closet wall port
February 3, 2023 9:19 AM Subscribe
How can I put a port in a closet wall to pass through an extension cord?
I'm wanting to use a closet in a living room in a way that needs power. I don't want to install a outlet in there or route cords visibly along the baseboard.
What I think is doable is to put a port in a segment of the closet exterior wall where it wouldn't be visible and pass an extension cord through it.
I'm thinking of using a piece of 1.5" PVC tube and fittings on each end with a flange. Cut circular hole on two sides of the 8" gap in the drywall, pass through the PVC, put on the fittings with a bit of glue...out of sight, snake the extension cord through the port.
Are there any products designed for what I'm trying to do? I'm using PVC plumbing fittings which seems like it would work but is not really designed for this.
I'm wanting to use a closet in a living room in a way that needs power. I don't want to install a outlet in there or route cords visibly along the baseboard.
What I think is doable is to put a port in a segment of the closet exterior wall where it wouldn't be visible and pass an extension cord through it.
I'm thinking of using a piece of 1.5" PVC tube and fittings on each end with a flange. Cut circular hole on two sides of the 8" gap in the drywall, pass through the PVC, put on the fittings with a bit of glue...out of sight, snake the extension cord through the port.
Are there any products designed for what I'm trying to do? I'm using PVC plumbing fittings which seems like it would work but is not really designed for this.
They make grey PVC that is meant for electrical wiring. It's only slightly more expensive.
Why not run a normal outlet? Is it cost? You can also just run it inside the wall. I assume you are using the PVC to make it look a bit nicer? You could also just buy some face plates., if you could find one the heads of the extension cord fit through.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:29 AM on February 3, 2023
Why not run a normal outlet? Is it cost? You can also just run it inside the wall. I assume you are using the PVC to make it look a bit nicer? You could also just buy some face plates., if you could find one the heads of the extension cord fit through.
posted by The_Vegetables at 9:29 AM on February 3, 2023
I did this exact thing and just drilled a hole and put a silicone grommet on each side of the wall to make it look nice. If you search for silicone cable cord grommet you'll see what I mean. It's easier than an outlet and you could still do the PVC pipe if you need it to be rigid.
posted by thewumpusisdead at 9:38 AM on February 3, 2023
posted by thewumpusisdead at 9:38 AM on February 3, 2023
I put an outlet in a closet once and it was super easy, but that was because there was power on the other side of the wall. If you have power close by, putting in the outlet will be the cleaner approach, and no more difficult to patch up and hide later than the pass-through idea.
posted by Dip Flash at 9:42 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Dip Flash at 9:42 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
The biggest issue I see is one of strain relief, basically if you have an outlet or such inside the junction box there's a system one way or another that prevents pulling on wire and converts that strain onto the box (in junctions this also prevents connections from being pulled loose which is a hazard). With this the stress on the wire, (say someone tripping on it, or getting it caught on a vacuum) is going to be unfettered which can lead to fraying of the cord which can be a fire hazard or tug directly on the drywall which could be damaged. If you did this I would try to find a way that the length of cord that runs through the wall is more or less immobilized from each end if it is going to be a permanent fixture.
Not to be a downer but there's a reason this isn't up to code and fire risk is one of them.
posted by Ferreous at 10:58 AM on February 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
Not to be a downer but there's a reason this isn't up to code and fire risk is one of them.
posted by Ferreous at 10:58 AM on February 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
I guess the question I have that might help clarify and provide more useful answers is why isn't an outlet a solution that works for you. Cost, aesthetics, functionality? Besides costs there are solutions that can be managed for most of these by an electrician.
posted by Ferreous at 11:04 AM on February 3, 2023
posted by Ferreous at 11:04 AM on February 3, 2023
We needed power in our broom closet, as we hung our stick vacuum charger in there. We drilled a hole in the back closet wall where we wanted power, verified that it was clear behind it then drilled through to the other side. We ran the cord through a face plate that has a silicone center section with an asterisk-shaped opening, then ran it through a similar face plate on the other side. We didn't even run pipe between. It looks solid, though.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:09 AM on February 3, 2023
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:09 AM on February 3, 2023
They make kits for this intended for TV installs (which are presumably safer than running cords in conduit meant for romex). The search term is "in wall extension cord."
