While you are out camping across the country, stargazing seems like a luxury due to pollution and rough weather. For modern campers, a TV can provide perfect homelike entertainment when connected with a satellite or an TV antenna. You can enjoy the pastime just by learning how to install a flat screen TV in an RV.
When it comes to mounting a TV in an RV, the procedure is inexpensive and straightforward. Apart from a 2×4 piece of wood, some 3″ screws, and a flat TV set, all you need is a proper guideline.
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Benefits of Installing Flat Screen TV in RV
Gone are the days when you needed to stick with the bulky older model TV sets in the motorhome. A flat screen RV TV is a symbol of modernity and can freshen up the whole interior of the trailer. Besides being more convenient to install, a flat screen TV offers these advantages:
Lightweight
The prime benefit of having a flat TV for the travel trailer is its weight. CRT TVs are quite heavy and carrying a 32-inch model needs at least two people. On the contrary, it is possible to lift a flat TV of the same size with only one hand.
Hi-Quality Image
Compared to the grainy and blurry graphics of CRT TV sets, flat-screen televisions offer a picture with a thousand times better quality. Moreover, flat-screen TVs offer better support to the video of HD quality.
Affordable
When flat TVs first hit the market, they used to be costly. Nowadays, it is possible to get a big flat-screen television at an affordable price.
Easily Mountable
Flat-screen TV sets come in a compact size that takes considerably less space than the CRT TVs. Moreover, their shape and size make it easier to mount them. There are different ways to mount these sets on any flat surface in the RV.
How to Install a Flat Screen TV In an RV
As mentioned earlier, there are many ways to install a flat TV, and the method will depend on where you want to mount it. Some trailers have a TV box at the front for older TV sets that can accommodate the flat TV. If this box is not there, it is possible to mount the TV on the RV wall or hang it under the cabinet.
A. How to Mount TV in RV in an Existing Television Box
By doing some alterations, you can make the TV box compatible to fit the flat-screen TV. For that, install additional wooden frames for mounting the set inside the box.
- Firstly, get rid of the old tube TV set from the box.
- Take measurement of the box’s depth and mark the edge of horizontal supports with a pencil. These supports will hold the TV set in place.
- With the initial measurement, add 1.625-inch on the top and bottom of the sidewalls and mark them.
- Now is the time to calculate the height of the TV box. Use the measurement for cutting two pieces of 2×4 plywood. These will function as the additional vertical support to the horizontal ones.
- Install two vertical supports on both sides of the TV box with wood screws of 2.5 to 3-inch. For mounting one TV set, use at least four screws. To ensure more sustainability, connect both horizontal and vertical supports using a robust L bracket.
- Measure the TV height and attach the horizontal supports. Screw each end with at least eight screws, which should be of three-inch each. To avoid damaging the wood, pre-drill these supports.
- Measure and mark the center of the horizontal beams for hanging the TV on the RV wall. If the flat TV comes with three-bolt support, put two bolts on the top.
- Pre-drill holes for the wall mount bolts with a ¼-inch drill bit and install the mount.
- Attach the TV set to the mounting plate. If the TV is larger than the standard size, keep it in place by installing two side brackets on the opposite ends of it. For each bracket, you will require a piece of ½ x 1-inch wood, a bracer for bracket extension, and ¼-inch heavy-duty screws.
B. How to Attach a TV Mount to an RV Wall
For how to install a flat screen TV in an RV wall, follow the instruction:
- Locate a suitable place on the RV wall to set the TV. It will be better if someone else can hold the set against the trailer wall while you sit on the spot from where you are most likely to watch the TV.
- Find out where the wall studs are with the help of a stud finder. Then, mark them with a pencil or tape as you will need them later for installing the TV mount.
- Drill the pilot holes using a right-size masonry drill bit to mount the screws.
- Fit the mounting bracket to the RV wall. There will be some hardware included with the mount. Do not forget to use them.
- Finally, install the TV on the mounting plate. Connect the RVs antenna or satellite dish with the TV set and start watching your favorite show.
C. How to Hang a Flat Screen TV under a Cabinet
There is no doubt that this method of how to install a flat screen TV in an RV is more user-friendly than the previous two techniques.
There’s nothing much to do. Attach the mount under the cabinet using screws by following the manual that comes with it. Then, place the flat TV set on the mounting plate and connect them together.
Conclusion
Flat TV sets are in trend now as they offer better features than the traditional TV sets. The process of installing it on an RV wall or other suitable places is not that difficult. It takes less than 2 hours to perform the complete installation. Once you know how to install a flat screen TV in an RV, you can do it anytime without spending money on a professional service.