Corner Trap Issue With Wall Plugs

Well, I should be taken out and shot at dawn for my latest screw-up! I have several wall boxes on the front wall of my control room, and on *both* sides, it appears that I have placed a box too close to the corners to allow for my full-length floor-to-ceiling bass traps (similar to the Studiotips Superchunks). If I do the math correctly, I need about 17" of wall space in both directions out from the corner in order to fit the traps. Unfortunately, I don't have that much space due to these 2 stupid wall boxes that I placed too close to each corners. Boy, the necessity of proper planning... sheesh, what an idiot I am. Any suggestions? Maybe I could come up with a design that allows me to access the plugs, or maybe, I could build the traps so that they do not go all the way to the floor? What would be the effectiveness (or lack of effectiveness) of building traps that start about 2 feet above the ground (or so) and go up to the ceiling? Thanks!

DH wrote:

Well, I should be taken out and shot at dawn for my latest screw-up!

I think that's questionable dude! :wink: A picture would be great, but if I've got your scenario clear in my head, then I can see a full floor to ceiling trap, with a sexy curve cleverly built into it (around your wall boxes), to make it look like you intended to make your boxes discreet! :wink: Something in my head is telling me that whatever you do - those traps need to start at the floor! (Especially for your lows!) You'll sort it Bro - you always do. :wink: Kind regards and festive wishes, Lou. 8) I'm in a session as I type! can you believe us lot?

:!: :!: Maybe a sort of tubular bass port arrangement being built within your traps to act as an access route from the front to your boxes? Just a thought Dude. Picture DH? Lou. 8)

I would probably just make a simple frame/access panel and install it in such a manner that I can access the box behind. I would have the insulation installed to the back of the panel at the point where my penetration was. The boxes should be close enough to symmetrical that it will look right..... The panel can be screwed into place - it doesn't need to be a door - the "readily accessible" requirement for hidden boxes allows for that. Rod

not sure what kind of wiring you're dealing with, but can you pull the wires a bit, and install the box into the front of the trap? so you are now plugging into the trap instead of the wall on the side. sounds confusing, but just another thought.

Have whoever does it use a double barrel slug at close range... ;) Photo of the area? My first thought - design a little access way in order to plug into either box. Hard to say with not knowing how deep that puts you. If it's deep then you could feel like you're blindly reaching into a hot spot.

possibility perhaps?

Paul... thanks for the great suggestion.

Finally, here are a couple of pictures of the offending wall plugs. One for each of the two front corners.

doublehelix wrote:

Finally, here are a couple of pictures of the offending wall plugs. One for each of the two front corners.

I was going to say, that if both the boxes were on the same side, you could just make one side shorter and extend the other side. But you had to go - and put two boxes on each side. Why did you do that? Didn't you plan ahead? Ding-bat! (only kidding - you know that...) Paul's suggestion of building it out seems pretty good. Or, reduce the one bass trap - to the size that will fit.

BradJacob wrote:

[ But you had to go - and put two boxes on each side. Why did you do that? Didn't you plan ahead? Ding-bat! (only kidding - you know that...)

No, you are right, I *am* a ding-bat!!! It was a really stupid mistake that is soooo obvious now!!! Hopefully there is some other ding-bat reading this that will learn from my mistake!

doublehelix wrote:

BradJacob wrote:

[ But you had to go - and put two boxes on each side. Why did you do that? Didn't you plan ahead? Ding-bat! (only kidding - you know that...)

No, you are right, I *am* a ding-bat!!! It was a really stupid mistake that is soooo obvious now!!! Hopefully there is some other ding-bat reading this that will learn from my mistake!

Hey - how about something (curved) like this. You'll get a lot of depth, and the corner will be broken. Might even look cool too.

BradJacob wrote:

Hey - how about something (curved) like this. You'll get a lot of depth, and the corner will be broken. Might even look cool too.

Hmmmm.... actually, that might not be a bad idea! I need to think about the implementation of it, but thanks for getting a few more brain cells working on the problem!

DH - My Sketchup is still crap, but if I've got your scenario correct in my head, why not perhaps go with Brad's really cool idea, totally fab, - make it wider to deliberately cover your wall plugs, and then build in two (American equivalent of internal soil pipe bends, 90 degree) plastic 'rest' bends to easily access the sockets! 'Rest' bends are still 90 degree but over much more distance! Hope this makes sense Buddy. Here's what I'm talking about for underground external use, but I hope you get the idea, and, the 'lug' (which is what also makes it a rest bend) you see in the image is just about big enough to drill through for addittional fixings. I'm now hoping your panels aren't bigger than 110mm high. http://www.drainageonline.co.uk (Just do a search for - rest bend - no way to link directly to the page, been trying for half an hour). :roll: If this is of no help whatsoever, just take the p**s and accuse me of being old with a tight jeans fetish!!!! :wink: :wink: Much regards, Lou. 8)

doublehelix wrote:

Hopefully there is some other ding-bat reading this that will learn from my mistake!

