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System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Display

The DirtMerchant

The DirtMerchant

Well-Known Member
Famous
For various reasons I plan to get a new display. Planning to change move along from my Sony SXRD 60" sitting on the OEM stand and get a 60" or > flat panel.
I expect to go to either a wall mount or stand it on a lower TV/system bench type of table. Currently, "hidden" behind the TV/stand are about 1million wires, dust bunnies, FM antennas, HDMI cables, CAT 5 cables, Component cables, extra RCA cables, cables, cables, cables etc etc. My wife is saying "You want a new TV, then the back is CLEANED UP! I want to be able to look back there and be happy when I see what you've done".

The stand I currently have has the wire guide in the center back of the stand. So ALL the interconnects go through there. A/V, Audio, Network, HDMI etc.

I suppose I'll take the time to label all my wires. Any good/simple labeling suggestions?
Probably buy a shit load of zip ties and have all the cables tied together for neatness.

If I wall mount the TV and the bench/AV shelves are below...how do I hide the wires from the TV (power/HDMI)?
Hmmm...maybe I'll work on my electrician skills and put an outlet behind the TV and some network connections box?


So...what are the suggestions?
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

Oh...and uh...as much as I like those Middle Atlantic systems...I want to go cheap and DIY...
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

Use velcro straps instead of zip ties. You should be able to find a roll of them pretty cheap at Lowe's or Home Depot. They make booklets of wire labels that have numbers and letters - for my in-wall wiring I labelled everything with a letter at the home-run end and the outlet end and then I have a spreadsheet to keep track of everything.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

The DirtMerchant said:
If I wall mount the TV and the bench/AV shelves are below...how do I hide the wires from the TV (power/HDMI)?
Hmmm...maybe I'll work on my electrician skills and put an outlet behind the TV and some network connections box?
Click to expand...

Here are some recessed electrical outlets. I used a bunch of Leviton quick-port products (they have recessed stuff as well) and while they look pretty slick and you can configure them exactly how you need, I've found that needs change and then they're a pain in the ass to deal with.

Here's a wire marker booklet similar to what I have. I got a lot of my low-voltage stuff from that site when we were building our house...
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

OK, now a bit more of an electrician question.
My entire main setup runs off of a single line/breaker. Is there any reason to update/change the wiring to use two separate lines or simply put a bigger breaker on it? Just wondering since I have EVERYTHING on it. Never had any issues with tripping the breaker...just asking.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

The DirtMerchant said:
OK, now a bit more of an electrician question.
My entire main setup runs off of a single line/breaker. Is there any reason to update/change the wiring to use two separate lines or simply put a bigger breaker on it? Just wondering since I have EVERYTHING on it. Never had any issues with tripping the breaker...just asking.
Click to expand...

Two separate lines would just be begging for a ground loop hum. I have a dedicated 20 amp circuit for my upstairs setup and another for the basement HT, but the 20 amps is probably useless since pretty much everything is plugged into 15 amp surge protectors.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

Ground loop issues would be a problem yes.

If you skip every other breaker then they are on the same hot leads, and you reduce the ground loop issues. You will not be load balancing on the two power feeds coming into the home however.

getting bigger breakers will require larger wires to be pulled in the wall and the standard outlets come in 15 amp or 20 amp. Putting 30 amp breaker and heavy wire will mean the plugs would need to be changed to support and outlet that handles 30 amp.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

malsackj said:
Ground loop issues would be a problem yes.

If you skip every other breaker then they are on the same hot leads, and you reduce the ground loop issues. You will not be load balancing on the two power feeds coming into the home however.

getting bigger breakers will require larger wires to be pulled in the wall and the standard outlets come in 15 amp or 20 amp. Putting 30 amp breaker and heavy wire will mean the plugs would need to be changed to support and outlet that handles 30 amp.
Click to expand...

So that's a no then. :text-thankyoublue:
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

A couple of years back I added 2 dedicated 20AMP circuits to my panel to feed my audio/video equipment. They are on independent 120V legs. 12 awg wire with (2) typical NEMA 5-15R outlets.

I do not have any ground loop issues.

I would recommend this on higher powered components such as power amps and sub woofers. It will reduce voltage drops during higher current demands.

However this should only be done by Licensed Electricians or People with education/experience with Electricity and home wiring.

