Author Topic: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install  (Read 16504 times)

Edward Buker

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It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« on: December 03, 2015, 04:54:12 AM »
I was considering a TV upgrade for some time and there were some excellent Black Friday deals so I bit the bullet. If anyone is interested in a TV upgrade to a 50inch UHD 4K TV for the swing down ceiling arrangement, this post may save you a lot of time and provide a good roadmap for what is involved. I had a 40 inch HD TV in the compartment before and going to 50 inch represents a 56% increase in screen size. Between the Ultra HD capability and screen size change the results are stunning. These sets upconvert when 4K content is not available and the results will improve a good image but will not aid a poorly recorded image very much. Over the air and dish HD channels with newer content and especially live sports are remarkable.

The TV...I looked at Sony in a 49inch, Vizio in a 50 inch, LG in a 49 inch, but the best physical fit and price performance was a Samsung UN50JS7000. The contours of the case and the narrow bezel made the set fit like a glove in the swing down carriage. In particular the rounded back near the edge of the set and the thin perimeter, for about and inch in from the edge, helped with the fit. It weighs just 29lbs.

The Modifications...The TV set is just about the size of the swing down carriage, width wise, leaving about 1/2 inch per side clearance. The top of the set minimally overlaps the top square tube and that will require some metal trimming to notch the welded square tube bracing. The set will be mounted on a small tilt to clear the square tube but the advantage is that the tilt is an excellent match for the couch viewing position. The VESA mount dimensions and the set size will require marking and drilling new holes in the carriage metal frame. I started with some blue tape to mark the hole locations after placing a 1/4 inch strip of plywood over the two angle brackets at the bottom of the carriage. All the bolt hole measurements were done from the plywood surface up. Drill the bolt holes at a slight upward angle. I taped and marked the metal frame that was to be trimmed. I used a Bosch 12V battery operated hand held saw and a fine tooth metal blade to do the cutting and finished with a Dremel with a cut off wheel. Photos attached.

The Mount.... You will need 4-M8 bolts. You will place the TV on the 1/4 inch plywood spacer on the angle steel bracing for bolting. I bought various lengths and ended up mounting the set several times which was a pain so this will save you some time. The final bolts that I used had 3 inches of thread on the top set and 2 1/4 on the bottom set. I used two aircraft nuts on each bolt, one with a large washer tight to the carriage frame and one tight to the set using a fender washer. So these are basically bolts to hold the set plus set the standoff depths from the carriage. If I was to do it over I would use an aircraft nut against the TV set but a standard nut and lock washer against the carriage frame for ease of tightening with my fingers and just locking them with a wrench. Be careful not to overtighten the bolts on the back of the set. Leave the carriage frame locking nuts somewhat loose until all the bolts are started in the back of the TV. When the nuts are tightened and locked at the TV end with the aircraft nuts, then tighten the nuts at the carriage end. Because the bolts are at a slight angle, do not overtighten the carriage end of things, forcing the bolts to try and straighten to the carriage frame. When done slide out the plywood spacer. Various photos attached.

This is probably one of the most rewarding upgrades for the money that I have done. Although the dimensions are tight and you need to measure carefully, the work was not overly difficult once I had sorted the project all out. The only work needed within the ceiling box area clearance wise was to tie wrap up some wires near the silver control box. I did pucker a bit the first time I ran the set up into the ceiling but all is well from a clearance point of view.

If you do not have satellite HD TV in your coach or you do not have HDMI cable run to the swing up TV, in a prior post I detailed how to get there from here using a pair of Cat4 Ethernet cables and some amplified Baluns. Hope this helps make such a great TV a reality for someone else.

Later Ed




« Last Edit: December 03, 2015, 07:36:37 PM by Edward Buker »
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Steve Huber

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2015, 05:11:47 AM »
Ed,
Looks Great, Nice Job!
Steve
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Mike Groves

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2015, 03:26:19 PM »
Ed,

What is the floor to ceiling box structure height (below the "box" holding the TV)?

Mike

David T. Richelderfer

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2015, 03:43:52 PM »
I like it!
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LaMonte Monnell

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #4 on: December 03, 2015, 03:45:45 PM »
Great Job Ed!
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Edward Buker

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #5 on: December 03, 2015, 07:28:56 PM »
Thanks guys, it is a rewarding change for the amount of modification involved. The screen/set size now looks like it was mated to the door and enclosure size. The old set had a lot of exposed perimeter area that was distracting.

Mike "the box" floor to ceiling height starts at 6ft by the dash edge where you do not walk, and then rises to 6ft 2.5 inches at the salon end. There were coach structural changes involved in the integration of the enclosure. For me at 5'11" the box has not been an issue.

Later Ed

Peter Chambliss

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2015, 08:56:09 PM »
Ed, my current 42 inch tv mounts between the vertical arms of the mount.  Am I correct that you mounted the new TV on top of these arms?  It looks like the thickness of the new TV allows it to stow flush when the mount swings up in the housing.  Did you have to fish any wires?  I only have one HDMI cable running up to the TV and would like to have more but am not sure how I could get a couple more of them up there.  Thanks for the post on this, I've been thinking of upgrading for some time.

Peter Chambliss
2004 Marquis

Edward Buker

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2015, 01:34:48 AM »
Peter,

The unit is bolted like any other TV to the vertical steel on the swing up carriage. The TV fits the carriage in a way that allows it to swing up and stow flush assuming your box and mount is like mine in a 2002 Marquis. I think they are the same but some checking is in order. The TV dimensions without stand is in the first photo on my post. About 44.4 wide. That dimension width wise is less than the door opening on mine. There is about an inch of clearance in the tightest position between the tv and the foam panel above it when the tv is swung up into the stored position. The tightest position clearance wise is by the square tube axle where I trimmed the metal to allow the TV to recess tighter to the square tube. It all fits like a glove and if your carriage and box looks like mine I would think it would work fine.

