Installation In Existing Construction

Installation in Existing Construction

IMPORTANT: Before you cut into any wall, review the sections on running wire and speaker placement.

1.When determining the location of the speaker cutout keep in mind that the mounting dogs will extend 3/4” beyond the cutout. Make sure that you do not place the edge of the cutout directly next to a ceiling joist. Locate the joists using a stud sensor or hand-knocking.

2.Once you have determined a possible position for the cutout, drill a 1/8” pilot hole barely through the wallboard or dry wall (1/2” to 5/8” deep in most homes) in the center of your proposed speaker location. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL THROUGH EXISTING WIRES, PIPES, OR STRUCTURE. IF YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA RESISTANCE AS YOU ARE DRILLING, STOP.

3.Cut a foot long piece of coat hanger. Bend the wire (creating a right angle) leaving 5-1/2” at one end (this allows for the extra width of the mounting dogs). Poke the “L-shaped” wire into the pilot hole and turn it in a complete circle and move it into the ceiling cavi- ty to make sure you have approximately 3-3/4” of depth. If the coat hanger movement is obstructed by anything, fill the hole(s) with spackle and try another location. (See Figure 17).

4.If the coat hanger moves freely in a complete circle, hold the supplied tem- plate up to the ceiling surface. Outline the circular cutout on the ceiling sur- face with a pencil. Drill a starting point with a 1/4” drill bit.

Figure 17

Feeling for obstructions

behind the ceiling surface.

5.If you are cutting into drywall use a sheetrock or keyhole saw. Cut the hole with the saw at a 45° angle. That way, the drywall section can be replaced cleanly if there is an undetected obstruc- tion behind the ceiling surface. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SAW THROUGH EXISTING WIRES, PIPES, OR STRUC- TURE. IF YOU FEEL ANY EXTRA RESIS- TANCE AS YOU ARE CUTTING, STOP.

6.If you are cutting into a plaster ceiling, use masking tape to outline your pen- ciled circle and use a razor to score the plaster down to the lath beneath. Then use a chisel to remove all of the plaster within the taped outline. To actually cut the lath, two methods are used profes- sionally; sawing with a metal cutting blade on a sabre saw is the quickest and the riskiest. Sawing a lath with a sabre saw can easily vibrate plaster off the ceiling in a completely distant loca- tion creating more patch work. If you have the patience, use a pair of tin snips to slowly nip away at the lath instead. There is no risk with this method, it is just time consuming.