Above fireplace installation of flatscreen

[schoolhouse]

I am having my flatscreen mounted above my fireplace and my contractor says that he cannot run the HDMI cable through the wall (although he is running coax cable and power there) because you cannot run a data cable near a power cable. Has anyone ever heard of this???

 

[Modelworks]

Technically it is correct. The rules are that any cables grouped together have to have insulation ratings for the highest voltage cable that they are grouped with. The reason is that if the insulation were to fail on the power cable then contacted the outer insulation of a cable like HDMI, the insulation would leak voltage into the cable and pose a shock hazard.

You can ask that it be run through a separate hole and that would be perfectly acceptable to the rules, just a few inches apart is fine.

Looking at one of my HDMI cables the insulation is rated for only 30V, much lower than the 600V of a power cable. You can check your cables or other wires by just reading what is printed on them , it will list the voltage .

 

[IamDavid]

That's odd, mine never mentioned it..

FWIW, TV looks cool above FP but it sucks for everyday use. We have our 70" above our main living room one and I wish I hadn't.

 

[CubanlB]

That's odd, mine never mentioned it..

FWIW, TV looks cool above FP but it sucks for everyday use. We have our 70" above our main living room one and I wish I hadn't.

This! A thousand times this!

Is the fireplace a build out or is it flush with the rear wall?

Modelworks is 100% correct. If your contractor really gave you flack for asking for this they are either lazy or stupid. But, you should ask to have a 1-2" conduit ran and pull the hdmi through later as this contractor may not take the precautions needed to keep the hdmi cable in one piece during the rest of the construction and it gives you future flexibility in wiring.