Hello all-its been awhile since I have checked in on here....
I was hoping to get some help on a project I'm working on.
I'm planning to mount our flat-screen TV over the gas insert fireplace. The previous owners of the house had their TV there and even modified the side trim and mantle around the fireplace to have a channel running through it. It is here I plan to fish the low-voltage cables through this channel (HDMI, speaker wires, etc.)
I don't want to run an extension cord through this channel (against code) so I'm buying a "power bridge" setup that will put a power inlet in one part of the room, connecting to an recessed outlet behind the mounted TV. See this. You then plug into a nearby outlet to power the outlet behind the TV.
My plan is to fish the line for the powerbridge entirely within the wall if I can manage it without tearing too many holes in the drywall. A much easier option would to take advantage of the channel in the fireplace trim and run some of the Romex/NM "externally" to decrease the distance I would need to fish. The Romex would then be conceled by the side trim pieces.
My question is if there is a code-compliant way to run Romex in this channel (the channel is formed by a hollow space in the trim pieces which attach to the face of the drywall). My reading indicates that code can go either way on this, the issue is protecting the romex from nail/screw puncture ( wire has to be 1-1/4" away from external edge of studs, nail plates, etc).
One idea is to protect the external run of Romex with smurf tube or other conduit, but don't think I can get the smurf tube into the channel in the mantel. One could also argue that the trim and mantel itself is protection enough for the Romex in the channel (def. thicker than 1-1/4"), should someone decide to drive a nail into the mantel to hang their stockings.
Thoughts on if I can take the easy route on this or if I should bite the bullet and fish the line behind the drywall?
I was hoping to get some help on a project I'm working on.
I'm planning to mount our flat-screen TV over the gas insert fireplace. The previous owners of the house had their TV there and even modified the side trim and mantle around the fireplace to have a channel running through it. It is here I plan to fish the low-voltage cables through this channel (HDMI, speaker wires, etc.)
I don't want to run an extension cord through this channel (against code) so I'm buying a "power bridge" setup that will put a power inlet in one part of the room, connecting to an recessed outlet behind the mounted TV. See this. You then plug into a nearby outlet to power the outlet behind the TV.
My plan is to fish the line for the powerbridge entirely within the wall if I can manage it without tearing too many holes in the drywall. A much easier option would to take advantage of the channel in the fireplace trim and run some of the Romex/NM "externally" to decrease the distance I would need to fish. The Romex would then be conceled by the side trim pieces.
My question is if there is a code-compliant way to run Romex in this channel (the channel is formed by a hollow space in the trim pieces which attach to the face of the drywall). My reading indicates that code can go either way on this, the issue is protecting the romex from nail/screw puncture ( wire has to be 1-1/4" away from external edge of studs, nail plates, etc).
One idea is to protect the external run of Romex with smurf tube or other conduit, but don't think I can get the smurf tube into the channel in the mantel. One could also argue that the trim and mantel itself is protection enough for the Romex in the channel (def. thicker than 1-1/4"), should someone decide to drive a nail into the mantel to hang their stockings.
Thoughts on if I can take the easy route on this or if I should bite the bullet and fish the line behind the drywall?