Powering a wall mounted soundbar

[ban-all-sheds]

No. Having Key Slots or brackets in this situation means that the Soundbar is designed so that it can be fitted to a wall if the end user chooses to;

Indeed.

Designed to be fixed. Whether it is fixed or not is not the issue - it is DESIGNED to be fixed.

And obviously, once it HAS BEEN fixed it IS fixed.

Just because something can be attached to a wall, does not mean that it becomes part of a fixed installation if it is.

Is English not your first language?

The Soundbar in question is likely to have a flat base so that it could alternatively be placed on a cabinet or shelf.

It could be.

Can you explain how doing that would remove the design features which allow it to be fixed?

Therefore, it is not a fixed appliance. It is a Portable Appliance that can be attached to a wall, or placed on a shelf.

If you will persist in using that deprecated term, Portable Equipment is (with my emphases)

Electrical equipment which is moved while in operation or which can easily be moved from one place to another while connected to the supply.​

If is is attached to a wall, how can it still be portable?

Regardless of that though

Yeah - why not.

Why not regardless of plain English.

Why not regardless of what the Wiring Regulations say.

To quote from www.pat.org.uk "For the purpose of legislation, portable appliances include all equipment that is not part of a fixed installation but is meant to be connected to a fixed installation or generator. Any appliance that uses a flexible cable or plug and socket qualifies as a portable appliance."

Jolly good.

Portable Appliance Testing is outwith the scope of the Wiring Regulations, so nothing relating to PAT has any bearing on the Wiring Regulations.

And who is pat.org.uk?

With a home page like this:

what makes you think it is a credible source of information on wiring regulations? Who are they? On what matters can they be reliably considered to be authoritative?

When you click on their "Write for us" link, this is what you get:

And they are a credible source of information on the Wiring Regulations?

Really?

 

[Keithmac]

Could argue its designed to be free standing, wall mounting optional..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I wonder if I've entered a parallel universe where as well as there being anti-matter there is anti-logic.

If it has features designed and manufactured into it which allow it to be fastened to a support or otherwise secured in a specific location then those features remain even if they are not used.

 

[SpaceCowboy72]

I don't think that there is any anti-logic present, just a differences in how we interpret the written word. Personally, I work in the field of Product Design and I am very familiar with the creation and interpretation of Requirements Specifications. They have to be totally unambiguous, since they are used as the starting point for any projects we undertake. There is a very real difference between an item being designed for a specific application, and an item being designed for multiple applications.
Taking the Soundbar as an example - It has been designed to be both self standing and wall mounted, so the requirement would be written as "...can be wall mounted" as opposed to "...shall be wall mounted".

I totally agree that someone who screwed it to a wall would consider it fixed.

This has now gone quite off topic, and so to bring it back, can I please ask Ban-all-sheds to help clarify some points for me;

1. What is the term that we should be using for wiring that runs between the Consumer Unit and the sockets/fused outlets. Generally speaking it would be in the wall or in surface mounted conduit?
2. What is the term that we should be using for the whole installation of Consumer Unit through to Sockets/fused outlets?
3. What is the term that we should use for appliances that are hard wired in to a fused connection or flex outlet?
4. What is the term that we should be using for appliances that plug in to sockets?
5. What document contains the rules relating to wiring safe zones for cables contained in walls?
6. Does that same document contain rules relating to cables outside of those safe zones?
7. Do cables that run between a plug and an appliance have to satisfy the rules referenced in question 5 above?

With these questions answered we will get closer to being able to word the answer as to whether Kungfuman's preferred method of hiding his Soundbar's power cable satisfies the rules that relate to it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

1. Cable/wiring, or circuit. As for where it runs, it can be buried in the wall, under floors, above ceilings, or on the surface of any of those, in conduit or trunking of the PVC or steel variety, or simply clipped to the surface. Or a mix of any or all of these.
   
2. If you're going to include the whole CU, then "installation". If only one protective device then circuit.
   
3. Appliances. Or "equipment", but that term encompasses all sorts of stuff in addition to appliances. Basically everything in your house comes under "equipment", so it's not a particularly useful term. But there are no "fixed appliance" or "mobile appliance" terms, it's "fixed equipment" or "mobile equipment". Something hard wired is more likely to be fixed.
   
4. Ditto, but fixed equipment is more likely than mobile equipment in #3.
   
   There are many appliances which are neither fixed nor mobile. A non integrated WM/DW/TD/FF/cooker isn't fixed/fastened/secured (unless gravity and friction count as the latter) - it just sits on the floor, but it's not designed to be moved in use, nor is it easily moved.
   
5. BS 7671, aka The Wiring Regulations. Also covered in many guide to the regs, web pages etc. https://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:walls
   
6. Yes.
   
7. Absolutely, if it is concealed.