how would you do it and what would you include (beyond normal lighting)?

12/8/2012 7:14:00 PM

I would have AC/USB Wall Outlets on every wall. I'd also have a speakers in every room as well as led lights to illuminate the floor at night.

12/8/2012 8:27:41 PM

I'd also have cat5 run to all of the outlets even though the house has wireless internet.

12/9/2012 12:13:47 AM

Web cams in every room for an iRobot like security system.

These things http://www.techhive.com/article/2018601/this-flexible-light-emitting-plastic-might-be-the-future-of-light-bulbs.html

Wired networking for sure, streaming media servers like it.

[Edited on December 9, 2012 at 1:03 AM. Reason : ]

12/9/2012 1:00:48 AM

i would have 3 phase 480 in the garage for air compressor welder and plasma cutter and a few 208 sockets in the kitchen for high voltage electric kettles (boil water in like 30 sec and i don't like waiting on my tea)

i would run low voltage track lighting throughout the house and have in wall speakers everywhere (surround sound in living room) Cat6 everywhere at-least 1 jack per wall.

and a windmill on site.

12/9/2012 8:46:19 AM

You can boil water in 30-60 seconds with this on a regular outlet. They sell them at Target for like ten bucks.

12/9/2012 10:14:16 AM

I did this by taking the siding off my house and running down through the floor into the crawl space. 4 cat6, 2 rg6 coax, and new grounded (house is 70 years old) power. low and high voltage to different boxes. put in a new 200A panel even though I'm not even using the 100A by going to a gas stove, dryer, and tankless water heater. had progress energy come and turn off power and ran all new stuff from the weatherhead down. ran all the low voltage stuff to the bottom of a linen closet where I put in a rack with patch panels and a switch. I redistributed some of the power for my own purposes, like a dedicated 20A for my home theater alone and a dedicated 15A for where my computer went in my bedroom.

...then I promptly moved to dc




[Edited on December 9, 2012 at 11:22 AM. Reason : pics]

12/9/2012 11:17:00 AM

Quote :

"i would have 3 phase 480 in the garage for air compressor welder and plasma cutter"

Hahaha, how badass of an air compressor, welder, or plasma cutter do you plan on having? 240v single-phase would work for anything any normal person would want to do. Welding > 1/2" thick steel would be about the only thing that would require more, I think.
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and you can run cat 5 cable all over the place pretty easily. I had cat-5 cable ran all over my house when I had it wired for 5.1 surround sound...was very quick and easy.


Oh, and in-wall speakers generally suck. They allow a clean install, but there's a trade-off in sound quality. I use them for surrounds, but that's it. You can also go overboard with putting speakers everywhere.

12/9/2012 12:18:28 PM

Before I moved into my house (built in '85), I had the AC replaced and the air handler moved to the crawlspace, which gave me an extra closet. The closet became my new wiring closet. I ran 700' of CAT6 throughout the house, 6 behind the TV, 5 in the computer room, and 2 in every bedroom. The only ones that don't really see use are the ones in the bedrooms. Everything else is in use.

If I were rewiring everything, there'd definitely be more electrical outlets around on walls, as well as better and more central runs of coax to the various outlets. The house also needs overhead lighting in some rooms... I don't know how that wasn't a thing back then, but I've seen it in other homes of similar age.

12/9/2012 11:29:12 PM