Here's an exemplary YT install vid, from a random manufacturer.
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:11 AM on February 3, 2023
Here's an exemplary YT install vid, from a random manufacturer.
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:11 AM on February 3, 2023
Best answer: I've done what you're describing, but then became a facilities manager and learned a LOT about why that sort of thing is a terrible idea (it's a fire risk, especially if you're running anything high-current or heaven forbid, a space heater).
If you're really committed to NOT having an outlet installed in that closet and/or don't want to deal with electricians, I would recommend getting some surface cable raceway and running the cord in that way. It's pretty inconspicuous, you can get boxes of it for cheap on amazon, and it can even be painted to match your wall.
All that said, there are types of wiring it's perfectly fine to run through walls (eg, speaker wire), so depending on what it is you're trying to plug in, you might be able to plan it out so that the things going through the wall aren't the actual power cables. But again, that depends entirely on your end goal.
posted by aecorwin at 11:14 AM on February 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
If you're really committed to NOT having an outlet installed in that closet and/or don't want to deal with electricians, I would recommend getting some surface cable raceway and running the cord in that way. It's pretty inconspicuous, you can get boxes of it for cheap on amazon, and it can even be painted to match your wall.
All that said, there are types of wiring it's perfectly fine to run through walls (eg, speaker wire), so depending on what it is you're trying to plug in, you might be able to plan it out so that the things going through the wall aren't the actual power cables. But again, that depends entirely on your end goal.
posted by aecorwin at 11:14 AM on February 3, 2023 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: I guess I'm wondering why I would want an outlet in a closet....sure it's useful me for but in the long term...who does that?
Yes, cost is a function of this but not perhaps the primary one. I'm finding a lot of computer gear is accumulating out in our living room with noise and blinking lights and connections.
I'm thinking a big subset of this stuff could go in a closet behind a door, but then there are other considerations like power.
I could potentiallty build some form of cabinet with a cover or face that would reduce noise and light instead of convertiing the closet for this.
The portal thing is just my 'how can I get this done this week' solution,, and perhaps not ideal for the long term. I'm not particularly wanting to go through a wall, that's kind of permanent so now I'm thinking about ways to host these systems without losing part of the closet to do so.
posted by diode at 11:15 AM on February 3, 2023
Yes, cost is a function of this but not perhaps the primary one. I'm finding a lot of computer gear is accumulating out in our living room with noise and blinking lights and connections.
I'm thinking a big subset of this stuff could go in a closet behind a door, but then there are other considerations like power.
I could potentiallty build some form of cabinet with a cover or face that would reduce noise and light instead of convertiing the closet for this.
The portal thing is just my 'how can I get this done this week' solution,, and perhaps not ideal for the long term. I'm not particularly wanting to go through a wall, that's kind of permanent so now I'm thinking about ways to host these systems without losing part of the closet to do so.
posted by diode at 11:15 AM on February 3, 2023
Best answer: If the in-wall extension cords are sufficient to power A/V equipment, they'll power your less demanding networking gear. Raceways will also work. These things are made and rated for the purpose; standard extension cords are not, and likewise conduit expects to have wiring in it, not cords.
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:19 AM on February 3, 2023
posted by snuffleupagus at 11:19 AM on February 3, 2023
For what it’s worth I’d love an outlet in our closet so I could cstore and keep our Dyson vacuum in there or our power tools and their batteries
posted by raccoon409 at 11:48 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by raccoon409 at 11:48 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
If you're in "I want to try this out" mode, then I'd say a temporary solution with an extension cord would be fine for electronics as they're typically pretty low wattage. If you have a light in the closet you could get a plug adapter for it and tape up the switch to the on position and that'd likely be the easiest way to get power in there. Other thought would be to just run a long enough extension cord along the baseboards with gaffers tape and cord protectors for any place it crosses foot traffic to keep it out of the way for now. I wouldn't run extension cords through walls as you can't inspect the condition of the wire there, and if it is damaged anywhere within the wall that will be both hard to detect and a fire safety hazard.
