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This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 08-25-2010 1:15 AM by Matthew. 17 replies.
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  • 08-15-2010 11:27 PM

    • Matthew
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    BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hi everyone,

    Am planning on wall mounting a new BL3500. Going through the instructions in the manual, the method is pretty straight forward, but was just wondering if people had any tips or pointers from previous experience that will help when installing into a plasterboard wall. Things like:
     
    1. Can you use something like a Ramset wall-mate plasterboard anchor (x3) to fix the mounting bracket to the wall?
    2. The manual recommends at least one screw be fixed into a wall stud - is this necessary as fasteners like the anchors above are each rated to 10kg?
    3. How much extra ML and mains cable length is recommended to extend out of the wall prior to installing to enable you to easily offer up the BL3500 and connect the cables before attaching it to the wall bracket?
    4. What's the best location to feed the cables out of the wall past the mounting bracket - i.e. under the bracket (between the plastic cover), to the sides or something else?
    5. Any other useful pointers or tips.
    Thanks in advance for any help, guys.
    Cheers,
    Matthew
  • 08-16-2010 2:18 AM In reply to

    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Matthew,

    The most difficult part of installing the Beolab 3500 on the wall mount, is the Masterlink cable and mains cable must only have a small amount of cable coming out of the wall and so you really need a second person to hold the Beolab while you are plugging the cables in. This is particularly difficult where you have a plastered around the two cables giving no cable movement.

    So, in answering your questions:-

    1. If the Ramset wall-mate can hold 10 Kg then you should be fine.
    2. Clearly, if you can screw into a stud then that would be best as the manual states.
    3. Getting your fingers in to plug the cables in can be difficult, so you need a reasonable length of cable, but if you cannot push the cable back into the wall after you have plugged in the cables, it leaves you with a problem. So, the answer to this question really comes down whether you can push excess cable back into the wall or not.
    4. Through the wall behind the bracket as shown in the picture below
    5. Not really, except the job is best done with a second person holding the unit while the cables are being plugged in

    Regards Keith....

  • 08-16-2010 4:55 AM In reply to

    • Daniel
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hi!

    I've changed location for my BL3500 and also had problems with the buttons and I've sent it several times to service. So I'm familiar with the mounting.

    It's no problem doing it on your own. Just be steady and be prepared that its can tip over easy as it's so long and heavy. Watch out so you don't scratch it on the surrounding objects.

    Iv'e just got about 10 cm spare cables. It's workable to attach the cables, but the famous extra Danish finger tip would be handy.

    Mine is not mounted in a stud, and it's still on the wall after five years.

    It's extra work to have the no cable solution, but it's well worth it. The look of the BL3500 on the wall and no cables is stunning. 

    Beovision LX5500, BeoCord V6000, BeoSound 9000, BeoLab 8000, BeoLab 3500, BeoLab 2000, BeoVox1, BeoCom 6000, Form1, LightControl 1

  • 08-17-2010 8:18 PM In reply to

    • Matthew
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Keith and Daniel,

    Thanks so much for your replies. And great photo, Keith - that really helps explain what was in my mind.

    I would prefer to attach to a wall stud, but was trying to figure out how to run the cables out centrally, either around each side of the stud, or through some form of cut-out in the stud. Rather than do this, what I might do is get the builder to run a horizontal noggin between two studs just for the BL3500 - the plaster is off the wall, so we can do this.

    That way I can get the top two screws into the noggin - possibly the bottom one as well - and still get the cables out as per Keith's pic.

    Thanks again for your help guys - much appreciated.

    Cheers,

    Matthew

  • 08-18-2010 4:41 AM In reply to

    • petermc
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hi Matthew,

    I have 2 BL3500's both which were mounted differently. One has been mounted screwed into a stud while the other was mounted using dynabolts. I must say the dynabolt method was easier as I didn't have to try and get the wires around the stud but you have a luxury of having no plaster so that makes it a lot easier.

    My advice is before you actually put the bracket up is to put it into the mounting slot on the BL3500 so you can get an understanding of where the wires need to go in relation to the bracket. Makes it a lot easier before you start drilling holes and running wires. Also (this might seem obvious) make sure the power cord will reach your desired power point.