I posted about this back in the S&V Forum......
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

CMonster said:
The DirtMerchant said:
OK, now a bit more of an electrician question.
My entire main setup runs off of a single line/breaker. Is there any reason to update/change the wiring to use two separate lines or simply put a bigger breaker on it? Just wondering since I have EVERYTHING on it. Never had any issues with tripping the breaker...just asking.
Click to expand...

Two separate lines would just be begging for a ground loop hum. I have a dedicated 20 amp circuit for my upstairs setup and another for the basement HT, but the 20 amps is probably useless since pretty much everything is plugged into 15 amp surge protectors.
Click to expand...

The only reason I ask this is because I have a single breaker for my system that has two outlets.
On each of those two outlets I have 1 8 outlet isobar with every outlet used. I guess the draw for my system
has never maxed out or have had any surges to cause issues. But was thinking to myself "self, should I have one breaker for each of these isobars?"
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

Additional circuits will never hurt. Sometimes, ground loop issues will occur, however they can be eliminate.

I am a proponent of having dedicated circuits when possible for high input current rated devices.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

heeman said:
Additional circuits will never hurt. Sometimes, ground loop issues will occur, however they can be eliminate.

I am a proponent of having dedicated circuits when possible for high input current rated devices.
Click to expand...

I think the only high input current rated device I have would be my Subwoofer and nothing else.
Unless my Makcie HR824s qualify? All four are together on the one circuit if it makes any difference...?
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

According to Mackie the input rating for your speakers are:

Power Consumption 135 watts with musical program, loud mix

At 120 Volts that is 1.125 Amps. The Power Rating of a typical 15 Amp Circuit is 120 x 15 = 1800 watts, however the max continuous rating allowed by UL and the NEC is approx. 80% of that, therefore 1440 watts or 12Amps.

As you can see you are way under that, however there may be other appliances/loads on that circuit if it is not a dedicated circuit.

I could not find the input rating for your sub, however I am sure that it is significantly more than your Mackies. I think that my SVS PB12-NSD is rated around 7 Amps.

I hope that this helps?
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

One other thing to remember.........

As the input voltage goes down the current goes up. The more the current goes up, the more heat is generated in the device. Heat is one of the most damaging conditions to Electronic Equipment.

The larger the load (current) on a circuit, the voltage will begin to drop, which will result in a higher current and more heat........

I hope that this doesn't seem confusing, I hate typed words.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

heeman said:
According to Mackie the input rating for your speakers are:

Power Consumption 135 watts with musical program, loud mix

At 120 Volts that is 1.125 Amps. The Power Rating of a typical 15 Amp Circuit is 120 x 15 = 1800 watts, however the max continuous rating allowed by UL and the NEC is approx. 80% of that, therefore 1440 watts or 12Amps.

As you can see you are way under that, however there may be other appliances/loads on that circuit if it is not a dedicated circuit.

I could not find the input rating for your sub, however I am sure that it is significantly more than your Mackies. I think that my SVS PB12-NSD is rated around 7 Amps.

I hope that this helps?
Click to expand...

That 1.125 amps is for each speaker? So, if I were watching say...the battle scene near the beginning of Master & Commander, and shit was blowing up everywhere and cannons were being fired...I would be getting much closer to the 12 Amsp using just the speakers + sub? I've played this scene several times at reference level (uh, ok..EVERY time someone new visits so I can show off my setup) and have had nothing trip, drop, flicker etc...so it is most likely not necessary...
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

I'd say it'd be REALLY rare that you're putting out the max rated wattage from your amps any more than transiently. Even at reference level, the continuous output would likely not be more than a few watts... I'm sure it's possible to make that calculation... but you can estimate, for example a 90dB sensitivity speaker means that at 90db 1 meter away from the speaker, it's using 1 watt of power. The sub is probably the place where it would use more, but again only transiently unless you're really pushing it purposefully with continuous test tones or something. You could always get a volt meter and monitor your line voltage as you fire up the system, just to make sure it doesn't dip more than a couple of volts. But I really don't think power consumption is a major issue for home audio systems in general.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

Remember we are talking DEDICATED CIRCUITS, which means that no other devices are connected on the circuit.

It would be extremely difficult to overload a 15Amp circuit to the point that it trips with typical audio equipment, the issue is, what else is happening on that circuit and how does it effect the quality and potential of the voltage.
 
Re: System Redesign - Change furniture/Wire Management/Displ

Suffice it to say, I don't need another breaker, but one day I could put one in.
 
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