Installing TV Lift behind Sofa

[LarryH1481]

Originally Posted by LarryH1481

Just installed Touchstone Wisper Lift II TV Lift, 43" LG LED TV and 26" Fireplace/54" Cabinet in my Class A. Love it! Attachment 225744

Whalen cabinet from Lowe's...

[mobilemike]

Nice

[TLGPE]

Tim.

It all looks nice.

You mentioned having an issue with synchronizing the travel speeds on the motors. I suggest a simple limit switch for each end. You can adjust the end positions to be level at the top. You will need to put a diode around the limit switch to allow the "down" current to get you out of the limit zone ( usually less than 1/2").

HTH,

Tom

[timjet]

Thanks Tom.
Over time the actuators have gotten closer to their limits. It's actually not the limit but the speed of each actuator. When one extends slightly faster than the other it doesn't look like a professional install. That did happen and I contacted the actuator manufacturer. They suggested what you did, but placed the diodes slightly differently. Over time in my install the actuators are now pretty much the same speed. You can't tell one reaches it's limit before the other.
I got this diagram from the manufacturer.

[timjet]

I would suggest anyone building a TV lift to use the pre-made lifts you can get from several sources. They are about $600. The reason is they use one actuator so you don't have to worry about one actuator moving faster than the other. In my case I did not have the required 6" clearance behind my couch.
I tried to design a lift with one actuator located beside the TV and that just didn't work, the slides jammed because the actuator pushed on one side only. I also tried a design with one actuator below the TV and using a scissors type lift but I just didn't have the height clearance to install it. You'll notice in the final video the TV takes up all the space between the couch back and the window valance. When stowed the TV sits only 4" above the floor. Not enough room for the actuator and scissors lift

[Alan24601]

I bought a very good lift from Walmart on line and about$300. Very sturdy and reliable.

[LarryH1481]

Originally Posted by LarryH1481

Whalen cabinet from Lowe's...

Finishing TV cabinet

[Dav L]

Originally Posted by timjet

I would suggest anyone building a TV lift to use the pre-made lifts you can get from several sources. They are about $600. The reason is they use one actuator so you don't have to worry about one actuator moving faster than the other. In my case I did not have the required 6" clearance behind my couch.
I tried to design a lift with one actuator located beside the TV and that just didn't work, the slides jammed because the actuator pushed on one side only. I also tried a design with one actuator below the TV and using a scissors type lift but I just didn't have the height clearance to install it. You'll notice in the final video the TV takes up all the space between the couch back and the window valance. When stowed the TV sits only 4" above the floor. Not enough room for the actuator and scissors lift

timjet, what if one put a threaded rod on both sides of the tv, used "nuts" welded to the tv structure, and then tied the spinning of the rods together with a cogged belt driven by a motor? I bit of fabrication for sure. The more sophisticated would be to put an encoder on the two separate motors and have a external motor controller synch the two motor efforts.
I will keep looking for a commercial piece that addresses the 6 inch issue as I suspect I will have similar space constraint.

I enjoy fabbing these types of solutions...but still need to finish up my remote control bed that raises to the ceiling project
EDIT: actually, the drive mechanism I used for the movable bed project could also be applied to a TV....the drive mechanism was a right angle geared motor that spins a pipe. Seat belt material is wound around the pipe. The belts would then pull up the TV. So, could be hidden in a cabinet above the TV....something to ponder...

[mobilemike]

Originally Posted by Dav L

timjet, what if one put a threaded rod on both sides of the tv, used "nuts" welded to the tv structure, and then tied the spinning of the rods together with a cogged belt driven by a motor? I bit of fabrication for sure. The more sophisticated would be to put an encoder on the two separate motors and have a external motor controller synch the two motor efforts.
I will keep looking for a commercial piece that addresses the 6 inch issue as I suspect I will have similar space constraint.

I enjoy fabbing these types of solutions...but still need to finish up my remote control bed that raises to the ceiling project
EDIT: actually, the drive mechanism I used for the movable bed project could also be applied to a TV....the drive mechanism was a right angle geared motor that spins a pipe. Seat belt material is wound around the pipe. The belts would then pull up the TV. So, could be hidden in a cabinet above the TV....something to ponder...

I would think it would be much simpler and cheaper to use a cable drive system. No extra depth needed. The motor and base pulleys could be mounted on the floor under the couch so the system would not be any wider than the tv

[timjet]

Originally Posted by Dav L

timjet, what if one put a threaded rod on both sides of the tv, used "nuts" welded to the tv structure, and then tied the spinning of the rods together with a cogged belt driven by a motor? I bit of fabrication for sure.

If you look around on the internet you will find a TV lift made exactly like that. I had almost gone that route but thought the chance of a failure in one of the many items necessary to make this work over several years was a distinct possibility.

[timjet]

Originally Posted by mobilemike

I would think it would be much simpler and cheaper to use a cable drive system. No extra depth needed. The motor and base pulleys could be mounted on the floor under the couch so the system would not be any wider than the tv

Where were you when I was designing this.?


Actually I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out. The units been in place almost a year and no problems. About the only thing that can go wrong with my design is a actuator failure. That would be an easy thing to replace.

[mobilemike]

Originally Posted by timjet

Where were you when I was designing this.?


Actually I'm pretty happy with the way this turned out. The units been in place almost a year and no problems. About the only thing that can go wrong with my design is a actuator failure. That would be an easy thing to replace.

Sorry Tim!!!!

I am a pretty successful backyard engineer. No formal training but I have designed things that have worked very well. I may draw up the cable system to keep for future reference. Turn buckles for adjustment and tension springs for stability and it should be pretty nice. It could be operated by a ram or a remote spool.



OOOOOO!!!

The ram could lay horizontal under the mount on the floor for an even smaller footprint. It would be no wider and just as long as the tv when extended.

[timjet]

Originally Posted by mobilemike

Sorry Tim!!!!

I am a pretty successful backyard engineer. No formal training but I have designed things that have worked very well.

I'm envious. And not very creative. But I'm pretty good at copying other peoples design. Especially when it comes to working with wood.

The TV in a drawer with slides on either side which is what I used in my design was my design but I'm sure most anybody would have come up with that.

[LarryH1481]

Originally Posted by LarryH1481

Finishing TV cabinet
Attachment 226643Attachment 226644Attachment 226645

Finished TV cabinet [emoji2]