Is this safe and legal? Wall mounted TV and existing power sockets

[Electricallyinept]

Hello,

The problem : Wanting to install a TV on a partition wall in a bedroom and have the power wires hidden

The location of existing power sockets : 2 Corners away from where the TV is wanted! or, on the otherside of the wall where it is going (which is the upstairs landing)

The goal : To have fully hidden wiring (just to clarify - It will not be connected to an Ariel, just wifi for youtube etc, so the only wire is the power wire)

I understand there are lots of rules surrounding the moving of sockets / adding spurs on existing ringmain sockets etc. In light of this, I will eventually pay an electrician to come in and put a spur or relocate the upstairs landing power socket, to behind where the TV will be mounted.

In the interim, I am wondering if this would be a fully legal "stop gap" solution. Now, let's assume I purchase a "wall certified" TV power cable (if there is such a thing?!), can I drill a hole behind the TV, Drill a hole next to the socket in the hallway and run the TV Powercable in the wall and have it plugged in on the other side of the wall. This would mean no wires would be visible in the bedroom and other than it looking a bit weird in the hall way, would this create any grey areas in terms of insurance etc?

 

[ProDave]

For a start in a stud wall you will find you can only drop it down vertically, you can't run it horizontally a long distance without drilling through the upright studs which may be at either 400mm or 600mm centres.

Next is "safe zones" which dictate where you can run a cable.  Put simply, once you have put a socket on the wall, you can only run the cable vertically or horizontally from that socket within the width of the socket. No going at odd diagonals etc.

Often in a bedroom it is easiest to just take the cable vertically up into the loft, accross the loft and either find an existing suitable circuit to join to or bring it down from the loft to the socket you want to join it to.

Your other enemy will be the wall may have horizontal noggins half way up that stop you simply dropping a wire down the gap.

If you want to do a temporary job until you can get someone to do it properly an extension lead on the surface in a bit of mini trunking is probably the safest thing you can do.  There is no such thing as "wall certified"

 

[Electricallyinept]

For a start in a stud wall you will find you can only drop it down vertically, you can't run it horizontally a long distance without drilling through the upright studs which may be at either 400mm or 600mm centres.

Next is "safe zones" which dictate where you can run a cable.  Put simply, once you have put a socket on the wall, you can only run the cable vertically or horizontally from that socket within the width of the socket. No going at odd diagonals etc.

Often in a bedroom it is easiest to just take the cable vertically up into the loft, accross the loft and either find an existing suitable circuit to join to or bring it down from the loft to the socket you want to join it to.

Your other enemy will be the wall may have horizontal noggins half way up that stop you simply dropping a wire down the gap.

If you want to do a temporary job until you can get someone to do it properly an extension lead on the surface in a bit of mini trunking is probably the safest thing you can do.  There is no such thing as "wall certified"

Thanks for your prompt reply. The house is a new build (1 year old) and the partition walls have metal studs if that makes any difference? Luckily, where I would want the socket relocating to is literally on the other side of the wall (in the exact same place just higher up!) So it doesn't sound like there will be too many issues with a socket move.

So as a temporary measure, having the TV plugged in on the other side and having the tv wire dangling within the wall is an acceptable and fully legal way of doing it?

 

[ProDave]

So a suitable socket exists on the other side of the wall? then the job is easier.

metal studs make the job harder if you need to pass a cable through them, you need to drill a hole and insert a grommet so the sharp edge won't chaff through the cable.

Fixing the tv bracket will be harder as well with metal studs. With wooden studs you just aimed to find a stud to get a good strong fixing into. Not so easy with metal studs.  It's a good job modern tv's are a lot lighter than they used to be.

 

[Electricallyinept]

Yes, it is on the exact opposite side.

Thank goodness the TV only weighs 5kg unlike the two man plasmas of decades past. The Tv will be mounted with "Grip It" plasterboard mounts.

 

[Sharpend]

Oh dear, grip it? Is this the adhesive, if so good luck, is it an expensive tv? 
 

why not just go and buy the proper fixings? 

 

[Murdoch]

Oh dear, grip it? Is this the adhesive, if so good luck, is it an expensive tv? 
 

why not just go and buy the proper fixings? 

He probably means these

https://www.toolstation.com/gripit-plasterboard-fixing-kit/p90134?store=G4&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=CjwKCAiA5o3vBRBUEiwA9PVzakS1lBwfQ1c8ztpdmWQuiwUiq7WNv8M5UcAz-lfecqekdae8aYPszhoCudMQAvD_BwE

excellent bits of kit imho

 

[Electricallyinept]

That's correct, those things in the link. They go into a large drilled hole and then wings open up behind the plasterboard.

So, is there is anything against any regulations by having a TV power cable through to the otherside of the wall and then plugged in with a normal plug?

 

[binky]

So, is there is anything against any regulations by having a TV power cable through to the otherside of the wall and then plugged in with a normal plug?

Not really, the regs apply to hardwiring. Cables on plugs, such as extension leads etc etc are not included. However, that doesn't stop common sense being part of using any electrical item.

 

[Sharpend]

He probably means these

https://www.toolstation.com/gripit-plasterboard-fixing-kit/p90134?store=G4&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=CjwKCAiA5o3vBRBUEiwA9PVzakS1lBwfQ1c8ztpdmWQuiwUiq7WNv8M5UcAz-lfecqekdae8aYPszhoCudMQAvD_BwE

excellent bits of kit imho

ah I see, not come across them before, usually use the metal toggles. 

 

[Murdoch]

ah I see, not come across them before, usually use the metal toggles. 

I bought a "starter" pack of these and have found them very handy

 

[Geoff1946]

ah I see, not come across them before, usually use the metal toggles. 

He probably means these

https://www.toolstation.com/gripit-plasterboard-fixing-kit/p90134?store=G4&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=googleshoppingfeed&gclid=CjwKCAiA5o3vBRBUEiwA9PVzakS1lBwfQ1c8ztpdmWQuiwUiq7WNv8M5UcAz-lfecqekdae8aYPszhoCudMQAvD_BwE

excellent bits of kit imho

I tried those a few years ago, as they were first introduced, and  when I was doing maintenance work in a building which had dry-lined masonry walls.   The first snag was I always seemed to hit a "dab" of adhesive which stopped it opening its wings; I see that they now sell an undercutting tool to solve that.

The second point is the need to drill a concentric hole into the masonry, or else a long screw can jack the whole thing off the wall crumbling the plaster and generally making the whole task harder.  

There are better devices for dry lined masonry, which use the masonry and an extended plug.