can screw the plate directly into the wood.

Regards,
Wayne


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## stephpar17 (May 2, 2020)

Hi Wayne,

Thanks for the response and clear direction of how to do it. Are you allowed to cut into a bulkhead like that. Electrician on site who sat it just said flatly that you’re not allowed to cut into it. I’m game for the work although definitely not easy.

Again, thanks for the response. 
Steph


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Don’t know, maybe there is a local building code. Another option would be to simply drill a hole in the bulkhead, fish the wire through, and surface-mount the outlet. If your rack is open-back, that would work.

Regards,
Wayne


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Might want to use THHN, Romex is pretty difficult to fish like that.

Regards,
Wayne


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## GadgetGuy (May 7, 2020)

Local code will probably prevent you from lowering an electrical outlet... (think of liquid spills and possible dangers).
That beam must mean there is another living space below?
You might drill one home through the beam to fish the electrical wire down, then put a floor rated electrical outlet?
You could also do the same for your front stage speaker wires and use a floor mounted box for your banana connects?


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## rgoebel (Oct 29, 2009)

It appears that your theater room is either a former porch or garage and that the beam in question is actually a rim joist. If that is the case, I would be less concerned about carving a hole in it since the load is being carried by the joists as well as the rim joist. Other options would be to frame a bulkhead (bulkfoot?) that protrudes from the existing wall and drywall it the would give the needed space to run wires (not very sexy); or buy a taller console. If you do end up carving a hole in the rim joist, i would put the outlet in one joist gap, and the speaker wires in another, so as to not weaken the rim joist by having the two holes close together.
Good luck!




stephpar17 said:


> Hello all,
> Haven't been on this forum for ages so apologies in advance for jumping back in and starting with a help request. I've got a 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup. In wall wiring except for my front 2 speakers and center channel. Was looking to remedy that today as I have an electrician and drywaller on site for other house work. Got a surprise with a bulkhead when the drywall came down (see pic). My plan _was_ to move the electrical plug down and install a gang plate for all the banana speaker plugs coming in from the wall to go to the receiver while installing in-wall for the remaining front speakers mentioned. I was moving this down so it would be out of the sight line of the media console you see and out of the way of the in wall center speaker channel i was going to install. Unfortunately, with that bulkhead there, it looks very tough to move the power plug down and the gang plate down. Now what? How do i do this where the power plug and speaker gang plate would be out of the way from eyes and still get those wires to devices in that console. I'm stuck. No idea. Anyone else? Thanks in advance. Wanted a clean look and can't figure it out now.
> 
> Steph
> View attachment 174149


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## AEIOU (May 3, 2011)

Wayne A. Pflughaupt said:


> Might want to use THHN, Romex is pretty difficult to fish like that.
> 
> Regards,
> Wayne


THHN has to be installed inside conduit.


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## AEIOU (May 3, 2011)

stephpar17 said:


> Hello all,
> Haven't been on this forum for ages so apologies in advance for jumping back in and starting with a help request. I've got a 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup. In wall wiring except for my front 2 speakers and center channel. Was looking to remedy that today as I have an electrician and drywaller on site for other house work. Got a surprise with a bulkhead when the drywall came down (see pic). My plan _was_ to move the electrical plug down and install a gang plate for all the banana speaker plugs coming in from the wall to go to the receiver while installing in-wall for the remaining front speakers mentioned. I was moving this down so it would be out of the sight line of the media console you see and out of the way of the in wall center speaker channel i was going to install. Unfortunately, with that bulkhead there, it looks very tough to move the power plug down and the gang plate down. Now what? How do i do this where the power plug and speaker gang plate would be out of the way from eyes and still get those wires to devices in that console. I'm stuck. No idea. Anyone else? Thanks in advance. Wanted a clean look and can't figure it out now.
> 
> Steph
> View attachment 174149





stephpar17 said:


> Hello all,
> Haven't been on this forum for ages so apologies in advance for jumping back in and starting with a help request. I've got a 7.1 Dolby Atmos setup. In wall wiring except for my front 2 speakers and center channel. Was looking to remedy that today as I have an electrician and drywaller on site for other house work. Got a surprise with a bulkhead when the drywall came down (see pic). My plan _was_ to move the electrical plug down and install a gang plate for all the banana speaker plugs coming in from the wall to go to the receiver while installing in-wall for the remaining front speakers mentioned. I was moving this down so it would be out of the sight line of the media console you see and out of the way of the in wall center speaker channel i was going to install. Unfortunately, with that bulkhead there, it looks very tough to move the power plug down and the gang plate down. Now what? How do i do this where the power plug and speaker gang plate would be out of the way from eyes and still get those wires to devices in that console. I'm stuck. No idea. Anyone else? Thanks in advance. Wanted a clean look and can't figure it out now.
> 
> Steph
> View attachment 174149


I see some white zig zag molding off to the right, I'd pull it, cut a narrow channel in the drywall just wide enough for a piece of Romex and then bring it down to the floor and then install a surface mount raceway, some Wiremold along the floor. Of course return the molding to where it was originally. You could always install a box with Duplex RECEPTACLES behind the TV and then only have to drop one cord to a power strip.


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## sga2 (Nov 14, 2009)

What's directly below the bulkhead/rim joist? What is it sitting on?

What's under the floor of the room behind the wall? Finished room? Crawl space?


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