Very easy install (hopefully!)

[peterc2609]

Hi,

I have ripped my back room apart and am left with this:

I intend to mount my 50" plasma on the chimney breast and have the space where the fire was for AV equipment.

My 1st question is the easiest way to get cables from the 'AV hole' to the back of the TV.

Do I just chase the wall out, or do I put a hole straight through the chimney breast and feed the cables down the chimney?

I intend getting it all plastered, but would like to be able to add cables later on.

Any ideas?

Peter

[lechacal]

I think it really depends on whether you think you'll ever want to use the chimney as a 'working' chimney again. I went route B and cored-drilled a 4cm hole into the chimney cavity and it's all good for me. It's also very easy to change cables if ever I need to. I won't want to use the chimney again, but if I did then just mortaring the hole up isn't going to do the trick. It's going to take more work than that.

[lechacal]

PS Bear in mind you may also need to fit a chimney cowl if you haven't already got some way of preventing water ingress.

[peterc2609]

Hi there

We wont want to use the chimney again, as the room is extremely warm without a fire!

OK, so if I put a 4cm hole in the wall, and then get the 'av hole' all plastered and sealed, is a chimney cowl like a tube which goes from my hole in the wall to the hole at the top of the 'av hole'???

Peter

[peterc2609]

OK... just had a look at what a cowl is... it sits on top of the chimney on roof???

Problem here being that we have a gas fire in the front room which is still in use?!?!

Would these work?

Chimney Balloons are a simple and effective way of blocking chimneys when not in use. Stops chimney draughts Stops debris, soot and bird mess Reduces outside noise entering the room Saves on heating bill by stopping downdraughts and updraught

[lechacal]

You may not need one then. It's just that my chimney was a straight drop to my fireplace that previously had a wood-burning stove in it. During periods of heavy rain we used to get a little bit of water down the chimney. No problem then because there was a small drain in the fireplace for that purpose, but I bought a cowl because I didn't want my AV amp getting wet. If you don't get any water down the chimney then I shouldn't worry about it.

[peace1]

Hi mate i had cables in my chimney too, never had any problems as long as ur not going to use the fire again lol
Like mentioned b4 Just Remeber to use a Chimney cowl.

[peterc2609]

OK...

So I'm going to go for the hole straight into the chimney breast.

And put a cowl on...

Few more questions tho... with a 'highly detailed diagram' to illustrate:

Main issues are points 1 and 2.

1 is the hole through the chimney breast and 2 is the hole in the roof of the old fireplace.

Can I get some sort of 'draught excluders'? i.e. so there isn't just a big hole in the wall for the wind to whistle down the chimney?

And then at point 3.. the cables... is there like a tube I could get to go from each hole to put the cables down? Like a cable 'tunnel' ?

Cheers,

Peter

[RowdenCO]

You could put these over the holes to prevent draughts through the holes. You wouldnt need any sort of back box, just drill into the chimney breast and screw on in front of your hole.

Wickes *–*Electrical*–*Electrical Accessories*–*Electrical Accessories*–*Single Gang Brush Faceplate

[cram]

with the best will in the world brush plates don't prevent drafts (certainly don't for me). I would still use them as they make a neat finish but once the cables are in place pack insulation around them.

[BobTheViewer]

Could you not run a bit(or more than one) of conduit between the two holes to make it easier to add/remove cables.
(ok ends may be an issue)

[peterc2609]

Insulation around cables??I'm not sure as they will be up the chimney and I cant fit up it!

Same for the conduit... how to fit it to the rear of the brush plate etc...

[cram]

I'm talking about packing the holes with insulation not the chimney. In my lounge I removed a brick to pass cables through from the garage. I then packed the hole with a small piece of kingspan.

[FluffyKeith]

Originally Posted by BobTheViewer

Could you not run a bit(or more than one) of conduit between the two holes to make it easier to add/remove cables.
(ok ends may be an issue)

I've just used conduit too. In fact I didn't bother with expensive stuff I just got some waste pipe and fittings. I was going for the 50mm stuff but decided the 40mm was ok. I have it under the floor but he principle is the same. Try to use 45 degree bends I have 4 45 degree and one 90 and I managed to get through 1 scart (do that first its the biggest connector - and take the casing of it), 2 HDMI, 1 coax, 1 TOS, 1 speaker, 1 network.

Don't worry about the string to pull it through, I forgot mine but got it through by tying a but of screwed up paper to the end and putting the hoover to the other end - it went through very fast

Keith