LCD TV Installation

[Chuck.Philips]

I'm thinking of installing a TV by mounting a bracket on the bulkhead between the dining table and the V-birth.  The wood panel separating the two areas appears to be very thin.  I'm looking at two different units--1 weighs in at 11.6 lbs and the other just under 20 lbs. 

My questions are:

1. If I install wood on the v-birth side of the bulkhead and drill through the panel and through the new wood to attach the mounting bracket, do you think that will be strong enough to support the new "ultra thin TV"?
2. Do you think I can install either TV based upon their weights or do you have a recommended maximum weight for the TV?

Thanks for your help.
Chuck Philips
"Forever Young"

[Ted Pounds]

That bulkhead is structural ans should easily support the TV.  As I recall the tangs for the forward lower shrouds are bolted to that bulkhead?  You're right it is fairly thin so you either want to use bolts and nuts or add thickness if you're going to use screws.

[Ron Hill]

Chuck : Why "reinvent the wheel"??  

If you look in the May 2010 Mainsheet you'll see how I mounted a 12V LCD 13" TV on that bulkhead.  That bulkhead is plenty strong, but I found that if you use a TV bracket that the set tends to stick out too far.  That's why I used 2 brass clothes hooks and mounted the TV flush with the "wall".

I've also posted some pictures with that article.  

Great info in those Mainsheet Tech notes!!   If you aren't a C34IA member and receive the Mainsheet, contact Stu Jackson and he'll sign you up!!  

A few thoughts

[Exodus]

I mounted a 19" Vizio on the bulkhead as you mention.  If memory serves correctly I believe it is 11 pounds.  It was difficult to find a mount due to the fact that the hole pattern on the vizio was different than most other TVs that I looked at.  I did eventually find a mount and I purchased some stainless bolts and washers along with locking nuts from West Marine to use for the installation in lieu of the hardware supplied with the mount.  I have been very pleased with the installation.  It has stayed in place even in rough seas, although I do further secure it with shock chord while in rough seas.

I also installed the Shakespeare Seawatch TV antenna on the mast and have been amazed at the quality of reception that we get.

If you would like to see any pictures of the installation send me a message with your e-mail address.

[Stephen Butler]

Just wanted to add our positive experience with the Sea View antenna; we mounted one on the mast, just slightly above the spreaders, as part of our mast/boom redo and are very pleased with the results.  Great reception, with or without the small pre-amp being on.  Now to get a modern TV set (we are still using an analog set with digital converter).  An easy addition that allows us some TV entertainment and access to local and regional weather reports.

[Bobg]

I also mounted a tv on the bulkhead, I simply drilled 4 holes through the bulkhead and ran allthread through the bulkhead and into the threaded holes in the tv and pulled it up tight.  I then fabbed up a wood box with doors and enclosed the tv.  has worked very well

[PK]

I'm considering this install myself, I like Bobg's idea with the allthread.  This may be slighlty off topic, but was curious about how everyone powered their TV in this location.  Where did you plug it in and how did you get the cord there?  Has anyone set it up to power off 120 and 12 volt in this location, what was your approach?  Thanks

[Rick Allen]

PK, I mounted a flat panel Plasma TV in the same bulkhead on my MKI 4 years ago. For power, we ran the cord thru the bulkhead behind the TV and down the v-berth side of the bulkhead to just above the floor.  The cord then passes thru the bulkhead again and daylights under the settee where it is pluged into a shorepower 120v duplex convenience outlet.  The PO had installed the outlet there to power the refrigerator condenser (compressor?) which is also under the settee. I don't have it set up for 12v.
To hide the cord in the v-berth I had a 6" wide by ½" deep piece of matching teak channeled out and it is attached to the bulkhead with nice ss screws with washers.  The teak channel runs floor to ceiling and looks like it belongs there as a structural pilaster.  It's worked perfectly all this time. On the salon side the TV it looks great with no exposed screws or wires.  It's a nice way to "float" mount the TV (No pun intended.).
Good Luck!

Rick

[Bobg]

I kind of did the same cord work as Rick did, I cut a hole in the wall behind the TV ran the wires across the top of the closet and down into the closet where I installed a plug in all covered with moulding. The DVD player is behind the sliding black plastic shelf door in the corner of the seetee,  it's cord also goes into the closet through a hole I drilled there.  I really didn't want to drill a hole in the bulkhead but I figured there will always be something there to hide it anyway, plus I kept the core just in case.
On a side note, I also have a smaller TV on top of the hanging closet for when I go to bed.  TVs are cheap nowadays.  However, a lot of boaters simply use their laptops for TV to watch movies.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : Rick and Bob both ran a dedicated wire for the TV. 
24 years ago I put a 12V DC cigarette lighter plug and an extra 110V AC plug back in that fwd starboard corner of the salon on the Vberth bulkhead.

Over the years I've found both the AC and DC electrical female receptacles to be VERY handy.   A thought

[Ralph Masters]

On our 87 there is a 110 V outlet on the starboard side of the V-berth going into the hanging locker.  It looks origanal, we use it for a fan in the summer.

Ralph

[Roger Blake]

Similar to Ron, I put two 12vlt cigarette connections in the vberth...mainly to run two 12vlt fans... but can be used for other things.

[Fuzzy]

I did exactly as Ron did for electrical outlets.  Both a 110vac and a 12vdc outlet in the forward starboard corner of the salon
on the vee berth bulkhead.  I installed a 19" flat screen TV on the bulkhead using a tiltable wall mount and ran machine
screws through the bulkhead with a screw type female "nut" on the vee berth cabin side. Don't know what those are called
but they look like screw heads on both sides of the bulkhead.  This works real good and holds the TV very solid.  The bulkhead
is more than strong enough to support a flat screen TV.  The 19" is definitely not too large.
Larry

PS:  It was easy to wire the 110vac outlet.  I just ran a short 14-3 wire through the bulkhead, through the hanging locker
in the fore cabin to the factory existing outlet.  We use the 110vac outlet while at a dock with ac power and when at anchor
we use the 12vdc outlet with a small "cigarette outlet invertor" feeding both the TV and a small DVD player.