fireplace/heat/tv question

helpimcrap · 30 Jan 2012 at 18:42

I have my Plasma TV mounted on the wall.

I can fit a fireplace below it as there's a hole in the wall with a gas pipe and a flu.
At the moment i have a piece of wood screwed to the wall and i'm doing ok with heat etc.

I want a fireplace and Aldi are doing an eectric one for £90.

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_23137.htm
It'selectric so i have 2 questions.

1. could it be run from an existing plug socket (easy) or would it involve a brand new feed from the fusebox(difficult)?
2. Could i mount if to the wall below the Plasma? I was thinking fit a shelf under the TV to deflect the heat away and fit some radiator foil underneath to deflect the heat in front of the TV more. Does this soud sensible or over kill?

Luke · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:18

I'd be very interested to know this as well. I've always thought it a very bad idea to have a TV on the wall above a radiator but if there are ways around it that aren't too unsightly the it would open up some options I'd written off...

sparky05084 · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:32

Hi.

The electric fire is rated at 1.8KW. If we take that as the maximum power usage then it will be pulling rougly 8 Amps.

Now, I imagine that the fire would come with either a 1.5 or 2.5 3 core flex on a 13A plug top.

You are essentially restricting the current flow to 13A so yes you could put it on a plug top but I would not advise it. Simply because you are taking extra load onto your ring main (sockets) circuit.

Personally, I would provide a FCU (Fused Connection Unit or Switch Fused Spur) and have it on it's own independant circuit which of course would involve running a cable from the consumer unit.

You could do it yourself or have an electrician do it *wink, wink*

helpimcrap · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:32

Yeah, I'm dubious about it but a mate of mine has his 60" plasma above an open fire and before that he had another plasma and his house is constantly cooking!

The old plasma has been moved to the bedroom and still works just fine nearly 10yrs on.

helpimcrap · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:35

sparky05084 said:
Hi.

The electric fire is rated at 1.8KW. If we take that as the maximum power usage then it will be pulling rougly 8 Amps.

Now, I imagine that the fire would come with either a 1.5 or 2.5 3 core flex on a 13A plug top.

You are essntially restricting the current flow to 13A so yes you could put it on a plug top but I would not advise it. Simply because you are taking extra load onto your ring main (sockets) circuit.

Personally, I would provide a FCU (Fused Connection Unit or Switch Fused Spur) and have it on it's own independant circuit which of course would involve running a cable from the consumer unit.

You could do it yourself or have an electrician do it *wink, wink*

What if it was a double plug socket? have 2 lots of doubles one side of the TV and another double socket other side. Technically speaking it would have a higher ouput as it would be suppling a double socket wouldn't it?

bitslice · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:38

TV's over fireplaces always look wrong to me, you end up craning your neck up to see anything. I'd rather watch something at roughly eye level.

Your plan sounds OK to me*

*don't hit me if your house burns down

@Sparky
I don't see what's so bad about putting a 1.8KW load onto a ring main and then adding a telly?

edit:
oh, single socket is it?
yeh, get that changed...

sparky05084 · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:45

When you say higher output are you referring to the fact that it's because it's a double socket as opposed to a single?

Your sockets circuit will (or should) be on a 32A MCB (breaker) or 30A fuse (rewireable). Assuming it's the former (which is better and safer) that is what you would potentially be adding the fire to.

Now, as I said earlier, you could take it from a socket but the fact that it's a double makes no odds. The current draw will be the same but only where the fire is concerned. Having a double socket gives the option to add more load to that said circuit.

For example the TV amongst other things. Basically, I'd consider running a new circuit in but I would wouldn't I

helpimcrap · 30 Jan 2012 at 19:56

Your input is appreciated. I've redone some of the electrics myself (shower/plug sockets) as it was just plain dangerous! God knows how it passed the surveyor! Not sure what he was surveying....

The 2 doubles were put in by a sparky as i had an idea of how to do it and all the stuff runs off those 2 doubles. Nothing runs off the other double and so technically i could just remove the plug. extend it and use that?

It would making it into a single socket be better as there is less potential max load?

sparky05084 · 30 Jan 2012 at 20:03

Again, the fact that it's a double makes no odds other than it gives you a "free" or extra point of utilisation.

I wouldn't go messing about changing from a double to a single. At the end of the day you are not really doing any harm just running off a socket. So as long as the plug top has a 13A fuse (which it will).

It may even have a 10 but I'd put money on it being a 13. Me personally I would put it on it's own circuit but I can see that you are debating running it from a socket and as it's in situ then that seems the most practical option and cheapest.

When you say extend it don't go using connector block and tape either

helpimcrap · 31 Jan 2012 at 17:18

sparky05084 said:
When you say extend it don't go using connector block and tape either

but i was going to give it an extra turn on the screwdriver to make sure it was safe!