As far as HDMI, I have just one HDMI cable link which I brought from the rear bedroom closet where I mounted my sat receiver. I used a pair of cat 5 Ethernet cables run underneath the edges of the ceiling panels and then into the TV compartment. It was the easiest solution for me but your case may be different. This is a link to my HDMI cabling post. It may or may not be the best way to go for your install. There are folks on the forum like Fred that have done a number of TV installs. If you describe your case he may be able to join in and offer some cabling ideas. If you need me to measure something about my TV storage compartment or TV install let me know. Love to see some other installs detailed. Maybe some good HDMI cabling ideas will surface. I would love to get an HDMI for a blue ray player from a cabinet over the passenger side couch to the TV. Hope this helps.

http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,746.msg4415.html#msg4415

Later Ed
« Last Edit: December 06, 2015, 07:09:16 PM by Edward Buker »
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Peter Chambliss

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2015, 04:32:23 PM »
Thanks Ed.  I'm not at the coach now but will check next week.  When I get started on this, I'll post some pictures.  As I think about it, the smart TV will eliminate one HDMI cable by letting me access Netflix directly.  I use an AB switch now to connect the single HDMI cable to my satellite box and bluray player.  It works okay.  Thanks again!

Peter

Edward Buker

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #9 on: December 06, 2015, 09:14:25 PM »
Peter if you have bandwidth, I have been running Amazon prime directly on the TV from the house wifi router about 150 feet away. Your Netflix should work with a decent wifi signal. (pretty rare in a campground)

Later Ed

Fred Brooks

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2015, 01:21:31 PM »
        Hi Ed,

   Great looking install, very well thought out. Wish my coach had the swing down option. I'm kinda stuck in CRT land when they engineered earlier Marquis'. To answer your question, the fastest and easiest way to get cables from front to rear is thru the common air conditioning duct in the roof. If your coach is newer and assembled by Monaco, watch out for the bundle of romex wires that are 12 to 14 inches from the passenger wall up in the roof from front to rear.
           Regards, Fred
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Doug Allman

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2015, 01:42:45 PM »
ED, I am in the process of again modifying the swing up for my 46" Samsung. First go around we modified the 2" square tubing in the eyebrow and used an atv plow cylinder to raise tv. This cylinder did not however raise it to ceiling as I would have liked.

Once again I am going to create mounting along 2" tubing in eyebrow.

Ours is a 2004 marquis and I believe built a little different than yours from what I see in the pictures.

It appears that your mount for the swing up came with your coach? or did you construct? It appears to me to be square tube with a bearing housing on the end for the pivot. Is this correct?  You also mentioned puckering when first raising. What do you raise it with?

I am currently laying out all aspects so your help is greatly appreciated. I need to be done in 2 weeks as we leave on the 21st of Dec.

Edward Buker

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2015, 02:25:35 PM »
Doug,

Mine was a factory original option. It has a geared down electric drive and a control box and a powered closing latch system. It is run from an under cabinet mounted switch. The square tube is the pivot axle, mounted with a bearing holder, the TV frame saddle is welded to the axle. My puckering was measuring clearances and assuring myself it would be fine, but until you run it up into the ceiling and store it, that was the real test.

Given yours is a full custom install I am not sure if I can be much help, but I will answer what I can. I can tell you that the storage enclosure and system that I have is heavily built given it had to swing an early plasma set that was heavy. If it were me I might consider a welded rectangular aluminum frame, a simple hinge system, and manually swinging it up and latching it with some window latches given the sets are not that heavy today. Steve Huber did one like this if I remember right.

If you want to consider a drive system, then an axle is needed. Maybe one of the slide electric motors and gear boxes that use a sprocket could couple to a sprocket welded on the axle. They have a fairly simple adjustable limit switch controls that are pressed by the movable carriage parts, that could be adapted. The other benefit is that this drive has an electric brake that may be sufficient to hold the unit in place without external latches.

Lots to get done in a short time, hope it can work out for you...neat project. If you have questions about my system I can try and answer them but I have not had to do any repairs so I have literally no knowledge about the workings of the drive, other than it works. I will take a look at the drive end of the shaft and see what I can see about how they did that part of it.

Later Ed

Lee Welbanks

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2015, 08:50:00 PM »
Doug,

My 06 Patriot Thunder has the fold down tv which is factory, it mounts flush with the ceiling all the parts and pieces are made by "Lift It" which is located in Tacoma, Wa. It is one real pricey system with all the bells and whistles, interlocks, and such. You might give them a call to see what they could do for a lift drive motor assy. It has a gear drive motor that sits in one end of the lift crank assy. I talked to some of them a couple of times and they always seem to want to help out. Wouldn't cost anything to see what they have.

http://www.liftmytv.com/products.html

Edward Buker

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Re: It Can Be Done-50 Inch swing Down TV Install
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2015, 10:12:06 PM »
Doug,

I took a look at the mechanicals today. On the axle there is a heavy crank on one end. It is tied to an electric motor with probably a small gear box on it. Looks like a tube within a tube arrangement and my guess is it is a screw drive. Although it is bigger diameter it reminds me of the drives they used for a larger home satellite dishes in the 80s. I can see a limit switch that the crank actuates. Hope this helps.

Later Ed