That said, once you're sure that you like the setup, it would be cleaner and safer to run an actual outlet in there, and I'd personally get an electrician to do it if you're not experienced with mains voltage wiring. I can think of a number of reasons for wanting power in a closet (including for stuff like this), so it doesn't sound like that strange of an idea to me.
Main issue I'd see with building an enclosure is making sure that the airflow is enough to keep the electronics from overheating themselves while still deadening the noise. Not impossible, but you may not be able to just build a box and have stuff work well inside it. But that's a whole other question.
posted by Aleyn at 11:52 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
That said, once you're sure that you like the setup, it would be cleaner and safer to run an actual outlet in there, and I'd personally get an electrician to do it if you're not experienced with mains voltage wiring. I can think of a number of reasons for wanting power in a closet (including for stuff like this), so it doesn't sound like that strange of an idea to me.
Main issue I'd see with building an enclosure is making sure that the airflow is enough to keep the electronics from overheating themselves while still deadening the noise. Not impossible, but you may not be able to just build a box and have stuff work well inside it. But that's a whole other question.
posted by Aleyn at 11:52 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
While there are lots of AV in wall cord sets and other hacks available as far as I know none of them are listed with a testing lab like UL or CSA. Which makes them technically illegal to plug into any receptacle covered by the NEC (US code) or CEC (Canadian code). They aren't code legal to install in the manner in which they are advertised.
posted by Mitheral at 1:23 PM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Mitheral at 1:23 PM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]
Look at the Legrand Outlet Relocation Kit; it may do what you're looking for, and it's UL-listed.
...Legrand has a bunch of things that you may find interesting on this journey, so dig around a bit if you don't like that first item.
posted by aramaic at 2:27 PM on February 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
...Legrand has a bunch of things that you may find interesting on this journey, so dig around a bit if you don't like that first item.
posted by aramaic at 2:27 PM on February 3, 2023 [3 favorites]
There are also those "as seen on TV" Presto Plug, which is really just a fancy extension cord / power strip with a very flat plug.
posted by kschang at 2:38 PM on February 3, 2023
posted by kschang at 2:38 PM on February 3, 2023
If you're considering moving computer or networking gear to the closet, there are a few other factors you may want to consider:
1. These devices generally produce heat, sometimes a lot, and also generally do not tolerate excessive heat well. You'd be surprised how quickly even a switch and router can warm up a small closet, with poor ventilation. Computers, even more so.
2. Beyond power, depending on the devices you are putting in the closet, do they also have cabling requirements? Network cables, perhaps HDMI or AV cables if connected to a home theater, etc.
But really, w/r/t putting electrically-powered devices in a closet, heat buildup would be my biggest concern. Not so much in terms of a fire risk (though, that is a possibility, depending on what you put in the closet), but more that operating in high ambient temperatures often leads to reduced operational life (or reduced performance, due to thermal throttling) for computers and electronics.
posted by xedrik at 2:38 PM on February 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
1. These devices generally produce heat, sometimes a lot, and also generally do not tolerate excessive heat well. You'd be surprised how quickly even a switch and router can warm up a small closet, with poor ventilation. Computers, even more so.
2. Beyond power, depending on the devices you are putting in the closet, do they also have cabling requirements? Network cables, perhaps HDMI or AV cables if connected to a home theater, etc.
But really, w/r/t putting electrically-powered devices in a closet, heat buildup would be my biggest concern. Not so much in terms of a fire risk (though, that is a possibility, depending on what you put in the closet), but more that operating in high ambient temperatures often leads to reduced operational life (or reduced performance, due to thermal throttling) for computers and electronics.
posted by xedrik at 2:38 PM on February 3, 2023 [2 favorites]
Look at the Legrand Outlet Relocation Kit; it may do what you're looking for, and it's UL-listed.
That's great. And available with or without USB.
posted by Mitheral at 11:52 AM on February 14, 2023
That's great. And available with or without USB.
posted by Mitheral at 11:52 AM on February 14, 2023
« Older How can I get over a fear of animals while hiking? | How to create a collaborative custom map (for our... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
See if you can find an extra duty (or at least heavy duty) extension cord for this use and inspect it for damage regularly.
posted by Mitheral at 9:29 AM on February 3, 2023 [1 favorite]