Powering a wall mounted soundbar

[kungfuman]

I'm looking to wall mount a Sonos Playbar onto a wall which already has a TV mounted. The TV has a switched fuse spur behind it to power the TV. The power outlet is easily hidden due to the size of the TV.

With regards to the Playbar, I would prefer not to show any cables and I understand you can't hide the power cable behind the wall. So it should be powered with a switched spur like the TV, but as the soundbar is quite a slim narrow unit, I'm not sure how to go about this whilst hiding the switched outlet as well.

Is there any practical way to do this and comply with the regs?

 

[motorbiking]

Can you swap the fused spur for a double socket on a spur. The plugs themselves are fused, so this would be a regular spur. In terms of hiding..
have a look here:
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Trunking_Pvc_Index/Dline_White_Index/index.html

 

[FrodoOne]

I'm looking to wall mount a Sonos Playbar onto a wall which already has a TV mounted. The TV has a switched fuse spur behind it to power the TV. The power outlet is easily hidden due to the size of the TV.

With regards to the Playbar, I would prefer not to show any cables and I understand you can't hide the power cable behind the wall. So it should be powered with a switched spur like the TV, but as the soundbar is quite a slim narrow unit, I'm not sure how to go about this whilst hiding the switched outlet as well.

Is there any practical way to do this and comply with the regs?

Could you please supply any photographs of that to which you are referring since the "description" which you have so far provided is quite opaque.

 

[Sureitsoff?]

what is the construction of the wall you wish to mount the soundbar on?

 

[kungfuman]

The wall is just an internal stud partition wall which currently has a tv mounted on it already.

I was to mount the soundbar approx 4" below the TV want to know the best way to get power to it without showing any cables/trunking. The soundbar is a Sonos Playbar which comes with an 'figure of 8' type power lead.

 

[AndyPRK]

I would connect the fig 8 into the same fuses spur.

 

[Edddd]

Punch two holes in the plasterboard: one behind the TV and one behind the soundbar. Feed the cables through, including the C8 lead. Plug it in behind the TV by adding an extra socket to the fused spur, or doubling the existing socket. Hope there is no horizontal member in the wall between the holes.

The holes should lie on the same vertical line so it's obvious where the cables lie within the wall.

Tidy the holes up if you like, maybe using brush plates if you can find one that will hide behind the soundbar. Or a dry-lining pattress, maybe architrave size if those exist.

Regs would apply to the new socket but not the C8 lead in the wall, since it's not part of the fixed installation.

 

[kungfuman]

Punch two holes in the plasterboard: one behind the TV and one behind the soundbar. Feed the cables through, including the C8 lead. Plug it in behind the TV by adding an extra socket to the fused spur, or doubling the existing socket. Hope there is no horizontal member in the wall between the holes.

The holes should lie on the same vertical line so it's obvious where the cables lie within the wall.

Tidy the holes up if you like, maybe using brush plates if you can find one that will hide behind the soundbar. Or a dry-lining pattress, maybe architrave size if those exist.

Regs would apply to the new socket but not the C8 lead in the wall, since it's not part of the fixed installation.

This would be the most straightforward and initially my preferred method. I guess my only hesitation is that in my google searches, some have said it’s not permitted to run flex power cables within wall cavities. Although this seems more related to American building code so I guess it’s ok to do it over here.

 

[EFLImpudence]

some have said it’s not permitted to run flex power cables within wall cavities. Although this seems more related to American building code so I guess it’s ok to do it over here.

Yes, it's fine.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

it's not part of the fixed installation.

Of course it is.

I'm looking to wall mount a...

 

[Edddd]

I'd better fill in that Minor Works Certificate for my internet router then.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

 

[SpaceCowboy72]

View attachment 160576

But surely a Soundbar isn't designed to be fastened to a support, or secured in a specific location. I would have thought that it was a portable piece of Electrical Equipment that had the option of being wall mounted.

I had always assumed that 'Fixed installation' was everything up until Socket face plates, and that if something was plugged in to a socket then it was 'Portable'.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

But surely a Soundbar isn't designed to be fastened to a support, or secured in a specific location.

If it has keyhole slots, or brackets etc, then clearly it is designed to be fastened to something.

I had always assumed that 'Fixed installation' was everything up until Socket face plates, and that if something was plugged in to a socket then it was 'Portable'.

 

[SpaceCowboy72]

If it has keyhole slots, or brackets etc, then clearly it is designed to be fastened to something.

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; and that is different to 'Designed to be a component part of a fixed (Read: Permanent) installation'.
Just because something can be attached to a wall, does not mean that it becomes part of a fixed installation if it is.

The Soundbar in question is likely to have a flat base so that it could alternatively be placed on a cabinet or shelf. Therefore, it is not a fixed appliance. It is a Portable Appliance that can be attached to a wall, or placed on a shelf.

Regardless of that though... 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."

This is an important point since the OP has said that he wants to ...

... comply with the regs?

Regs would apply to the new socket but not the C8 lead in the wall, since it's not part of the fixed installation.