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Re: Fireplace - Plasma TV

From: info@builderswebsource.com
Category: Electrical/Lighting
Remote Name: 63.198.181.43
Date: 06 Feb 2005
Time: 12:02 PM

Comments

So long as you follow proper precautions to establish the maximum heat profile in the area you plan to mount your plasma display, including following the building code with regard to combustible materials placement in and around your fireplace, you may hang your plasma display above the fireplace. However, you must follow certain precautions to avoid premature failure due to heat. Furthermore, depending on what type of materials you burn and whether or not you have a mantel and keep your fireplace doors open or closed, you may find that smoke and soot may tend to accumulate on the lower portion of the unit. Over a period of time, this could damage internal components, since the cooling fans inside the unit may act to draw in warm, dirty air. Clearly, a gas-only fireplace with a concrete log will provide the least amount of heat and the cleanest burn with minimal residue.

An excellent reference for tips on hanging plasma displays above a fireplace is the Plasma TV Buying Guide. For reference, we are quoting portions of a 7/27/2004 memo by Phil Conner in which he writes, "First, take a thermometer and tape it to the wall above the mantel, in the place where the plasma TV will reside. Then build a fire, and let it roar awhile. Now, check the thermometer. If the temperature is above 90 degrees F, then the area is receiving too much heat -- either escaping from the front of the fireplace and rising up the face, or radiating through the chimney to warm the outside wall -- for a plasma TV to hang there without receiving some modicum of residual damage. It would not be advisable to run the plasma for a long period of time while its environment is this hot. Though the Plasma TV has its own cooling system, the surrounding heat will force the Plasma display to work harder to cool itself, thus shortening the overall lifespan of the unit over time. A Plasma TV may still be run for short periods of time without harming the unit (even with the environment heat at 90 degrees F or above). If the plasma display is not turned on while a fire burn in the fireplace, then the unit will not be harmed at all even though the temperature surrounding the unit may be warm. Of course, this might not be an option for people living in places where winter lasts seemingly forever, and fires are an everyday fact of life. In such cases, you should be advised to monitor the amount of heat your plasma display is exposed to while it is running."

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