Plasma wall mount cable management?

disneyjoe7

I wish to mount my Plasma to the wall running all wiring in wall to floor area. This floor area hole will work to a new equipment rack does anyone know of a nice cable hole system for this purpose? I wish to have just 1 - 10' cable between Plasma and source or is this a bad idea?

disneyjoe7

Ok, here's what I'm thinking if nothing better. Two Low voltage old work boxes mounted sideways so they are larger left to right not up and down. One behind the TV, and one behind the equipment rack. This way all cable run down in wall to equipment below, not so pretty but it will work.

Anything to make it nicer looking, or any other better idea?

disneyjoe7

So you wall mounted Plasma people how did you do yours?

disneyjoe7

I see this tread will be like the Babes tread a heavy response Wall.

miner

www.wiremold.com should give you some ideas. It is available at Lowes.

disneyjoe7

Thanks, but what I seen on that site is something that mounts to wall to bring down. What I'll be doing is fishing down wiring in wall to bring down, looking for a nice wall hole dresser so too speak. This way the Plasma will look like it's hanging in mid air.

TN_Polk_Lover

Sounds like your idea will work. Have you verified that there will not be any cross pieces in the way? I'm not sure what you call them, but I know in some walls there will be a cross piece (approx. 14in wide) that goes between the studs, I guess for reinforcement. Maybe they are only used if the wall is load bearing, I'm not sure.

disneyjoe7

Positive, but even if there's one I will have a 3/4" hole in it after I done. Gotten really handy drilling holes in fire stops or drywall nailer's as I call them for that too stop me. Others nailer's are about the 6' mark Plasma will be about 4.5' so there should be a problem with that.

disneyjoe7

Nothing custom on the market? I know there's some high end installers here, I would think someone would have came up with a nice looking idea by now.

cyberhazard

disneyjoe7 wrote:

I wish to have just 1 - 10' cable between Plasma and source or is this a bad idea?

You'll be needing 2 cables. The first is your signal/cable TV the second will be the power cord. The cleanest way is to use 3 cut-in boxes. Cut your first pair of holes on each side of a stud behind your plasma. The one for power needs to be above an existing power outlet. You can go vertical or horz. with your box layout, doesn't matter as these are behind the plasma. Kill the power and fish a piece of 12-2 romex from the existing plug up to the new hole, install a cut-in box and trim it with whats known as a "clock outlet". Then tie in the wire to your existing circuit. On the signal side, cut a third hole below the upper, same elevation as your existing plug. Fish your cable from hole to hole, and install the cut-in boxes.

I am an electrician and I do these all the time.

disneyjoe7

cyberhazard wrote:

You'll be needing 2 cables. The first is your signal/cable TV the second will be the power cord. The cleanest way is to use 3 cut-in boxes. Cut your first pair of holes on each side of a stud behind your plasma. The one for power needs to be above an existing power outlet. You can go vertical or horz. with your box layout, doesn't matter as these are behind the plasma. Kill the power and fish a piece of 12-2 romex from the existing plug up to the new hole, install a cut-in box and trim it with whats known as a "clock outlet". Then tie in the wire to your existing circuit. On the signal side, cut a third hole below the upper, same elevation as your existing plug. Fish your cable from hole to hole, and install the cut-in boxes.

I am an electrician and I do these all the time.

Thanks, Cyberhazard some great info on this subject and has given me some additional cable management idea's that I needed for the Plasma. Just one thing if I have 14/2 in the existing outlet box now I would need to run 14/2 out not 12/2 right?

cyberhazard

Correct. If you existing circuit is 14-2 then 12-2 would be overkill. In my area, new homes are wired 20A for plugs an 15A for lights.

BTW
Orlando. I am originally from Titusville. Bought my last ride a Massey Cadillac right off the B-Line in Orlando while on vacation in 06.

disneyjoe7

Well I think you're right 12/2 is being used for plugs, maybe even lights. I been doing a lot of work in attic and found maybe 2 14/2 cables in the whole house. But I believe you can't mix romex in a box if now 14/2 I can't add 12/2 well I least I think I'm half right.

BTW Massey Cadillac off B-line in O town, then that is what we call "OBT" or 441 Orange Bloosom Trail it's 10 miles from me.

cyberhazard

disneyjoe7 wrote:

But I believe you can't mix romex in a box if now 14/2 I can't add 12/2 well I least I think I'm half right.

Sure you can. Your only limitations are,
1. Are the current carrying conductors equal to or greater than the branch circuits rated capacity.
2. Will the size of the box in question support the addition of more conductors.
For example, say your existing box is listed at 25 cubic in. Each #12 wire requires 2.25 cu. in. of space in that box.
Therefore you can safely fit 11 wires in the box. Oh, and all grounds added together equal one wire as far as box fill is concerned.

disneyjoe7

Gotta thanks

DAMCB

disneyjoe7 wrote:

I wish to have just 1 - 10' cable between Plasma and source or is this a bad idea?

I found "Recessed Low Voltage Cable Plates" at www.datacommelectronics.com, Phone #770-6628205. They have single,double, and tripple gang box wall plates with a "chute" cast into the rear to guide the cables through. For a wall mount, you can turn the plate so that the chute faces down at the bottom and reverse it to bring the cables up at the top.

