Bulk/feed-thru wall plate: combining power and LV cables allowed in NZ?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Bulk/feed-thru wall plate: combining power and LV cables allowed in NZ?

merlinz

41 posts

Geek

#97895 21-Feb-2012 21:33

For wall-mounting of TV I decided that feeding the cables thru the wall was ultimately simpler and more flexible than wiring up a heap of modules on a pair of plates. Rapallo have this product which was overpriced but seemed good enough (though in hindsight I now realise it will lead to some air leakage which could affect insulation a bit, and will also allow some fibreglass dust into the room).

In Rapallo's website description they suggest feeding power and low voltage cables thru it. The product itself comes with US instructions saying "National Electric Code does not allow the installation of the TV power cord or an extension cord behind the wall".

Anyone with an electrical registration in NZ able to confirm whether flexible appliance cables may be routed thru cavity walls under NZ regs?

marmel

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#584917 22-Feb-2012 06:31

You are right about this product being overpriced.

I ordered a heap of stuff from www.monoprice.com a while back including one of these plates which sell for $2US.

Rapollo are putting obscene mark-up on a lot of their products.

Check out ebay and you will find some asian sellers and get one of these plates landed in NZ for $5-10NZ.

I'm no feeding power through my one, just network and hdmi cables.

You can get a recessed socket which allows a bit of room to mount a TV fairly close to the wall, I think they go for about $25.

Ouranos

118 posts

Master Geek

#584918 22-Feb-2012 06:56

An alternative is http://www.jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=PS0291
I used some of these recently to feed cables through to a wall-mounted TV. The opening is smaller than the one you're looking at, but the brushing minimizes air and dust flow around the cables.

merlinz

41 posts

Geek

#584923 22-Feb-2012 07:08

Yes I saw those but couldn't figure out from the Jaycar pix whether the cable feed from the rear was on the long or short side of the plate. Seemed as though it was the long side and I was kinda hoping for top/bottom with the plate in portrait orientation. But probably doesn't matter, cables are bendy.

Ouranos

118 posts

Master Geek

#584928 22-Feb-2012 07:32

The JayCar plates just have a slot, so will take cables from any direction.

merlinz

41 posts

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#584929 22-Feb-2012 07:43

Cool - I was confusing the unbrushed Jaycar with the brushed one.

itxtme

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#584984 22-Feb-2012 09:42

I recently did mine, and decided to similar, but since I had the PDL 600 series went with this May change my mind and close them up, but not bad for $6

merlinz

41 posts

Geek

#585315 22-Feb-2012 19:12

In fact.. a regular PDL 600 1- or 2-hole grid will do the trick, the holes are plenty big enough for an HDMI plug.

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Jaxson

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#585329 22-Feb-2012 19:42

itxtme: I recently did mine, and decided to similar, but since I had the PDL 600 series went with this

I don't get anything from this link?

itxtme

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#585362 22-Feb-2012 21:03

Jaxson:
itxtme: I recently did mine, and decided to similar, but since I had the PDL 600 series went with this

I don't get anything from this link?

Jaxson

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#585465 23-Feb-2012 04:50

Cool, thanks.

I'm quite for this approach actually as I'm not a fan of terminating at the wall unnecessarily. I try to run one cable from start to finish where possible. It's usually cheaper and provides less points for future failure.

merlinz

41 posts

Geek

#585475 23-Feb-2012 06:50

Jaxson:
I'm quite for this approach actually as I'm not a fan of terminating at the wall unnecessarily. I try to run one cable from start to finish where possible. It's usually cheaper and provides less points for future failure.

That was my thinking too - one could spend hours and a lot of cash on setting up the terminations only to have it end in tears because of a bad connection, or have to be changed in 3 months when something in the system needs changing.

Now to return to the OP - nobody has commented on the legality of posting appliance power cables thru the cavity.

itxtme

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#585545 23-Feb-2012 09:41

My understanding was that is illegal, but then I am not a sparky! I am sure I have seen a few posts in the HT forum with people asking and comments that is not legal.

ADDED

When doing yours I highly recommend if you are like me and moving the plugs versus creating new ones that you pull the wall off first. I arranged for the Sparky before pulling the wall off to find the power cords ran past the point I wanted them. He just had to shorten the wire to move the plug, which from my understanding (and only if you know what you are doing) is legal to do on your own house. Dont know where "1st of March" building regulations change will fit into that though!

merlinz

41 posts

Geek

#585553 23-Feb-2012 09:56

Thanks. If it's illegal then Rapallo certainly shouldn't be advocating the practice on their website.

I've caved in and decided to route only the low voltage stuff thru the cavity and will get the sparky to put a recessed power socket in. In my case I know where the cable runs are, as the wall was finished only a few months ago and I photographed everything before it was gibbed. And although I do know what I'm doing, with much of our life savings tied up in a new house I'll (reluctantly) pay an expert just so that his certification of the wiring will still stand and I can sleep a little easier.

Jaxson

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#586060 24-Feb-2012 08:09

If you don't mind me asking, where were you going to run the power cable to through that wall outlet?

I can understand the AV cables coming through there, but the power cord has to plug in somewhere.

The recessed power socket is an awesome way to do it. Never sure how legit that is though in that you can't easily isolate the equipment if needed, but that's no different to a typical microwave or fridge install anyway.

I've gotten away with a very short right angled plug jug cord and a standard electrical outlet. Looks ok, if you don't look too close!

merlinz

41 posts

Geek

#586079 24-Feb-2012 08:41

We have data, cable/UHF and power outlets lower down on the wall, behind a low AV cabinet (at the time of designing all this I didn't know we'd be wall hanging a plasma, but the Canterbury quake made that seem very prudent). So plan A was to run all cables behind the wall to avoid the visual clutter of cables between plasma and the AV cabinet. Plan B is just to run the HDMI, audio and RF (one switch aperture in a regular PDL 600 grid is sufficient for them all) and to install another power socket. Good point about isolating. It probably doesn't strictly need to be recessed, there is a bit of space for it.