[FourDoor]

Well I finally got my mandarax ceiling mount for my X1. I attached the mounting plate to the ceiling and drilled an 1.5†hole in the ceiling to route my VGA, Svid, and composite cable about 27’ from the X1. The video cable path will be through the ceiling, through the attic/crawl space, and down the wall which will hold the screen. The whole backside of the wall opposite of the X1 (screen wall) is completely open and stripped down to the frame awaiting new sheetrock to go up (bathroom is being remodeled).


So I am now left with a dilemma. Where am I going to plug the X1 power cord into?


1. Buy an outdoor grade extension power cable and route it through the ceiling, through the insulated attic, down the screen side wall, out a hole, and plugged into a UPC/power outlet.

2. Find some sort of nice trim or cover so that I can run the power cord on the wall from the ceiling down the back side of the room and down to a power outlet.

3. Hire an electrician to go in my small cramped dirty attic/crawl space so he can install a power outlet on the ceiling.

4. Or My cheap option [if this is legal] is to just pre-run the power wire myself from the power outlet from the backside of the screen side wall, up through the attic, and sticking out through a hole in the ceiling near the projector. I would then let the electrician just do his thing and let him connect/install a new power outlet in the ceiling without him having to go through the small dirty attic


So the problem with option #1 is I do not know if this is exactly gonna be safe running an extension cord through the attic of the house and through a wall like that. The insulation is very old up there and the last thing I want is to burn my house down.


The problem with option #2 is that I will have an unsightly power cable running down the middle of my newly textured wall. I’m kinda of a cable neat freak.


The problem with option #3 is of course is the $. I’m not sure how much it will cost to get an electrician to go up in the small attic, run new power cable and install an extra power outlet through the ceiling.


I am leaning towards number 4 but if number 1 is legal and ok, I may just go down that path.


So for all you ceiling mounted folks, how have you ran power into your projector?

 

[Bobby_M]

I installed a box and outlet in my attic right above the projector and ran the PJ's power cord through my mount pipe along with all the other cables. I don't care if it's to code at all because I know in this case there is no hazard. Do NOT run an extension cable inside your walls.


See, no unsightly wires exposed:
http://www.pbase.com/mustang100/imag...149/medium.jpg


By the way, electricians are quite used to attics and crawl spaces.


Bobby

 

[jimnc]

If you try to do most of it yourself, like option 4, and then have an electrician come out, he could probably make sure you did everything correctly/safely. Just consult your local codes first and a diy electrical book. When I had an addition built, I did some stuff myself. My GC simply told me when I had to have it completed for the scheduled inspection by the city.

That said, what might seem like a big job to you, might take an electrician minutes. So you may not save that much $.

What's the shape and size of your room? When I installed my X1, it was about seven feet from the side wall in a finished room. I ran the 10-foot power cord through a white plastic raceway that I attached to the white ceiling. I plugged it into a surge protector that I plugged into a wall outlet and placed on top of a bookcase on the side wall. I made sure my power cord is about ten inches from the video cables, that I ran through a separate ceiling raceway.

 

[FourDoor]

Thanks for the input guys. I definitely will not be running a power extension cord through the walls anymore. I'm definitely leaning towards options 2 or 4 right now.


jimnc: The room is aproximately 15' by 12'. It is actually the master bedroom that the X1 is going in to. The projector is about 4' off from the side off the wall offset due to the closet hallway on the other side of the room. The room is currently painted red with white ceilings. What exactly is a "plastic raceway"?

 

[FourDoor]

BTW, I forgot to say nice setup Bobby_M. My room color is very similar to that with the white and red. However, no crown molding.

 

[jayson]

This is how I do almost every install.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attac...478&fullpage=1

Power outlet is to code and installed flush with wallboard. Projector mount covers outlet.

 

[Insider]

I see no reason why option 4 should be illegal. Just buy quality in wall electrical cable I like 12 gauge wiring, secure it to the studs in your attic with wire staples on it's run from point a to point be every 10 inches or so. However, if you do that much yourself, making the final hook ups at both ends should be no trouble. I installed one in under a half hour from start to finish.


As other's mentioned, it sounds like if you hire an electricion, he/she can do the job in no time.


As to how I ran my power lines, I did a hybrid. I installed the outlet, but the wireing runs through a piece of wire mold on the surface of my ceiling to the outlet. I figured it gives me more flexability when I decide to chance projectors in the future. The new one might not be in the same place due to throw distances.


Edit: OOps, the abouve should have stated more clearly--the AC power cord from the projector runs through a piece of wire mold to the outlet. The electrical wiring for the outlet itself is inside the wall.

 

[Bobby_M]

Yeah, you can probably do option 4 yourself. If you have the ability to run the romex all the way to the projector location, what is stopping you from terminating it into a box on the ceiling? You can simply use an "old work" plastic box. The suggestion to use 12 gauge cable is overkill. There is no case where this circuit will exceed the 15amp rating of 14 gauge.


