Install TV on ceiling

[rosede]

I have a 2012 Ultralite Outback. For years I've been wanting to put a TV in the bedroom. It has a power out let and coaxial outlet on the ceiling. There is a stud right there that I am assuming that I can mount a TV to, however, I still have concerns.

How think is this stud? Is it a normal 2x4, or thinner? If it's a normal 2x4, I wouldn't be to concerned, but my suspicion is that it's thinner. Obviously, Keystone allows a person to mount a TV, otherwise they wouldn't have put the power plug and coaxial outlet up there.

I want to make sure that I'm not using a screw that is to long and that will go through the ceiling. Also, I want to make sure that this stud is strong enough to hold a TV, I have a 24" flat panel that I am using.

Thank you.

[flybouy]

As there's no picture I'm assuming the electric and coax in the ceiling is close to the wall. It's easy for the factory to place it there vs the wall. Typically the TV mounting area is a piece of wood placed in the wall in between studs. The only 2" thick lumber would be a piece you brought in. The wall studs are not 2 by's. Look at the interior wall door frames.

By a stud finder, they are very inexpensive.

[rosede]

Originally Posted by flybouy

As there's no picture I'm assuming the electric and coax in the ceiling is close to the wall. It's easy for the factory to place it there vs the wall. Typically the TV mounting area is a piece of wood placed in the wall in between studs. The only 2" thick lumber would be a piece you brought in. The wall studs are not 2 by's. Look at the interior wall door frames.

By a stud finder, they are very inexpensive.

The power outlet and coaxial outlets are about 18" from the nearest wall, right on the edge of the stud. So, what you're telling me is that it was more convenient for the works to put the power outlets 18" from a wall where a TV would be mounted than actually in the wall where the TV gets mounted? That doesn't really make much sense.

BTW, I have a stud finder. Finding the stud is not an issue. I just want to make sure that before I drill or mount, or do anything that I would regret later.

I'll try to get some images later and post.

Thank you.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rosede

The power outlet and coaxial outlets are about 18" from the nearest wall, right on the edge of the stud. So, what you're telling me is that it was more convenient for the works to put the power outlets 18" from a wall where a TV would be mounted than actually in the wall where the TV gets mounted? That doesn't really make much sense.

BTW, I have a stud finder. Finding the stud is not an issue. I just want to make sure that before I drill or mount, or do anything that I would regret later.

I'll try to get some images later and post.

Thank you.

The exterior walls on your trailer are 2" foam laminated walls with the aluminum "cage" built into it. If you look around your trailer, you'll find that all (or nearly all) of the outlets/wiring are contained in interior walls.

The "stud" you located in the ceiling is actually a "rafter" and some are stamped steel, some are 1x1 clear spruce and some are a combination of those materials. NONE are designed to support the weight of a TV hanging from them (although it might work for a while). The fact that the TV coax and ROMEX wiring are attached to that rafter is simply because they (the factory) could lay the wire in the open ceiling before the decking was installed for the roof.

Consider that from "construction off the assembly line" to "current time" the walls are a "sealed unit" not accessible to run wires or to repair broken wires, so installing wires in the exterior walls is avoided by the factory.

ADDED: There is not a 2x4 anywhere in the construction of your trailer. At most, there MAY be some 2x2's used as door framing on the interior walls. Otherwise, it's 1x2 or smaller, stapled to existing structure.

You might find a wood or aluminum "mounting plate" built into the exterior wall, near the ceiling outlets. Typically, Keystone places a red decal over the location of that mounting plate, but often the decal is not centered on the plate, rather "somewhat close". So, search diligently, check multiple times, drill pilot holes carefully (1.5" max on exterior walls (or you'll have a new exterior vent) and most important, DON'T RELY ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AT KEYSTONE TO PROVIDE ANY ACCURATE INFORMATION REGARDING LOCATION OF ANY MOUNTING PLATES, SCHEMATIC FOR WIRING OR BLUEPRINTS FOR STUD LOCATION..... They don't share that information, even with dealerships.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by rosede

The power outlet and coaxial outlets are about 18" from the nearest wall, right on the edge of the stud. So, what you're telling me is that it was more convenient for the works to put the power outlets 18" from a wall where a TV would be mounted than actually in the wall where the TV gets mounted? That doesn't really make much sense.

BTW, I have a stud finder. Finding the stud is not an issue. I just want to make sure that before I drill or mount, or do anything that I would regret later.

I'll try to get some images later and post.

Thank you.

Use your stud finder and measure how wide the ceiling stud is then. The studs are narrow and every camper I've ever seen or heard ove has a backing plate of wood to mount a tv to, not the stud. The exterior walls are filon and are not easy to run wire thru.

Here's a video of a 2012 unit. Is this what you have? If you look around the 2:48 mark the connections for the second tv is above a cabinet where they left a top to set the tv on. * years ago they didn't build all travel trailers for wall mount or ceiling mount flat screens. The flat screen tv's 8 years ago were considerably heavier than they are today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBUpvcEtTJw

[sourdough]

First, I've never seen, or heard of, an RV pre built for a TV to mount on the ceiling. And, if they did I would never put one there anyway. If you've been around an RV long you KNOW that it won't be there long and you will find it in the floor, on the bed or crushed over a counter in a short time.

As far as "studs" they could be aluminum or wood; none will be 2x4. You also have to bear in mind that THE guiding consideration of these things is to be "light". With that guidance if they use wood there's no telling what it might be but you can rest assured it's not oak or any other hard wood, nor will it be any premium mid density wood. The support board under my bed platform with the struts attached, which you would think would be at least a medium density wood, is some sort of extremely light, loose grained something; sort of like balsa wood. No wonder every single screw pulled out immediately. Of course it was replaced with something built to hold a screw. Now, with that in mind, a TV on the ceiling? Heavens no!!

[Roscommon48]

Your ceiling plugs are not for a TV on the ceiling. just figure out what wall you want to go with and figure out where the studs are.

good luck on figuring it out.

[Bill-2020]

Originally Posted by sourdough

First, I've never seen, or heard of, an RV pre built for a TV to mount on the ceiling. And, if they did I would never put one there anyway. If you've been around an RV long you KNOW that it won't be there long and you will find it in the floor, on the bed or crushed over a counter in a short time.

As far as "studs" they could be aluminum or wood; none will be 2x4. You also have to bear in mind that THE guiding consideration of these things is to be "light". With that guidance if they use wood there's no telling what it might be but you can rest assured it's not oak or any other hard wood, nor will it be any premium mid density wood. The support board under my bed platform with the struts attached, which you would think would be at least a medium density wood, is some sort of extremely light, loose grained something; sort of like balsa wood. No wonder every single screw pulled out immediately. Of course it was replaced with something built to hold a screw. Now, with that in mind, a TV on the ceiling? Heavens no!!

You gave me visions of a tv dangling from the coax as it bounces down the road, smashing into the walls and destroying itself, walls and things within the reach of its swing. The power cord will pull out as the TV drops from the ceiling, but some of the CATV connections on the TVs or the "ceiling box" can be quite robust. Sooner or later it'll all end up on the floor. Travel trailers are rolling earthquakes.