Dingbat Here! Reporting in for info.. There is one spot that I *may* have put a box near enough to the corner for an octagon box to run track lighting out from along the wall, but after seeing this post, I re-evaluated my plan...

Lou wrote:

'Rest' bends are still 90 degree but over much more distance! Hope this makes sense Buddy.

Ok - semantics here... Is "long sweep" a different term for the same peice? I've been told time and time again that the PVC drain work past the trap to the main needs these as they cause less friction in the flow and less chance of residue in the line. http://www.pexsupply.com/categories.asp ... 5&brandid=

James - I might have your solution for you. I had a similar situation and this is what I did... Just remember to put the fabric on BEFORE you "line" the inside with the "finish-wood". I'll be posting pictures of mine.

Ahhh... I have the same issue in my Drum Booth... worked around it... pun intended... Just make sure you have enough room around the boxes such that you can open them up for servicing down the road. Might need a long handled screwdriver... perhaps really long. My space is commercial so I had to lose 1 receptacle which wasn't a big deal in a Drum Booth. Good luck. Jon

Thanks for the plans Brad. This is pretty similar to what I have been thinking, but you have done a lot of the work for me... Thanks! ;) My designs have been slightly different in that I plan on having my fabric cover be removable, probably via Velcro strips, so I will have to modify accordingly. I am right there at this step as we speak, so I am about to come with something more concrete. Maybe I should crack open that copy of Sketch-Up and figure it out one of these days...

For anyone else who runs into this, here ya go... I'll paint it black and use a black electric-plate.

Hi Brad Nice work, well done. I was just wondering why you just didn't put another electrical box inside the trap frame, put a covering plate on the one on the wall with holes for wires then join the two boxes with new wires ? Maybe it's a code thing for you aera, here as long as all electrical boxes are accesible it's OK. Just wondering. Keep it up

orangenumerik wrote:

Hi Brad Nice work, well done. I was just wondering why you just didn't put another electrical box inside the trap frame, put a covering plate on the one on the wall with holes for wires then join the two boxes with new wires ? Maybe it's a code thing for you aera, here as long as all electrical boxes are accesible it's OK. Just wondering. Keep it up

Maybe Only if the wires inside the box would reach to the new one.. Actually, I think that'd be against code anyway. The clamping of the wire into the new and out of the old wouldn't be housed wire, unless you could pull another wire. You cannot have a junction box which is hidden in most code law for electric. That outlet in the wall would be turned into a junction box with another run out to the new outlet in your suggestion I believe. But if it were worth the effort and you could pull a new line and/or have enough slack to reach the new box - and the bass trap was made to be perminent, you could cut into the wall and create a narrow newly framed box on the outlet side of the bass trap. - Note - this is all from second hand information passed on to me from a master electrician. I had to pull a new wire in my room because there was a light (junction) in the line for the basement where my ceiling would go. It was either keep the light there (didn't want that) or pull a new line up stairs. Brad That is a slick implimentation though: I noticed the difference between designed and real world of your work there. The bracing in the triangle portion of the frame was not necessary when you put it together eh?

Cram wrote:

The bracing in the triangle portion of the frame was not necessary when you put it together eh?

Exactly! :wink:

orangenumerik wrote:

Hi Brad Nice work, well done. I was just wondering why you just didn't put another electrical box inside the trap frame, put a covering plate on the one on the wall with holes for wires then join the two boxes with new wires ? Maybe it's a code thing for you aera, here as long as all electrical boxes are accesible it's OK. Just wondering. Keep it up

Really for saftey sake - and the wires wouldn't reach (they're already pretty short). The slot there won't really effect the trapping that much (at least I don't think it will) :wink:

Hi Brad and all

You cannot have a junction box which is hidden in most code law for electric. That outlet in the wall would be turned into a junction box with another run out to the new outlet in your suggestion I believe.

Exactly, and as you said you can't have hidden junction boxes, meaning boxes installed inside walls or burried in concrete... gasp! It do not mean that you have to actually see them it mean that you need to be able to reach them for servicing... at least around here, you may validate that info for your aera me think.

The slot there won't really effect the trapping that much (at least I don't think it will)

Actually you may loose 0.0076db in the 50 to 45 hz aera :wink: I know it won't hurt the trap performance, it was just a rethoric question from my troubled mind :roll: I just tought it would look nicer, but you've made a real nice job anyway so. regards

orangenumerik wrote:

Hi Brad and all

You cannot have a junction box which is hidden in most code law for electric. That outlet in the wall would be turned into a junction box with another run out to the new outlet in your suggestion I believe.

Exactly, and as you said you can't have hidden junction boxes, meaning boxes installed inside walls or burried in concrete... gasp! It do not mean that you have to actually see them it mean that you need to be able to reach them for servicing... at least around here, you may validate that info for your aera me think.

Yes you are right! Access panel is the code around here... Sorry to have excluded that distinction.