Like I said earlier, I don't know which part of my setup is breaking code. I know that it's OK to have an installed outlet in an attic (in case you needed to plug in a worklight or whatever). I'm also pretty certain you cannot pass any non-permanent wiring though the finished wall. My PJ power cord goes though my mount pipe up into the attic and it gets plugged in up there. If I ever sell the house, I remove the mount pipe and spackle the hole. Then there's just a legal outlet up in the attic.


Bobby

 

[Shkuey]

What I've done is install a two inch PVC pipe in the ceiling and down the wall. Each end comes out into a plastic double gang wall box, that I drilled a two inch hole in. Run a snake through, pull some nylon wire in, and nothing is permanent and everything is up to code. I capped it on the wall and ceiling with these guys: https://www.digitalconnection.com/st...ctCode=DC2GWPW


Looks very clean, and I can run new wires or take out the existing wires with zero hassle.

 

[purifiedaudio]

The mouniting methods described/shown by Bobby_M and jayson violate building codes. NEC Code 400.8.2 states that flexible cords are not permitted to be "run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors."


An AC outlet needs to be flush mounted (and rigidly installed) with your ceiling. Use a short flexible cord with IEC320 & NEMA 5-15 connectors to connect the projector to the outlet.


(Unless your projector has a permanently attaced power cord)


Matt

 

[RDaneel]

Will most installers do the electrical work for you? I'm too afraid of fire hazards to run an extension cord through drop cieling, etc., but I also want to minimize the visibility of wires. How can I find a good installer?

 

[FourDoor]

purifiedaudio: So basically, what it comes down to when passing code, the power outlet must be flush mounted to a wall/ceiling. In no instance can we run regular power cords of any kind through a wall?


So if I go with option #4, I still have to have the electrician mount the outlet flush against the ceiling on and most likely on a stud. If I remember correctly the ceiling joists are pretty far from where my projector is mounted which means I will have the power cord running sticking out like a sore thumb on the white ceiling.


Shkuey: I saw that same cover at my local Fry's electronics store here in the bay area. I was digging around their automated home/security area and saw that cover along with a smaller one which would probably work well if I wasn't using a VGA cable.


I am leaning more towards the wire mold/cover route now.

 

[Insider]

I don't think outlets have to be flush mounted to the wall/ceiling to be up to code, there are "surface mount" boxes available if you'd prefer to use one of those. I see them all the time in buildings with brick walls where wires can't be in the wall. Also, there are electrical boxes that don't need to be mounted to studs. They have anchor wings that spread out and catch the wall material around them which makes flush mounting a snap. Your local hardware store should be able to help you out in choosing the right one for your needs.


You can find wire mold at most big home centers and probably at your local hardware store. You can also buy it online.


As for the 12 gauge being overkill: true I guess I like to build things a little stronger than they need to be 14 will be fine and it's a bit more flexable, making it easier to work with.

 

[hotrod406]

I wouldn't worry about running an extension cord thru your ceiling and attic. Mine has been hooked up like this for a year now. I am very capable of installing romex and an outlet, I just didn't want to cut that big of a hole in my ceiling. The projector is not going with the house anyway, so I am not too worried about code.


Someone explain the problem with the cord in the ceiling.

 

[SteveStLoo]

The whole purpose of having electrical code is to prevent fire.


Romex, or NM-B if you want to be technical, is coated with a material that has a better fire rating than your (probably) form of rubber extension cord.


Should an arc happen inside of the cable, romex would be less likely to start a fire.


Then you ask, why extension cords arent made of the same material as romex?


Flexibility, etc..


At least this is what they taught me in college. :x

 

[FourDoor]

Thanks for the info SteveStLoo. It helps explain why one shouldn't run extension cords like that. But I highly doubt that an arch will occur with a PJ just hooked up to the extension cord. But then again, it just takes that one time to screw everything up with a fire.


Here's a pic of the X1 mounted and the power cord issue at the moment:

 

[Hughman]

Do you have power in the back wall?

 

[FourDoor]

Yes there is a power outlet on the back wall. I currently have a power strip running from the outlet to the bottom of the X1 where I plug in the X1 power cord at the moment.

 

[Hughman]

Quote:

Originally posted by FourDoor Yes there is a power outlet on the back wall. I currently have a power strip running from the outlet to the bottom of the X1 where I plug in the X1 power cord at the moment.

I'm just looking at alternatives to running cable through the attic, you could run a line off the receptacle and go straight up toward the ceiling and install a box high up the back wall quite easily.

 

[Bobby_M]

I would love to know why running a grounded power cable up through rigid steel pipe into the attic is a fire hazard. Sure the electrical code has rules for a reason, but they are pretty vague in this regard. The cord exits the top of the pipe and plugs directly into an outlet in the attic. I don't condone using flexible extension cord cable inside finished walls. If you think about it, a fire in the house is going to burn up all the cables whether it's romex or just the power cables running to all your appliances. If the cable shorts out in any way, the breaker should trip before there's fire hazard.


That's the nice thing about owning your own home. You can take some accountability for your actions. If my home burns down for faulty wiring, it's my fault. I'll take my chances on this one because I am certain it will be fine.



Bobby