    Good luck

    Peter

     

  • 08-19-2010 7:05 PM In reply to

    • Matthew
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hi Peter,

    Thanks for the tips - much appreciated. When I got the BL3500 home last weekend I did exactly what you suggested.... I had some spare ML cable, so plugged that and the power cable in, fiddled with the plastic cover and held the wall mount bracket in position just to see how it would all come together. It's a tight fit, but with yours and the others advice above, I'm confident I should be able to get it sorted.

    If you have time, I wouldn't mind a bit more info on the dynabolts you used. I've used them in bricks before - do you have a plasterboard or brick wall? Do you know of anyone using the wall-mates for mounting something as heavy as a BL3500 into plasterboard? Thanks again,

    Cheers,

    Matthew

  • 08-20-2010 12:43 AM In reply to

    • benjnz
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hey matt,

    I took a punt and used dynabolt 10kg in all three fixing points on my bl3500 mounting in hollow plasterboard wall.

    Yes I was very verious as the space doesnt have a stud in it but hey so far so good.

  • 08-20-2010 4:45 AM In reply to

    • petermc
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hi Matt,

    I used Ramset plasterboard hollow wall anchors (4 in a pack). They are for material 8-16mm and hold up to 10kg each. Got them from Bunnings. I've also used them to mount a pair of BL5000's and they worked like a treat. As long as you are not going to be swinging off your BL3500 they should be fine.

    I assume you have normal plasterboard - if your house is old and you have laven plaster then you might need to reconsider these wall anchors.

    Whereabouts in Melbourne are you?

  • 08-21-2010 12:08 AM In reply to

    • Matthew
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Thanks again everyone for all your replies - I really appreciate the advice.

    @Peter - I've used those Ramset wall anchors before in other applications, and they're a pretty good product, though not for anything as heavy as a BL3500. As you say, they're rated to 10kg each, so with three that should easily take care of it.

    The house itself is in Williamstown, and it's an old Californian bungalow. It did have the original lathe and plaster, but we've gutted the place as it all needed replacing. So it will be plasterboard when it's completed.

    I'm now just deciding whether I should go with the wall anchors and attach to the plaster, or build in a noggin and screw directly into that once the plasterboard is up. The wall mates are obviously a simpler solution (and there's more room for cabling too), but screwing into the noggin directly should be a more robust approach.

  • 08-21-2010 5:38 PM In reply to

    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Without precise dimensions it's difficult to add to this discussion but I suspect the advice to get a minimum of one screw into a vertical stud (and use proprietary fixings for the other two) is given for good reason.

    If there is, say 20mm between the top and bottom wall bracket holes, and the centre of gravity of the 10kg speaker is 150mm out from the wall, then the pull-out force on the top pair of screws will be 75kg and there will be a corresponding crushing force on the bottom of the bracket.  Even with good proprietary fixings, plasterboard on its own will be liable to deform to leave the speaker sagging, and if someone tries to pull on a speaker to change its up/down facing angle then there will be a good chance of ripping it from the wall. 

    If you still have to do the final plastering then open up the wall and either fix a noggin as you describe, or glue-in a short section of vertical stud.

    Graham

    EDIT Don't forget that you will weaken the plasterboard by having to put the cable outlet right next to those fixings. Another reason to go for the stud solution!

    I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure. [W C Fields]

  • 08-22-2010 2:32 AM In reply to

    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    I'll go with this

    If you still have to do the final plastering then open up the wall and either fix a noggin as you describe, or glue-in a short section of vertical stud

    The biggest problem I find is people who run 2 core to the position of the Beolab 3500 and ML - neither with ends! And then they plaster around these cables.  Which isn't a real problem if you have an ML tool to make off an end and a figure 8 end which you can screw or solder on, but this rarely is the case in my experience.  Hence big electrical joining boxes and ML junction boxes are use, and they hash the whole job and appearance up.  Best Practice to work with an ML cable with pre-terminated end and work backwards with your cable routing, and same goes with the electrical cable if you can't make off a figure 8 end.

  • 08-22-2010 7:00 PM In reply to

    • Matthew
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Graham,

    Just did the calculation you describe and I concur with your result of the 75kg out of plane load on the plaster board due to the moment induced by the BL3500. I was concerned about this initially, but the fact that the posts above indicate no issues have occurred gives me confidence. In addition, the 75kg load gives you an applied compressive stress of approx .74MPa when you consider the bearing area of the bracket (10mm x 100mm for compression), and this is pretty low.

