Installing LED TV on 2004 340 Sundancer Bulkhead Wall

Hmmmmm

 

Only got it hung yesterday. Have about an inch between the TV and door. Have not cut the hole for the fiber-optic cable that drives the entire TV. Look close in the pics and you can see it. When I pull it down to cut the hole I will take pics of how the mount works. This TV comes with the mount which is built into the back.

In regards to the streaming question I was using my phone. The Marina Wifi is spotty. Installing a cell signal booster next.

 

What did you use to mount it? How flush is it to the wall? Does it come with some special mounting hardware to hang it like a picture frame?

 

Do you use sat tv? Which one and which service? And how much does service cost?

 

No sat tv, only streaming.

 

Great thread guys. Where are the power wires routed for the tv? I'd like to find that out before I start cutting into my bulkhead.

Also, does the TV need to be wired into the DC power system or can it be plugged into one of the cabin outlets and work when not on shore power?

 

VERY helpful! Thank you!!

 

@Dabble - I found the 12v TVs for sale to be pretty bad (I.e. don’t have many of the “smart” TV features. It converted 2 Samsung Smart TVs to run off 12v directly so we had the option of using them without having to run the Generator. I details the process with pictures here:

Master Stateroom TV:
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/master-stateroom-tv-refresh.91180/

Salon TV:
http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php?threads/420-da-thread.1273/page-62#post-1000978

 

Great info and pictures. Your installs look very nice.

 

I too did not like the 12v TV options. I went with a 32 inch Samsung (UN32N5300), which draws 27 watts max power at 120V (this is the catalog rating). Nice little TV: very light and low power draw. I used a pure sine inverter for power away from the dock. Below is my thought process; Your Mileage May Vary.

The 27 watts of power needed for the TV on 12 volts DC is 27w/12v = 2.45Amps. The TV does not have a power brick, so I went with a Bestek 500 watt pure sine inverter, which has more than enough power (500w/12v = 42Amps from the batteries). The inverter needs to be pure sine to avoid the potential of damage to the TV.

The potential problem is that the inverter can handle too much power without a dedicated 12 volt run to the batteries. The existing breaker for the 12 volt TV circuit is rated at 25Amps. This is less than 42Amps that the inverter could consume. But, the inverter only consumes as much power as it needs and this inverter is dedicated to the 27 watt TV, so I used a 20A fuse to power the inverter. The system works.

The inverter does make some fan noise that I don't want to hear all the time, so I wanted the ability to either power from the 120v AC outlets, or the inverter. So I located the inverter in the cabinet at the midcabin, and added another outlet in the same cabinet. Finally, I used an AV type Decora Brush pass through at the same cabinet.

So the power cord from the TV goes through the brush pass through to the midcabin cabinet. The majority of the time, the cord is connected to the new outlet at that location. If I am at anchor and choose not to run the generator, the TV power cord is manually plugged into the inverter instead of the outlet. Not exactly an elegant solution, but it works for my needs.

 

It comes with a mount built-in. It hangs as flush as you can get to the wall. I should have taken better photos when mounting but was in a hurry. When I take it down to route the fiber optic cable, the only wire the tv needs, I plan on taking a ton of photos. Click on the video below and fast forward to min 5 and see how the bracket works.

 

Finally upgraded the bulkhead tv today on my '06 340..as is par for the course, it took longer than anticipated, and I may still have to tweak it a bit, but at least it works and doesn't interfere with the electrical cabinet..why is it that you have to "reach around your ass to get to your elbow" when dealing with boats?

 

because every tool you need is not on the Boat or dock, or in your vehicle, or a drive home, and always the wrong size once you think you've found it!! lol! Nice work clean install btw!

 

Great post Kevin! I love having the steps to try this myself. Hard to google this stuff.

 

I have the exact same boat and looking to tackle this project. What TV did you purchase? Any tips and suggestions for installation?
Thanks.

 

Purchased a Vizio 32" Smart TV..I took a few pics while I was doing this..lemme see if I can find them.

 

Step 1: Remove the surround. First unscrew the light switch, pull it out and disconnect the wires. Needle nose pliers work well with this. I also added a piece of tape to the top wire to identify it.
Next, remove the 4 "buttons" that hide the screws holding the surround. An "exacto" knife works well for this. Just take your time so as to not damage or tear the upholstery. If you mess up the buttons, I think you can get replacements at a fabric/craft shop (i.e. Michaels).
There is a screw head (phillips head) under each button..Sea Ray only used 2 kinds of screws - long ones and short ones. These are on the long side and I found it easier to remove the bottom ones first, then the top, and the surround should be free.

 

Next, there are two small screws that hold the tv mount to the bulkhead mount, and these are accessed from the bottom of the TV..if you shine a flashlight looking up from the bottom, you will see them, and they are also philips. This photo was taken after they were removed.
You should be able to grab the tv on each side and lift straight up. When it comes free you can then disconnect all the wires/cables..my original TV was an LG (analog) and assume yours is the same..
View attachment 90990 View attachment 90990 View attachment 90990

 

Next, remove the screws from the DC panel in the electrical cabinet and just let the panel lean out from the top. You should have a 110VAC outlet where the old tv was plugged in. Unplug the old and plug in the new. There's a piece of flex that contains all the wires.