eXapath in-wall cable system

[Eieio]

Mike tell us why you developed the Exapath system??

Was it out of necessity or did you see a way to fill a void in the market?

[eXapath]

Mike tell us why you developed the Exapath system??

Was it out of necessity or did you see a way to fill a void in the market?
Great question...why was the eXapath system developed? Thanks for asking.

I'll do my best to provide the abridged version:

To understand it best it's probably a good idea to know a bit about my background. I spent roughly twenty years developing fiber optic products for use in commercial settings, LAN's, Data Centers, very high speed transmission stuff, etc. With time I added copper (Unshielded Twisted Pair) data cabling and then WiFi to my basket of tricks...all directed at commercial settings...Fortune 100 type customers. As part of that collective effort I was witness to the rapid pace of technology change and came to understand the need to accommodate change within the structure of buildings.

During that time I also contracted for a home to be built and came away very frustrated at the limitations of available systems on the market to address technology adoption (a gap)...and the lack of awareness of technology trends in general that I found within the home construction marketplace (this was ten years ago and awareness has improved dramatically since then)

For residential and light commercial use a common approach is to install various "structured wiring" systems to address existing and future technology needs. This is costly and limited in the sense that it doesn't consider "unforseeable" changes to wiring. For example, when I built just ten years ago, state-of-the-art was to install telephone, Cat 5 and RG-11 cabling for CATV. In the short time since I built, the industry has progressed from Cat5 to Cat5e, to Cat6 and now to Cat6a...for data cables alone. This doesn't take changes in coaxial cable, home theater, media rooms, HDMI...etc. into consideration. Technology changes...primarily driven by richer applications, larger file sizes, etc. Big files mean faster data speeds...which means new cables generally.

So, to adequately future-proof a structure in terms of consumer electronics technology, a method of moving, adding or upgrading cables is the best alternative.

With eXapath we took it a bit further and designed the product to allow the addition of outlets from floor to ceiling...before or after drywall was in place...providing the homeowner and/or their chosen contractor the means to enable the home to keep pace with technology as new "gotta' have" gadgets come to market.

For those interested, please feel free to ask questions here or contact me directly at mike.hines@homepathproducts.com. You might also be interested to know that we have a very generous Value-Added Reseller (VAR) program for forward-thinking contractors who install our products. Oh, and this product was designed and is produced in USA...100%. Doing our best to create local employment.

[eXapath]

Here's a bit more...recent posting from my blog to give everyone here at RemodelCrazy a better sense for what we're trying to accomplish. Lots of very real opportunity to use the "Different" of eXapath to "Different"iate.

http://homepathproducts.blogspot.com/2009/11/changewhy-fight-it-when-you-can-master.html

[Eieio]

Mike

when I originally looked at the system i thought it was mainly for houses that used a spray foam for insulation.. I figured the system was perfect for feeding wires/cables through them at a later date.

So even if I use traditional insulation, you still think I can benefit from your system?

[eXapath]

Mike

when I originally looked at the system i thought it was mainly for houses that used a spray foam for insulation.. I figured the system was perfect for feeding wires/cables through them at a later date.

So even if I use traditional insulation, you still think I can benefit from your system?
Without a doubt...this is a general use product intended to add technology scalability to the structure...technology happens...and the way we traditionally handle it is cumbersome and costly...in an earlier post I mentioned a few of the low voltage technologies that have changed in recent years...the tech (Consumer Electronics) industry is on the cusp of some pretty sweeping changes (Intel at the helm) and this next piece takes a look at 2010 and beyond...

http://homepathproducts.blogspot.com/2009/10/light-peak-and-you.html

I believe there's a tremendous opportunity for remodelers and new home builders alike (architects too) to consider the growing need to move, add and upgrade low voltage wiring, our system provides some level of real differentiation when it is needed most, and we've developed a pricing schedule to make it attractive to do so...

Made in USA
Provides significant differentiation and value-add (Remodeler to homeowner)
It's simple to install - drill a hole, snap together, drive a few screws and add fire-caulk/firestop putty...that's basically it.

Some knowledge of "home-run" cable routing plans is important but very easy to learn. We are happy to help.

[orson]

Mike,

The conduit that is run from the basement to the attic:

Could that double as a conduit for roof mounted solar installations or would there not be enough room and the potential for electrical interference if 24V electrical lines were in the same conduit w/ the data cables?

[eXapath]

Mike,

The conduit that is run from the basement to the attic:

Could that double as a conduit for roof mounted solar installations or would there not be enough room and the potential for electrical interference if 24V electrical lines were in the same conduit w/ the data cables?
Great question. It would certainly handle the 24V cable without trouble in terms of volume. The eXapath offers 3 square inches of volume for cables...it necks down to the equivalent of 1 1/4" for the 5 1/2" (poke-through)length when penetrating shoes/plates, etc.

If you need to run from the attic straight through two floors and into a basement or crawl space you're probably better off using standard schedule 40...straight shot with no transitions...if a routing path can be achieved. That is what I would strive for.

Where would eXapath come in? In some cases, especially for remodels where you have existing structure to deal with and limited degrees of freedom for planning...you can get pretty creative.

We designed the eXapath to mate with commonly available 1 1/4" schedule 40 or the 1 1/4" flexible "Resi-Gard" products to create a pathway that helps you route around existing obstacles...each job will be different (feel free to call/email (860 767 1122 - mike.hines@homepathproducts.com if you have a specific project in mind so that we can discuss details-one of my business partners also owns/runs a fine home construction company so we can do a consult with an expert who has been in your shoes)

The advantage that eXapath gives you is the ability to add outlets mid span (from floor to ceiling) before or after sheetrock is in place.

