Floor-to-Ceiling Power Poles

Definition

• Power poles are extruded metal or hard plastic poles used to hide, manage and protect electrical wiring and cables. Running electrical wiring using a floor-to-ceiling pole is helpful in areas where outlets or electrical connections are not easily accessible. The pole provides a reliable way to drop wiring from the ceiling to create an outlet or Internet connection. Interior power poles can be purchased in varying lengths, allowing the installation of a pole from any ceiling height to a finished floor.

Types

• Power poles can be an open conduit or detailed with interior channels that separate wires and cables as needed. For example, a work table centered in the middle of a room may require an open conduit that channels electrical wire to create an outlet at the base of the conduit. However, a complex data and telecommunications conduit may require a dual or double-channel pole to manage the data cables and the electrical outlet wiring separately.

  Power poles for data and telecommunication needs can be purchased already wired and equipped with industry-standard removable plates, called "knockouts," that allow direct plug-in of the customer's communications equipment. Knockouts may include access for phone lines, Ethernet outlets, Internet connections or any required combination of connectors.

Uses

• Floor-to-ceiling power poles are often used at retail point-of-purchase stations. Point-of-purchase stations are not always placed near a wall, and the floor-to-ceiling power pole allows wiring pulled across the ceiling to drop down and be used to run cash registers and credit-card machines. Likewise, businesses that utilize an open work area for employees use floor-to-ceiling power poles to deliver Internet and power receptacles for employee workstations. In buildings where wiring cannot run through the wall — adobe and some plaster construction may be solid — power poles can be attached against an interior wall to deliver wiring and power to a room. Homeowners may find power poles useful for running wiring to hard-to-reach areas of the garage or other outdoor buildings such as separate art studios and work sheds.

Advantages

• Power poles are reusable and relocatable, making them items worth saving during a demolition or a move. Easy access to the wiring in a power pole makes updating a telecommunications or data system a fast endeavor. Also, power poles provide flexible solutions when multiple electrical and communications needs arise, as the addition of more computers, televisions and monitors is easy to manage from one pole. Poles prevent the need to cut holes in drywall, hide wiring under carpeting -- where it can degrade from the pressure of heavy foot traffic or furniture -- or set up elaborate and often unsightly ways to cover cables to prevent a tripping hazard.