Installing Cameras in Plenums Tutorial

By: IPVM Team, Published on May 15, 2018

There is often confusion about plenum ceilings, with misinformation about what is required when running cables through them and mounting cameras into them. Failing to understand plenum requirements can land installers on the wrong side of an AHJ, lead to additional labor and material costs to remedy issues, and even threaten life safety.

In this tutorial, we look at the issues involved in mounting cameras in plenum spaces, including:

  • **** ** * ******?
  • ***** *** ******* ****?
  • *** ** **** ** plenum ********* ** ********
  • **** ******* ******** ****
  • ****** *********** ** *******
  • ****** ******* ****
  • ********** ******* ********
  • *** *** ******** ****** are *****
  • ****** ***** *******

What ** * ******?

******* ******* **** ** * building **** *** ******* in *******/******* *******, **** often ** ***** * drop ******* ***** *** return *** (*** ***** is ******* ******** **** **** ** be ******/******).

ceiling plenum space

*******, ** **** **********, most ***** **** ******* and **** *******, * raised ***** *** ** used ******* ** *** drop *******, **** ****** air (******* *******/******* ******) ******** the **** *** ***** grates:

raised floor plenum space

** ****** ****, ******* are ********* **** ** order ** **** ***** on *** **** ** installation, ** ** ******** only *** *** ** ducts ** ** *** throughout * ********, ******* of ***. ******* **** may ****** ************ ***** as **** *** ****-********* (adjusting ****** *** ****** pressure) ***** *** ******* significant **** ** ***** HVAC *******.

Where *** ******* *****?

***** ** ** **** and **** **** *** where ******* *** ** found. **** *** ** found ** *********** *** building ****, ** *** vertical ******, *** *** region, ** *********/********** ****** assume **** * ******* is *** **** *** air ****** ****** ******* of *** ** ***** factors.

** *******, ****** *** ***** to ** **** ****** in ****** **********, **** as *********** *** ********* campuses, *** ***** ****** verify *** ******* **** prior ** ********** ******* or ******. ************, ****** use ****** ********** ** region, **** ******/**** ***** environments ***** ** **** often ** ** *** be **** ********* ** these ***** **** ******/***** climates.

How ** * **** ** * ******* ******** ****** *********?

*** **** **** *** to **** ******* * space ******** ****** ***** material ** ** *** the *** ****/******** ***** or ******* ** *********** for *** ********. ***** are **** ***** ** building ************ *** ***** should *** ** ******** as ***% ********.

  • *** **** ** *****:** *** **** ** HVAC ***** *** ******* in *** *******, **** one ********* ** ******** and ******* *******, *** ceiling ** ****** ***-******. HVAC ****** *** ****** registers/grates *** ********* **** to ********, ** *** supply **** **** ******* to ****** ******* ************, while ******* *** ********* more ****, ** ********* does *** ******.
  • **** *******:****** ******** ***** *** an **** "*** *****" style ******* ***** *** air ******. ******* * flashlight **** **** ******, users ****** *** *** obstructions ** * ****** ceiling, ***** ***-****** ****** will **** * **** attached ** *** ******, visible ** *** ****** of *** ******* ** the ***** *****.

When ** *****: ****** ******

** ***** ** *** doubt ** ** ******* the ******* ** **** for *** ********, ****** that ****** ********* ** required. *** ***** ** could *** **** ****** and ******** **** ********** at ****.

"Plenum" *******

***** ** ********* ******** plenums *** ****** *******. It *********** **** *** ******* will *** **** ** that ** **** ******* non-toxic *****, ***** ** commonly ******** ***** *** rated ******.