Generally, you should try to avoid running AC power cables adjacent to low voltage to minimize noise...the system is designed to allow line voltage a perpendicular path to the low voltage...here's a link to our site that explains a bit more.

http://www.homepathproducts.com/homepath/company.php

Thnaks for the question...hope this infor helps.

[orson]

Mike,

I think I read on your website that typically for second floor installations you run a conduit to the attic. I was thinking that would be really handy to double up for the solar lines which are 24V DC from the panel to the transformer. On remodels it is sometimes a struggle to get one conduit in, let alone two. If it could pull double duty that would be really cool.

[eXapath]

Mike,

I think I read on your website that typically for second floor installations you run a conduit to the attic. I was thinking that would be really handy to double up for the solar lines which are 24V DC from the panel to the transformer. On remodels it is sometimes a struggle to get one conduit in, let alone two. If it could pull double duty that would be really cool.
A bit of clarification...

The second conduit you're referring to is actually a return path conduit from the attic to the basement/crawl space.

This is a function of how low voltage wires are generally run...they use a "home-run" topology (from outlet back to patch panel) as opposed to "daisy-chain" like line voltage where electrical outlets can be linked in series as part of a circuit that eventually goes back to the electrical panel.

In a new home this "home run" is relatively easy to achieve...on the second floor, the eXapath system penetrates the plate upward into the attic so that low voltage cables run from their wall outlet locations up into the attic. From there the cables are collected from all of the second floor outlets and then run through a main chase (usually a large diameter 4" schedule 40 conduit) that runs from the attic on through to the basement and back to a main distribution/patch panel.

On the first floor, the eXapath penetrates through the shoe/subfloor and directly into the basement...cables are then run back to the ame distribution/patch panel.

I need to check on this...but I believe the 24V DC cable would not generate a lot of ambient noise and could be run alongside the data cables...AC would be more of a problem. The reason for keeping them separate is to avoid the data cable picking up electrical noise...but otherwise it's not a problem.

By the way(future reference)...one big advantage for when fiber optics is eventually a part of most homes is that the optical fibers are completely immune to interference...so running any type of power cables next to optical fiber is not a problem.

[naptownCr]

Mike,

I think I read on your website that typically for second floor installations you run a conduit to the attic. I was thinking that would be really handy to double up for the solar lines which are 24V DC from the panel to the transformer. On remodels it is sometimes a struggle to get one conduit in, let alone two. If it could pull double duty that would be really cool.

Are you running a single panel?
And what is this panel doing for you? Running to a charge controller?
Most solar array's are 250 -600 volt depending on the inverter.
the last thing you want in a low voltage DC circuit is a long run, the voltage drop will kill you.
Feel free to e mail me at the address in sig line if you have any questions

[eXapath]

Are you running a single panel?
And what is this panel doing for you? Running to a charge controller?
Most solar array's are 250 -600 volt depending on the inverter.
the last thing you want in a low voltage DC circuit is a long run, the voltage drop will kill you.
Feel free to e mail me at the address in sig line if you have any questions
naptownCr,

Thanks for the inquiry. This thread was describing the new eXapath low voltage pathway system and one question was whether a 24V DC cable could be run alongside data cables within the eXapath conduit. I'm still trying to get at the best answer and have an inquiry out to an EE on our team. Both cables will certainly fir within the conduit but there may be potential for "nose" between the cables and that's what I'm trying to get a better description of from our EE. First blush is that it's not a good idea but I'm waiting to get some more descriptive feedback so that I can provide a more complete answer for "orson".

Thanks for your interest. Is there a thread on RemodelCrazy that discusses solar power specifically? If so, I'd like to know where it is as I'm curious about the technology in general and would like to learn more of the ins and outs of it.

[eXapath]

Mike,

The conduit that is run from the basement to the attic:

Could that double as a conduit for roof mounted solar installations or would there not be enough room and the potential for electrical interference if 24V electrical lines were in the same conduit w/ the data cables?
Orson,

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you on this question...

As it turns out we cannot recommend that you use the eXapath conduits for the 24V Solar application for a few reasons. From a performance standpoint it's possible that any RFI (noise) from the data cables running an parallel can possibly couple to the DC power cables from the PV circuits. So it's best, when in proximity, to cross the power and data cables at 90 degress to minimize any cross-talk issues.

In addition the NEC appears to require that the power conductor cables be run in metal conduit inside the building per NEC 690.14, 31E 2005. In researching your question I came across a presentation that provides further detail...it's probably stuff you already know or maybe more than you were asking for but the best info. I've come across. I had hoped to post it here on the forum but can't seem figure out how to do so. If you give me your email address I'm happy to send it to you.

Thanks,

Mike

[naptownCr]

naptownCr,

Thanks for the inquiry. This thread was describing the new eXapath low voltage pathway system and one question was whether a 24V DC cable could be run alongside data cables within the eXapath conduit. I'm still trying to get at the best answer and have an inquiry out to an EE on our team. Both cables will certainly fir within the conduit but there may be potential for "nose" between the cables and that's what I'm trying to get a better description of from our EE. First blush is that it's not a good idea but I'm waiting to get some more descriptive feedback so that I can provide a more complete answer for "orson".

Thanks for your interest. Is there a thread on RemodelCrazy that discusses solar power specifically? If so, I'd like to know where it is as I'm curious about the technology in general and would like to learn more of the ins and outs of it.

there are a couple of articles in the blog but they are about thermal not PV.