    Having said all that, I think I'm leaning toward putting in a noggin whilst the plasterboard is off, and attaching at least the top two screws of the BL3500 bracket into that. My focus now relates to KingOfSnake's post - how to make a nice neat finish.

    I'll be able to get the cables through the walls no problem as the house is gutted - nothing a good drill with a spade bit can't sort. The ML cable will be terminated with a plug at the BL3500 end. It's minimising the size of the hole around the cables (as per Keith's pic above) so that 1) the hole is not visible once the plastic cover goes on and 2) there's sufficient space between the cable hole and the fastener location to avoid a tear-out condition in the plasterboard.

    I took another look at the back of the BL3500 with cables and bracket held in situ, and there is very little room for the cables to exit on the lower side of the bracket and still be hidden by the plastic cover - about 8mm. There's a lot more space if you feed the cables out and over the top of the bracket, but I don't know if anyone has actually done this.

    Mmm... perhaps I am over thinking this....

  • 08-23-2010 4:51 AM In reply to

    • petermc
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Just had a look how I ran my cables on one of mine.

    The cables actually come out above the bracket. From memory I drilled the hole in the plaster with a spade bit and then ran the cables. The Masterlink cable was run from the bedroom side and pulled up into the roof space. The power cord was dropped down into the wall cavity and into the bedroom. The only cable joining required was the Masterlink cable which was done in the roof space.

    I then positioned the bracket partially over the hole. The cables can still freely move so after I mounted the speaker I could pull the excess back into the roof. There are no visible wires or holes once the speaker is mounted.

    If you can easily fit a noggin I'd go that way. I wasn't about to put a huge hole in a wall to instal noggin and then have to replaster. The speaker has been up in it's position for 1 1/2 years and hasn't moved.

    I had the speaker set on the desired angle before it was mounted.

    Sing out if you want a picture.

  • 08-23-2010 6:35 PM In reply to

    • Matthew
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Peter,

    Thanks for that info re: running your cables out through the top of the bracket. When I was mucking around with the BL3500 and cables on the weekend, this looked like the best way to go in terms of best using the space available. It's good to hear someone has successfully gone down this path. If you have time and are able to grab a picture, that would be really helpful - thanks.

    I plan on running the cables through exactly as you describe - ML cable from inside the room through the wall and back to a junction box, and power cable back through the other way. I'm inclined to install a noggin to attach the BL3500 for additional piece of mind, especially whilst I have the opportunity to easily do so.

    Thanks once again for that description, Peter - very helpful. Looks like I have a good way forward now.

  • 08-24-2010 5:44 AM In reply to

    • petermc
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Hope this works. Best I can do with the phone.

  • 08-24-2010 6:05 AM In reply to

    • Daniel
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Matthew:

    It's good to hear someone has successfully gone down this path.

    I plan on running the cables through exactly as you describe - ML cable from inside the room through the wall and back to a junction box, and power cable back through the other way.

    This is the way I've done it.

    Beovision LX5500, BeoCord V6000, BeoSound 9000, BeoLab 8000, BeoLab 3500, BeoLab 2000, BeoVox1, BeoCom 6000, Form1, LightControl 1

  • 08-24-2010 6:07 AM In reply to

    • Daniel
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    petermc:

    Just had a look how I ran my cables on one of mine.

    The cables actually come out above the bracket. From memory I drilled the hole in the plaster with a spade bit and then ran the cables. The Masterlink cable was run from the bedroom side and pulled up into the roof space. The power cord was dropped down into the wall cavity and into the bedroom. The only cable joining required was the Masterlink cable which was done in the roof space.

    I then positioned the bracket partially over the hole. The cables can still freely move so after I mounted the speaker I could pull the excess back into the roof. There are no visible wires or holes once the speaker is mounted.

    Dito.

    Beovision LX5500, BeoCord V6000, BeoSound 9000, BeoLab 8000, BeoLab 3500, BeoLab 2000, BeoVox1, BeoCom 6000, Form1, LightControl 1

  • 08-25-2010 1:15 AM In reply to

    • Matthew
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    Re: BL3500 Wall Mount/Installation

    Fantastic pic Peter - thanks so much for that! And thanks also to Daniel for confirming this approach for the install. Much appreciated guys.

    Matthew

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