TV Power suggestions

[SkunkedAgain]

I'm nearing the end of my basement remodel. Last night I hooked up my supplemental baseboard heaters and everything works great. I hit one planning snafoo. The big TV will be mounted directly above one of the baseboard heaters - 5ft above. I'm running HDMI cables through the walls from my media tower to the TV. My natural inclination is to put a duplex outlet behind the TV so that I don't have any cords running down the wall. However, that outlet would be mounted 6ft above the baseboard heater, which is a no-no.

This renovation is being inspected so I'm sure that they'd flag an outlet over a heater since it's against code. My only other idea so far is to poke a hole in the wall to run an extension cord from the main media outlet to behind the TV. Any other good ideas?

[CAMAN]

Is there a room on the other side of the wall that you can run all the wires through the wall and plug in there?

EDIT-

Or is there a chance you can break the baseboard heating up along that wall and keep the area under the TV clear of the heater? Electronics don't like heat anyway and it might be better overall.

[BobT]

I'm nearing the end of my basement remodel. Last night I hooked up my supplemental baseboard heaters and everything works great. I hit one planning snafoo. The big TV will be mounted directly above one of the baseboard heaters - 5ft above. I'm running HDMI cables through the walls from my media tower to the TV. My natural inclination is to put a duplex outlet behind the TV so that I don't have any cords running down the wall. However, that outlet would be mounted 6ft above the baseboard heater, which is a no-no.

This renovation is being inspected so I'm sure that they'd flag an outlet over a heater since it's against code. My only other idea so far is to poke a hole in the wall to run an extension cord from the main media outlet to behind the TV. Any other good ideas?

I could be wrong but I'm not so sure running an extension cord inside a finished wall is a good idea. I'm pretty sure it won't pass inspection but I would think you'd want your project done safetly either way. If you're doing it to code just to get it past the inspector then you've missed the whole point of having it inspected in the first place.

[SkunkedAgain]

Is there a room on the other side of the wall that you can run all the wires through the wall and plug in there?

[JohnMickish]

I'd move the heater, or split it up into two smaller sections on either side of the TV. It dosen't sound like you have many options if you want to keep your TV there.

[CAMAN]

What exactly does this code state? I find it odd you can't have an outlet above a radiator. And what would the purpose of the code be? And if you can't have an outlet above a radiator how would you power a room if it has radiators in it?

[cavalierowner]

Are you sure you can't put a receptacle above a radiator? There must be a certain distance you can be above it. In the commercial projects I designed, the engineers put receptacles above fintube heat; not unusual at all. Maybe it's because there is something about electric vs. hot water fintube?? But given there is something I don't know about the code here, I think your best bet is to put a receptacle in the ceiling. Far less obtrusive IMHO than something exposed going across the wall.

I would not use extension cords, it's against code; unless you use an outlet strip with a circuit breaker/surge protector in it. I just bought one fron Menards with a 15' cord. But think how ugly that would look in a newly remodeled space to have this heavy old cord strung along the wall.

[Surface Tension]

I'd move the heater, or split it up into two smaller sections on either side of the TV. It dosen't sound like you have many options if you want to keep your TV there.

I think those are your only two options here and moving the heater would be my first choice for the reason you don't want it over the heat.

[Tom7227]

If the code prohibits an outlet above a heater it would seem that having a tv there wouldn't be a very good idea either. Wouldn't a tv have more problems with heat than just an outlet?

[Eckie]

+1

I'd worry more about the extra heat going up to the TV...some flat panels run warm enough the way they're built, without adding another heat source nearby.

Is it possible to move the radiator to another wall?

[SkunkedAgain]

I've uploaded a picture so that you can all see what I'm talking about:

As I've read and heard from my local inspector, the code is specifically regarding baseboard heaters so all of this radiator and fintube heaters is not relevant. The point of the code is to keep people from plugging in cords directly above an electric baseboard heater, having the cord melt and/or catch on fire. Where my tv will be mounted, I don't have to worry about it but I know enough about the code to know that there is no distance exemption....no outlets above electric baseboard heaters.

As you can see in the photo, the heater is on the floor and I'd have to put two tiny little heaters on each side to avoid the TV (represented by a large sheet of paper that I taped to the wall). The outlet is on the far right of the wall, where my media tower will be.

So far it sounds like a ceiling outlet is my only legitimate option. Having two 1.5ft heaters is not a good option and neither is moving the heaters from the outside wall.

[JohnMickish]

The reason that you cannot have a receptacle over a heater is that you COULD have a cord that falls down on the heater, the heater burns thru the insulation and the cord starts on fire. That is the reason for that.

I'm not a TV expert, but I'm pretty sure you don't want you TV above the heater. I will bet that in the installation instructions it will say that as well. It's not to late to split the heater up into smaller sections, and it's alot cheaper to do it now than after the wall is finished.

[JohnMickish]

Looking at the pictures, why not move the 4 plex recptacle under the TV and move the baseboard heater over under the window? That seams to be the fix to your dilema.

[CAMAN]

I have to wonder what code would say if you made a 6 inch deep recess in the wall large enough for the TV to fit and installed the outlet in there? Because technically they aren't the "same" wall anymore. AND it would protect the TV from the heat of the radiator. Just thinking out loud here and someone please shoot this idea down if it is still not legal.

[Surface Tension]

Looking at the pictures, why not move the 4 plex recptacle under the TV and move the baseboard heater over under the window? That seams to be the fix to your dilema.

From the pic that seems like a good fix and your media center could go below the TV.

What is to the left of your picture?

[highlife4me]

I think I would put the flat screen and media center in the fish house and hang a picture of my fish house above the heater. Problem solved.

[Justfishing]

If you were doing a drywall cieling the cieling should be installed before the drywall on the walls.

I also see that you need to insulate the rim joist. Cut at least 2in thick foam on seal it in place. Stuffing fiberglass does nothing to stop leaks and it has almost no r value installed like that.

How did you insulate the wall/

[cavalierowner]

If there are no exceptions for height above the baseboard, then you have really only 2 options that I can see: 1) Put the receptacle in the ceiling, although I fail to understend how that's different than in the wall up high. 2) Put the receptacle off to the side. From the photo, it appears it wouldn't have to be very far off to the side to not be above the fintube.

BTW, if it were my project, I wouldn't move the fintube either. Way too much work relocating the electrical feeds and patching. I also find it interesting that I can put receptacles above hot water or steam fintube, but not electric. But then there are a few code provisions I have run into over the years that never made sense to me.

[JohnMickish]

The receptacle has to be 18" off to the side of the heater. I don't make the codes and I don't write the codes, I just work by them.

[cribbageboy]

Put your TV on a swing arm in the corner.

[crothmeier]

outlet in the ceiling work??? above the tv? or still a code no-no?

[SkunkedAgain]

I bought two tiny baseheaters and am re-wiring the entire wall. Thanks for all of the suggestions. It seems best to do it right from the start no matter what the changes need to be.

[Eckie]

Good choice ---

You know it would have driven you nuts everytime you were sitting in front of that tv if you wouldn't have "done it the right way"