# Electrical for TV mounted above fireplace



## broadbill (Oct 1, 2014)

Hello all-its been awhile since I have checked in on here....

I was hoping to get some help on a project I'm working on.

I'm planning to mount our flat-screen TV over the gas insert fireplace.  The previous owners of the house had their TV there and even modified the side trim and mantle around the fireplace to have a channel running through it.  It is here I plan to fish the low-voltage cables through this channel (HDMI, speaker wires, etc.)

I don't want to run an extension cord through this channel (against code) so I'm buying a "power bridge" setup that will put a power inlet in one part of the room, connecting to an recessed outlet behind the mounted TV.  See this.  You then plug into a nearby outlet to power the outlet behind the TV.

My plan is to fish the line for the powerbridge entirely within the wall if I can manage it without tearing too many holes in the drywall.  A much easier option would to take advantage of the channel in the fireplace trim and run some of the Romex/NM "externally" to decrease the distance I would need to fish.  The Romex would then be conceled by the side trim pieces.

My question is if there is a code-compliant way to run Romex in this channel (the channel is formed by a hollow space in the trim pieces which attach to the face of the drywall).  My reading indicates that code can go either way on this, the issue is protecting the romex from nail/screw puncture ( wire has to be 1-1/4" away from external edge of studs, nail plates, etc).

One idea is to protect the external run of Romex with smurf tube or other conduit, but don't think I can get the smurf tube into the channel in the mantel.  One could also argue that the trim and mantel itself is protection enough for the Romex in the channel (def. thicker than 1-1/4"), should someone decide to drive a nail into the mantel to hang their stockings.

Thoughts on if I can take the easy route on this or if I should bite the bullet and fish the line behind the drywall?


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## JoeD (Oct 1, 2014)

Instead of running the power bridge cable through the walls why not run the NM cable to a receptacle and power it permanently.
There is no code compliant way to run the NM through the channel with the low voltage cables.


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## bud16415 (Oct 1, 2014)

Most people running the power bridge setup do it so they can supply the TV or projector conditioned power from a battery backup device. If you are not going to need that I agree with JoeD just run power to a recessed outlet.


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## broadbill (Oct 1, 2014)

JoeD said:


> There is no code compliant way to run the NM through the channel with the low voltage cables.



Thank you....I also forgot about the fact that the high voltage line will cause interference with the low-voltage lines.  I can definitely separate them with a layer of drywall; is that enough for code and minimizing interference (can't imagine it wouldn't be).

thanks!


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## broadbill (Oct 1, 2014)

bud16415 said:


> Most people running the power bridge setup do it so they can supply the TV or projector conditioned power from a battery backup device. If you are not going to need that I agree with JoeD just run power to a recessed outlet.



The plan was to put a surge protector or power conditioner in line with the TV, but I will consider going with power straight to the outlet as well.

thanks for your input!


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## bud16415 (Oct 1, 2014)

If you are planning a surge etc do the inlet outlet back to your equipment area. I have front projection and that's how I did mine more or less. 


Sent from my iPhone using Home Repair


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## havasu (Oct 1, 2014)

Here is a pic of the last two TV's I mounted over the fireplace.


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## CallMeVilla (Oct 2, 2014)

There will be no AC interference if you can get separation from the HDMI and other data cables.  If you do have to cross the cables and the AC (ROMEX) just make sure it is at 90 degrees.  Do not run them parallel and in close proximity to each other.

I much prefer fishing the ROMEX to prevent possible nailing issues later.  A little drywall patching is no big deal.

I would also suggest pulling a PAIR of HDMI cables saving one for a future spare.  They can go bad and if you do not have a spare, you are in trouble.

The last two wall mount TVs I installed used an Arlington recessed box.  They are really clean and allow for flexibility.  You can buy them online with quick delivery.

http://www.techtoolsupply.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=ARL-TVBU507


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## odorf (Oct 2, 2014)

do you actually use the fire place?  some people have them and really dont use em

put the tv in the fire place,  and buy glass doors for the fire box

when not watching tv,  close the doors, and you do not see the fire place

you can also get a video disc of a  fire  .  i saw this idea in a 

home


it looked good


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## broadbill (Oct 2, 2014)

CallMeVilla said:


> There will be no AC interference if you can get separation from the HDMI and other data cables.  If you do have to cross the cables and the AC (ROMEX) just make sure it is at 90 degrees.  Do not run them parallel and in close proximity to each other.
> 
> I much prefer fishing the ROMEX to prevent possible nailing issues later.  A little drywall patching is no big deal.
> 
> ...



Thanks!  The more I think about it, the more I think I'll fish the power completely in the wall.  I am of the understanding that the 60Hz of the electrical line won't bother digital signal of HDMI, but I may have other cabling in that channel at some point (speaker wire, component, etc)

I agree on your idea of doing more HDMI cables than I need in case of failure, but the nice thing about having the channel in the side trim/mantle is that it is easily accessible.  The previous owner renailed the pieces back, but I'm thinking of a making it even more accessible...maybe some velcro or hinges?  Thoughts?

I saw the Arlington boxes but I didn't want to go with the combination high/low voltage box because I planned to utilize the channel in the mantle.  So I went with a Vantec Rapid Link 

thanks again!


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## broadbill (Oct 2, 2014)

odorf said:


> do you actually use the fire place?  some people have them and really dont use em
> 
> put the tv in the fire place,  and buy glass doors for the fire box
> 
> ...



good idea, but we use the fire all winter.  It gets flipped on when we get home from work and stays on until bed.


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## broadbill (Oct 9, 2014)

Just to follow up:

Finished the install...I ended fishing the Romex through the wall to the two rework boxes for the Vantec Power bridge.  

Fishing was relatively easy, I was able to fish by only opening two spots in the wall where where were studs (a doubled-up stud at the edge of the fireplace bump-out and another stud in middle of the mantle).  I chiseled channels across the studs so both the romex and the nailing plate would sit flush to the edge of the stud.

The bigger issue I had to contend with was finding studs to hang the TV mount.  Turns out the previous owner lowered the mantel so there was a horizonal stud running where the mantel used to be, but there wasn't any other vertical studs above the mantel space than the one I had found.

The TV mount came with lag bolt to anchor the mount to the wall,  I was able to sink the lags for the bottom of the mount into the horizontal stud, but only one lag into the top part of the mount, into that one stud I found.  What I found was corners of the wall mount would pull away from the wall when the TV was hanging there (not good).

To address this I put a couple of toggle bolts into the corners to keep them on the wall.  Between them and the single lag that is more than enough support there (each toggle can hold upwards of 300lbs of shear weight, so I figured I was fine there.  The TV mount max holding is 165lbs).

Everything works---thanks again to everyone for the help/advice!


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## havasu (Oct 11, 2014)

I could never understand why those TV mounts are designed so you must be exactly 16" on center because most mountings need some type of adjustment.


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