These look real slick and could be attached anywhere on the wall with screws and drywall anchors.
Don

doug lang

I got lucky with mine. As stated you will need a box to plug the unit in. I ran wires to a box between the same studs to the next room for which i mounted the tv. i then installed a box behind the plasma. All remaining wires were ran in the wall down from the tv to the floor stud. I made a small hole and ran all wires behind plastic molding for wires which lowes sells. You cannot see one wire. I was worried about having all wires together, but this worked fine. This i would say was a first class job. Good luck

disneyjoe7

Beautiful thanks just what I was looking for, will look so much better than the orange old work low voltage gang box.

So between Cyber and your self Don I'm GOLDEN.

disneyjoe7

doug lang wrote:

I got lucky with mine. As stated you will need a box to plug the unit in. I ran wires to a box between the same studs to the next room for which i mounted the tv. i then installed a box behind the plasma. All remaining wires were ran in the wall down from the tv to the floor stud. I made a small hole and ran all wires behind plastic molding for wires which lowes sells. You cannot see one wire. I was worried about having all wires together, but this worked fine. This i would say was a first class job. Good luck

Well my first thought was to run all cables for TV in one hole behind it, to a box behind a low boy entrainment cabinet. I was including Power cord with this. Cyber gave me the idea of adding a third box for AC power, alone with the two other boxes. Now what Don found this also will have a very clean look, needed for the WAF.

The wall behind this is my master bedroom which isn't going to work for anything in Family room that would be a NO NO.

Rivrrat

I have a low eq cabinet below my plasma, probably 2' tall. I have a two inch hole behind the plasma, and a two inch hole behind the cabinet, all my cables run behind the wall through those holes and into the cabinet. No muss, no fuss, as long as you don't need to get behind the cabinet. Be sure to leave extra cable, so when you need to get behind your cabinet, you don't pull all the cable work out of your eq (I hate when that happens).

hearingimpared

I just saw this thread. My wife wants me to mount the 50" plasma and the Surroundbar on the wall. I was wondering how this was going to get done. Thanks for the info.

disneyjoe7

Rivrrat wrote:

Be sure to leave extra cable, so when you need to get behind your cabinet, you don't pull all the cable work out of your eq (I hate when that happens).

Great point I may need to rethink my cable lenghts over. I was thinking 3 meter but maybe 4 now? I thought after 3 things can have a little loss?

C3 Audio

I don't know about you folks, but having an electronics background, I don't like any more splices or connections in the signal path than is absolutely necessary. The fancy wall plates with specialty connectors look nice, but they add connections in the signal path and they are down right expensive. While I have absolutely no affiliation with the company or product below, I’m going to use it in my next build out. I think it reduces unnecessary connection points and dresses the wall plate. I’m not sure how they would look located higher than 2 foot of the floor though? They also have a dual wide if you have a lot of cables. Prices are very reasonable.
To check out these, go to Skywalker.com. They have a lot of products related to installation of Audio/Video. The guest sign in is: sw, password is 2savemore.
I have included a pic of the single gang cover.
Thought it might help you manage the spaghetti......

disneyjoe7

C3 Audio,

I agree with you on signal path and connections, this is why I wanted to have 1 -10' cable for TV to STB.

Take a look at the product that DAMCB / Don found has a more refine look to it. IMO This is not the manufactures website but a reseller which list a very nice price for this plate.

http://automatemyhome.com/products4-2.asp?CustComKey=73491&CategoryKey=79663&ProductKey=226292

C3 Audio

disneyjoe7 wrote:

C3 Audio,

I agree with you on signal path and connections, this is why I wanted to have 1 -10' cable for TV to STB.

Take a look at the product that DAMCB / Don found has a more refine look to it. IMO This is not the manufactures website but a reseller which list a very nice price for this plate.

http://automatemyhome.com/products4-2.asp?CustComKey=73491&CategoryKey=79663&ProductKey=226292

Another good wrinkle.....Thanks for passing it along. Certainly gives us more options than we had before.

Rivrrat

Both options are better looking than my wall mounted computer grommets. But the grommets do finish off the hole.

Oh, and I agree about the less mechanical connections the better.

ilikesound

disneyjoe7 wrote:

So you wall mounted Plasma people how did you do yours?

stick the bracket on the wall and mount the lag bolts to the frame of the mount. (predrilling holes, of course) mount the clips to the backside of your tv. make sure they are level and then stick your plasma up there and level again to make sure it needs no adjustments. voila!

doug lang

I used a stud finder. Mine were 18 on center. One thing make sure you hit the stud dead center with your lags. My plasma weighed a ton.

Rivrrat

The hardest part of the process was lifting the plasma up to the bracket, and then making all the connections.

A small mirror would help with that

disneyjoe7

So here's a question(s)... I know my studs are 24" center, my set is 42" so should I go with a mount that is made for 27"-42" or one that is more like 37"-50" for greater wiggly room. Greater play to make the set center? Or will I need to add support behind the set for this mount?

doug lang

I would go with the wider mount. This way as you say you have more to play with the studs. You do have play with the mount from left to right. Mine was a two man job. I got the tilt mount so after it was hooked on, i tilted it and there was room for the connections.