* ******* ***** ** "plenum" ***** ***** ************ for *** ****** ** fire *** *****, ************:

**** *** ******* *.*.**.* requires ********* ******* ** the ******* ** ******* cavity ******* **** *** supply, ****** ** ******* air **** *** ******** area ** ** **************, limited ***********, ** **** a***** ****** ******** ********* ** *** a*****-********* ******** ********* **

***** ******* *** ******* in**** ***, **** **** ******* for ****** ***** ******** in**** ******** ****.

No **** *********** ** ******

************, ** ******** *** camera ************, ***** *********** cannot ** **** ****** in ****** ****** *** must ******* ** ********* in * ******-***** ********* (see *****). **** **** means **** **** ******* cabling (**** ** *************** **** ********) **** ******* ** power ******* ** *** plenum.

Plenum ********

**** *** ** **** means *** ****** ************ in * ****** ** that ** ***** ** maintain ****** ******, *** recessed ****** ********* **** be ***** ******** ** all ********** ****** *** covered, *** **** ** a ******** ***** ** suitable *** *** ******, typically *****, *** ********* a ***** *******.

***** ******** *** ********* not ******** **** ******* and **** ** ********* separately. ****** ******** ***** widely ** *****, **** ~$70 ** ~$***, ********* on *** **** ** the ****** *** ********* of *** *******.

Integrated ********

****** **** ******* ** not **** **** ****** housings, **** ****** ******* appropriate ******* *****, ********, or ****** ** ******** plenum ******. *** *******, this ****** ******** * snap-on ***** ***** *** be **** ** ***** connections **** **** ** a ****** *******:

Beware: ******** ****** *** *** ** ****** *****

**** **** **** ******** ceiling ****** *** *** plenum ***** ******* **** leave *********** **** ** the ******. ***** *** consist ** ****** ** open ***** (*****, ****) or **** ***** *** seemingly ***** ********, *** not ***** (*****, *****).

**** ************* ******* **** of ***** ****** *** the **** ****** *****, which *** ** ********* to ************* ***** *** may ******* ****** **** for ****** ********. ***** should ****** ***** **** housings *** ******-***** ***** required.

************, *** *** ******* which *** ******** ******** for ****** ******** *** plenum *****. *** *******, many******* *********** ****** ** ** fully ******** ** ******* photos, *** *** ******** open ** *** ****** on *** *** ** the *******:

Cable ******* (***, ***, **)

**** **** **** ****** focuses ** ****** ****** install ******, *** ** impacts *******, ** ****. In *******, ****** ****** (CMP) ****** ***** **** cables **** ********** **** flames/heat *** *******, ***** riser (***) *** ***-***** cables ******** ** **** and ******* **** *****/*****.

** ******* ******* ****** in *** *********** ** ****** *******, ** **** ** where ***** ***** ****** should *** ****** *** be ****.

Accessories **** ** ******, ***

********** ****** **** **** camera ******** *** ****** are *** *** **** products ***** **** ** plenum ***** **** ********** systems. ******** **** ** the ****** ***** **** be *****, ************** ****,********, ******** *******, ***. While ***** ***** *** be ********** ****** ** inspection, ***** ***-***** ***** in ****** ****** ** poor ******** *** *** result ** ****** **** spread *** **** ***** release **** ***** ****** materials.

Comments (3)

Avatar

Jonathan Lawry

Trecerdo, LLC | 05/17/18 12:26pm

****** *** ****. **** informative.

Avatar

Robert Forte

04/22/19 10:32pm

****** *** **** * had ** **** *** need ******. **** ***** in ***** ***** ** ceiling

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Robert Forte | 04/23/19 02:19am

**** ** *** * always *** *** ******** to *** ******* **** and *** ***** ****** thru * **** ** the **** ** *** connection ** ***** *** plenum(damn ***** ** ****).

** *** ****** **** not ***** *** ****** you *** ***** ** the ****, **** **** having * ******** ********** this **********. **** ******** on *** ****, * have **** * ****** intake *** ******* ** the **** ** * open ******* ******* ********. Mmm ********, *** ****** all ***** **** ******* and *** *********** *** the ******** ***** **********(******** SF).

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