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 *******, **** ****** *** (******* *******/******* ******) ******** 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 areas **** ******/***** ********.

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

*** **** **** *** to **** ******* * space ******** ****** ***** material ** ** *** the *** ****/******** ***** or ******* ** *********** for *** ********. ***** *** some ***** ** ******** construction *** ***** ****** not ** ******** ** 100% ********.

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

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

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

"Plenum" *******

***** ** ********* ******** ******* and ****** *******. ** does ******* **** *** ******* will *** **** ** that ** **** ******* non-toxic *****, ***** ** commonly ******** ***** *** rated ******.

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

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

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

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

************, ** ******** *** camera ************, ***** *********** cannot ** **** ****** ** plenum ****** *** **** instead ** ********* ** a ******-***** ********* (*** below). **** **** ***** that **** ******* ******* (such as *************** **** ********) **** ******* ** 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 *******, ** ****. ** cabling, ****** ****** (***) simply ***** **** ****** will ********** **** ******/**** are *******, ***** ***** (CMR) *** ***-***** ****** continue ** **** *** release **** *****/*****.

** ******* ******* ****** ** our ****** ***** ** ****** *******, ** **** ** 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

Thanks for this.  Very informative.

Avatar

Robert Forte

IPVMU Certified | 04/22/19 10:32pm

thanks for this I had no clue you need plenum. back boxes in those types of ceiling 

Undisclosed #1

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

This is why I always see APs attached to the ceiling grid and the cable pushed thru a hole in the tile so the connection is below the plenum(damn those IT guys).

If the budget does not allow for plenum you can mount to the wall, good luck having a customer understand this adjustment. Even mounting on the wall, I have seen a plenum intake and exhaust on the wall in a open ceiling pancake building. Mmm pancakes, but really all ducts were exposed and the circulation was the dividing walls themselves(downtown SF).

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