[caesar1]

I'm moving to a new home (about 10 miles from my current home).


I would like to move our 50 inch plasma (Panasonic 50px50u) myself (rather than the movers) -- since I want it in the new house (and installed on the wall), prior to our actual move-in date.


Now I have an SUV. I'm pretty sure it will fit in the back of the SUV.


If I do this, should I place the plasma with the glass side down (or the back of the set down)?


What is the recommended way to do this?

 

[Chris Hansen]

If you still have the original box and packing materials, I would use that to repackage it in and move it. (I did that and it worked great.) If you do not, then I would consider having the moving company crate it up and move it. Many movers have plenty of experience doing this (check with them first). They do, unfortunately, charge a hefty fee. However, when compared to the cost of a cracked screen, the charge to crate it and move it is minor. (You should also consider insurance from the movers if they are moving it.) Lastly, I would not lay it down in a SUV to move it. While it might make it, it is probably not worth the risk of a broken screen.


As a side note, if you are not comfortabe with the movers moving it, you might contact a local HT company and find out what services they can offer you in moving it. They might have crating materials availabe for purchase or they might be willing to move it and install for you. I suspect this is a very negotiable service.

 

[caesar1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Hansen /forum/post/0


If you still have the original box and packing materials, I would use that to repackage it in and move it. (I did that and it worked great.) If you do not, then I would consider having the moving company crate it up and move it. Many movers have plenty of experience doing this (check with them first). They do, unfortunately, charge a hefty fee. However, when compared to the cost of a cracked screen, the charge to crate it and move it is minor. (You should also consider insurance from the movers if they are moving it.) Lastly, I would not lay it down in a SUV to move it. While it might make it, it is probably not worth the risk of a broken screen.


As a side note, if you are not comfortabe with the movers moving it, you might contact a local HT company and find out what services they can offer you in moving it. They might have crating materials availabe for purchase or they might be willing to move it and install for you. I suspect this is a very negotiable service.

I don't have any original packing materials.


I don't mind movers moving it -- I just want to move it before our big move, so that I can have an installer mount it on the wall (along with all the other work being done before our big move).


Is it unsafe -- with towels and blankets to put it on its back (or on its glass)? The ride is about 15 minutes over smooth roads.

 

[D-Nice]

Can't you just leave it on it's pedestal and place it in the back of your SUV. A 15 minute drive isn't going to hurt it.

 

[WilliWu]

You are better off moving it yourself, even if you had the original package. Plasma TVs are special care items that most professional movers are not trained to deal with. The first rule is to transport them in a vertical position and frequent shippers use "tip and tell" meters to assure that the movers do not cheat. That large, unsupported, expanse of glass is not mounted to handle stress and vibration in a horizontal position. While there is a pretty good chance that it would survive a ten mile ride on smooth roads in a horizontal position, I would measure it and make every effort to find a way to transport it in a vertical position. The loading dock folks at CC and BB are trained not to load a plasma in a horizontal position for that reason. Good luck.

 

[caesar1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by D-Nice /forum/post/0


Can't you just leave it on it's pedestal and place it in the back of your SUV. A 15 minute drive isn't going to hurt it.

I could leave it on the pedestal -- but how will I stop it from falling over then (as i go around a turn or something)?

 

[D-Nice]

Place it in your SUV on the far left or right with the glass facing inside the SUV. Put a blanket over the plasma, place some pillows in front of the glass, and finally place a box on the other side of the pillows to brace the plasma from tipping over.

 

[Chris Hansen]

If you can leave on stand and transport it in vertical position, that would work well. Carefully pad it with mover pads or blankets and if you have tie down points in the back of your SUV, you might consider using them with some rope. Add some pillows for protection and if you can have someone sit in the back to steady it on turns, I would imagine it should work fine. Make sure nothing and no one pushes on the glass screen.

 

[Todd Scott]

I would find a store that does installs. They might be able to give you the box and packing material for your model, from a recent installation job. FWIW, I'm keeping the box my 50" plasma came in for this very reason.

