TV power cord in wall?

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bakerbrotherselectric

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We are constantly going back and forth with AV installers about dropping the tv power cord in the wall. We do home theater installs ourselves, and always install a recessed outlet behind the flat panel tv when necessary, when the customer is willing to pay for it. If they choose not to pay for the outlet then the tv power cord is hanging down in front of the wall. Can be put in wiremold for extra, but not inside the wall. The AV only installers say it's a gray area in the code, and if they use a cord that can disconnect at the tv and at the outlet then its ok. Is there something I'm missing in 400?
Can a brother get some input?
 
bakerbrotherselectric said:
We are constantly going back and forth with AV installers about dropping the tv power cord in the wall. We do home theater installs ourselves, and always install a recessed outlet behind the flat panel tv when necessary, when the customer is willing to pay for it. If they choose not to pay for the outlet then the tv power cord is hanging down in front of the wall. Can be put in wiremold for extra, but not inside the wall. The AV only installers say it's a gray area in the code, and if they use a cord that can disconnect at the tv and at the outlet then its ok. Is there something I'm missing in 400?
Can a brother get some input?
Click to expand...


I think some of it has to do with the power cord on the tv is not rated for in wall use. But I could be completly wrong. I would also like to know a code article, as I get the same requests often.

~Matt
 
It gets even trickier when they want to plug the projector and powered subwoofer into the same power conditioner located with all the other equipment. I surprised an a/v company when I told them you can't run cords through walls. They had been doing it for years, even with an in house master electrician. They even made detailed plans that illustrate how the cord would be ran.
 
CHWflorida said:
It gets even trickier when they want to plug the projector and powered subwoofer into the same power conditioner located with all the other equipment. I surprised an a/v company when I told them you can't run cords through walls. They had been doing it for years, even with an in house master electrician. They even made detailed plans that illustrate how the cord would be ran.
Click to expand...

Should we laugh? Cry?
Sigh...

You would think after investing a large sum of money into equipment and then probably finiking over the mounting of the stupid thing for days and loosing mass amounts of sleep wondering wether or not it was going ot fall off the wall or not that people would get a clue and invest in the actual part that could potentially burn their house down if something goes wrong...
 
bakerbrotherselectric said:
so you guys agree. YOU CAN NOT DROP THE TV POWER CORD IN THE WALL.
Click to expand...

I feel like I'm in that Nextel comm. with firemen, AY ...:rolleyes:

Use one of these, Let them buy something...
whatsnew_04.jpg
 
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bakerbrotherselectric said:
so you guys agree. YOU CAN NOT DROP THE TV POWER CORD IN THE WALL.
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Now lets really have some fun.... For some schmuck AV guys... (The cheesy ones who use off the big box shelf cables) some of the other stuff cant be in the walls either.... HDMI cables, USB, s-video - many types of speaker cables - the list can go on, and on....
 
CHWflorida said:
It gets even trickier when they want to plug the projector and powered subwoofer into the same power conditioner located with all the other equipment.
Click to expand...
That's not hard to do. I run a 14-2 NM cable from the new wall or recessed ceiling receptacle back to the equipment area, and into a single-gang box next to the main power receptacle(s).

Then I get a heavy-duty 3-conductor cord with a plug on it, pass the stripped end through a blank plate with a factory 1/2" hole, knot the cord, and connect the wires to the end of the NM cable.

Now there's an easy way to plug the sub-woofer or projector into the power strip supplying the rest of the system; sort of an in-wall extension cord.
 
LarryFine said:
Then I get a heavy-duty 3-conductor cord with a plug on it, pass the stripped end through a blank plate with a factory 1/2" hole, knot the cord, and connect the wires to the end of the NM cable.

Now there's an easy way to plug the sub-woofer or projector into the power strip supplying the rest of the system; sort of an in-wall extension cord.
Click to expand...
I am certain that you need a strain relief connector.... But really, at what point is it that you even need the cord plug end.... If feeding from premis wiring - feed it with premis wiring via a surge protection outlet with feed-thru - and get the mark-up for it....

http://www.leviton.com/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpSctDspRte.jsp?section=22335&minisite=10028
 
e57 said:
Now lets really have some fun.... For some schmuck AV guys... (The cheesy ones who use off the big box shelf cables) some of the other stuff cant be in the walls either.... HDMI cables, USB, s-video - many types of speaker cables - the list can go on, and on....
Click to expand...

What if they are CL2 rated?
 
kornbln said:
What if they are CL2 rated?
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If they are - then thats OK.... If you have tried locating these before then you know.... RPITA But for the most part I get AV guys - even some well paid - supposedly knowledgable ones doing some really dumb things. And if done prior to my inspection - I get the hairy eyeball from the Inspector.
 
LarryFine said:
That's not hard to do. I run a 14-2 NM cable from the new wall or recessed ceiling receptacle back to the equipment area, and into a single-gang box next to the main power receptacle(s).

Then I get a heavy-duty 3-conductor cord with a plug on it, pass the stripped end through a blank plate with a factory 1/2" hole, knot the cord, and connect the wires to the end of the NM cable.

Now there's an easy way to plug the sub-woofer or projector into the power strip supplying the rest of the system; sort of an in-wall extension cord.
Click to expand...

That's what I did. I just left the the two feeds in a 2 gang box in the equipment cabinet and their electrician wanted to provide his own cords from there. I never said it was hard to solve the problem, but it would be tricky to run extension cords the whole way and still pass inspection (in other words impossible). I don't know if they ever changed their ways.
 
LarryFine said:
That's not hard to do. I run a 14-2 NM cable from the new wall or recessed ceiling receptacle back to the equipment area, and into a single-gang box next to the main power receptacle(s).

Then I get a heavy-duty 3-conductor cord with a plug on it, pass the stripped end through a blank plate with a factory 1/2" hole, knot the cord, and connect the wires to the end of the NM cable.

Now there's an easy way to plug the sub-woofer or projector into the power strip supplying the rest of the system; sort of an in-wall extension cord.
Click to expand...

They should made these inlet devices on a regular single gang yoke just for that
http://www.passandseymour.com/pdf/I27.pdf

4716SS part #
 
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