Wall Plates

StevieB · 07-03-2006, 8:26 AM

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Wall_plate_C...all_plates.htm

Can anyone help me with this one please.

I am about to install my speaker wires inside my stud wall, and put wall plates at each end. As you can see from the link above, there are plenty around if you want white plastic plates.

My question is, has anyone seen these plates in say brushed steel or chrome?

I have looked everywhere for these without success.

If someone has any info of where to get these I would be grateful, as it is now holding up my install, and my better half is going mental at me to finish.

Thank you.

Steve

baldrick · 07-03-2006, 9:53 AM

I'm looking for the same things. One avenue may be this sort of modular plate: http://www.canford.co.uk/commerce/re...103/C10366.jpg

They must exist, it's just a case of finding them...

StevieB · 07-03-2006, 10:05 AM

Yeah, I've found similar plates myself.

I found the usual modular plates by a company called Triax, but they do not do modules for audio/video.

They only do coax, cat5 etc.

Surely someone must know of a company that does them?

louishm · 07-03-2006, 10:20 AM

i looked for something similar a few years ago and had no joy. I eneded up making my own. i just bought a couple of chrome blanking plates and visited my local electronics shop and bought some female rca plugs. drilled the plates and fixed the rca's, this also worked out cheaper

StevieB · 07-03-2006, 10:24 AM

Thanks Loiushm, that's not a bad idea, but how would I do that for speakers terminals?

Can you buy the fittings that you insert banana plugs into then?

baldrick · 07-03-2006, 10:25 AM

Have you tried QED/Ixos etc...?

I've found these: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/P...ze_3/KN85C.JPG

You could drill them and get the banana plug sockets from Canford Audio etc...?

StevieB · 07-03-2006, 11:03 AM

I have done a bit of a search, and it seems QED do something along these lines.

I have found these links:

http://www.futurehome.co.uk/scripts/...?idproduct=380

http://www.futurehome.co.uk/scripts/...?idproduct=382

The first one comes with a white plate and frame with it, but you have to buy the metal surround separate.

The second link is the actual plates on their own, and there is a finish option.

The overall cost is as follows:

£13.50 for banana plug socket
£16.20 for the metal plate

£29.70 Total per plate!

At that sort of price, I think I might try to make my own!

Need to keep looking I think.

StevieB · 07-03-2006, 11:23 AM

I have also found these:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/images/full/34718i0.jpg

Does anyone know if this is what I could use, if I bought a blank plate, and drilled my own holes in it to fit these through, and then plugged the banana plugs into them?

louishm · 07-03-2006, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevieB

Thanks Loiushm, that's not a bad idea, but how would I do that for speakers terminals?

Can you buy the fittings that you insert banana plugs into then?

i bought female rca's for the plates and male rca's for the speaker wire. i just made a short piece of speaker cable up. (bare ends at one end to attach to the spaeker and 2 male rca's at the other to plug into the plate)
It was no where near £30 though more like £15 per plate

hope this helps

louishm · 07-03-2006, 12:58 PM

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ectors&doy=7m3

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...ectors&doy=7m3

this is more like what i used

StevieB · 07-03-2006, 1:39 PM

Thanks for that mate, I never even realised that you could use phono's, but thinking about it, they aren't much different to bananas are they!

Now that seems more like it. Buy the blank plates that match my sockets from B&Q, drill 2 holes in each plate, and then fit the female sockets in.

Job Done!

Any tips on the soldering, i.e. do I need to be careful of anything, or use a certain type of solder?

louishm · 07-03-2006, 8:26 PM

to be honest mate when i did mine years ago i only had some plumbers solder to hand, and me been a trypical bloke who couldn't wait i used it

.
anyway it worked fine, but i would ask at the shop when you buy your plugs.

Oakmere · 08-03-2006, 8:59 AM

I think you'll need RCA/PHONO plugs that are not grounded through the contact on the hole. You can get them with plastic sheaths to stop the metal thread making contact with the metal blanking plates.

StevieB · 08-03-2006, 9:10 AM

Thanks for that mate.
Actually the link on the post from Louishm shows RCA/phono plugs that have teflon washers to do that exact thing.

So thanks for that.

I'm going to pop into Maplins today, and have a look.

Oakmere · 08-03-2006, 10:47 AM

Yeah, those teflon insulated ones will be exactly what you need.

Good luck with it :D

StevieB · 08-03-2006, 10:55 AM

I have managed to find someone else who sells the modules.

http://www.home-networking-online.co...Ports_501.html

But again look at the price, and that's just for the module, let alone the plate.

It just shows, that if you are willing to put in a little effort, you can get them much cheaper.

Oakmere · 08-03-2006, 2:32 PM

Exactly, we recently built a new extention in work to the offices, and one of the rooms is a confrence room, the PC is bolted to the bottom of the table and has cables going into a floorbox, a VGA cable then goes under the floor and up the wall on the other side. VGA wall plates were expensive if we could find them. All the switches etc in the building are "Newelec" switches which are a bit different from normal switches in that you attach the switch etc to the patress/back box, and then you screw on top the panel.

So in the end I got some white plastic (trunking leftovers) bonded a DB15 Gender Changer to it, bonded it to the inside of the switch plate with the VGA adapter in the hole for the switch. Plugged the cable in the back and screwed it all together... perfect, cost.. less than £5

DIY is always cheper :D (if you do it right!!)

StevieB · 15-03-2006, 2:23 PM

Well in the end I cheated.

I have found a company called Triax, who make modular wall plates in the finish I wanted, and they also make a gold plated speaker binding post module, which is great.

But here is my problem now.

I know nothing about how to connect the speaker cables to these posts.
The one thing that is confusing me, is that they appear to have binding posts on the inside of the module as well as the outside.

Now I understand that you insert banana plugs into the outside post for connecting to your equipment/speaker, but how do I make the connection on the inside of the wall, do I do the same and insert a cable with a banana plug on the end?

Can anyone help me with this one, please

Also, does anyone have any recommendations for good banana plugs that I can use.

Some help on this is much appreciated.

You never know, I might actually get this finished at some point!