 

[dlconner]

I agree with D-Nice, keep it upright and just put a ton of padding in between it and a box. Whatever you do thought, don't lay it down...the glass was not meant to take that kind of stress (not to mention the components are not properly supported for gravity and jolting in that direction), and you run the risk of either cracking the glass or damaging some circuitry inside the plasma.

 

[dd3mon]

Keep it vertical if possible.


I brought home my Pioneer 5070 open box special in my SUV - no original box so it was just the panel and stand, wrapped up in bubble wrap.


I used another person. I put down one side of the back seat, then stood the panel up on that side and instructed my fiancee (who sat in the other back seat) to hold on to it for dear life. I drove slow and everything went well.

 

[SaltiDawg]



Quote:
Originally Posted by caesar1 /forum/post/0


I could leave it on the pedestal -- but how will I stop it from falling over then (as i go around a turn or something)?

Isn't that why spouses were invented?


If it were mine, I'd lay it down on a well padded surface, to include padding the 'edges' and drive the ten miles.

 

[caesar1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SaltiDawg /forum/post/0


Isn't that why spouses were invented?


If it were mine, I'd lay it down on a well padded surface, to include padding the 'edges' and drive the ten miles.

Heh. I'll have her drive, and I'll hold it. I'm sure she would much rather drive than hold.


If you laid it down, would you lay it with the glass side down?

 

[dlconner]



Quote:
Originally Posted by caesar1 /forum/post/0


Heh. I'll have her drive, and I'll hold it. I'm sure she would much rather drive than hold.


If you laid it down, would you lay it with the glass side down?

If you absolutely have to lay it down, yes do it with the glass side down. You don't want the weight of all that glass putting strain on your components inside.

 

[GlenH]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dlconner /forum/post/0


If you absolutely have to lay it down, yes do it with the glass side down. You don't want the weight of all that glass putting strain on your components inside.

I disagree. If you MUST lay it down, I would lay it with the glass facing up. The glass is the most fragile component on the plasma. The metallic rear frame can easily withstand the weight of the glass sitting on top of it. Remember, when plasmas are mounted to the wall, the rear brackets are bolted to the back of the plasma VERY tightly and doesn't cause any problems.


On the otherhand, I wouldn't want anything placing weight down onto the glass of the plasma as that will greatly increase the risk of cracking the glass.


So, now that there are contradictory recommendations as to transporting it facing up or down, why not go w/ the widely recommended and accepted option #3 - TRANSPORT IT STANDING UP ON IT'S STAND!!!

 

[caesar1]



Quote:
Originally Posted by GlenH /forum/post/0



So, now that there are contradictory recommendations as to transporting it facing up or down, why not go w/ the widely recommended and accepted option #3 - TRANSPORT IT STANDING UP ON IT'S STAND!!!

Yes, I just hope it will fit in my SUV standing up on its stand.


I have a rather small SUV, the BMW X3.


I'll have to measure the height of the plasma with the stand, and the height of the interior back space of my X3.

 

[dlconner]



Quote:
Originally Posted by caesar1 /forum/post/0


Yes, I just hope it will fit in my SUV standing up on its stand.


I have a rather small SUV, the BMW X3.


I'll have to measure the height of the plasma with the stand, and the height of the interior back space of my X3.

If you have to, I would even resort in taking it off the stand, wrapping it in some thick blankets, and then putting it against a wall, with pillows in front of it and a box or something on the other side of the pillows to keep it from tipping. Try to avoid laying it down if at all possible.


As for the lay it on it's back comment...I agree to disagree, as most of the weight of the set is in the glass, but either way, I wouldn't want to lay it down to begin with.

 

[rad]

I just sold mine with the house. Great excuse for getting a new model.

 

[cybertec]

you should have NO problem putting it in the back of your SUV, and someone holding it, it will not hurt it, we did the same thing with my brothers PDP a few months ago, with NO problems, relax, it's not an EGG

 

[RomanInvision]



Quote:
Originally Posted by caesar1 /forum/post/0


Yes, I just hope it will fit in my SUV standing up on its stand.


I have a rather small SUV, the BMW X3.


I'll have to measure the height of the plasma with the stand, and the height of the interior back space of my X3.

I couldn't fit a 50" in my X5 so had to borrow my friends SUV. Whatever you do I wouldn't recommend laying it down.