XLR socket wall plate

[IA76]

Hi All

We have been using premade XLR wall plates for a while but the quality of the ones we were using is not so good anymore.

I was going to order THESE XLR sockets to mount on to THIS wall plate.

My quesion is what is the correct size of nut/bolt to mount the socket on to the plate?

Edited September 2, 2022 by IA76

[boswell]

M3

[david.elsbury]

That plate says it’s supplied with the necessary fixing screws so you’re good to go 

[TomHoward]

I think the fixing screws are for the plate onto the back box, the two 3.5mm screws you'd get with a plugtop rather than for the XLR.

You need some M3 x 5mm (approx) and save yourself a world of fiddling by ordering two of these and snapping them onto the back of the XLR connectors.

You can get a XLR connector which already has M3 tapped holes rather than countersunk holes (like this) but they're harder to find and probably cost more than standard XLR plus mounting plate 

[david.elsbury]

Right, Apologies for that

[xllx]

Consider rivets as an option. Much less fiddling about with M3 nuts and washers!

[sunray]

11 hours ago, TomHoward said:

I think the fixing screws are for the plate onto the back box, the two 3.5mm screws you'd get with a plugtop rather than for the XLR.

You need some M3 x 5mm (approx) and save yourself a world of fiddling by ordering two of these and snapping them onto the back of the XLR connectors.

You can get a XLR connector which already has M3 tapped holes rather than countersunk holes (like this) but they're harder to find and probably cost more than standard XLR plus mounting plate 

The first place I worked where we installed loads of XLRs on plates the policy was to fit them from the front and the company used 6mm screws...

AH aahh. no non no ... far too fiddly.  It's soooo much easier to use 12mm or 15mm. At first I'd be rebuked/berated for doing so but gradually everyone apart from the workshop manager (who was never ever wrong) followed suit.

[TomHoward]

Was that with loose nuts though or with the threaded back plates?

[TomHoward]

Just checked ours are 6mm pan head which is right on the nose with the backplates and just sticks about 0.5mm through at the back. Longer wouldn't be too bad. Loose nuts you'll have a nightmare with 6mm, buy the MFD plate.

You'll want pan head if you are mounting the XLR on the back of the plate to poke through, countersunk if you are mounting it on the front. All the D series works on the back apart from the locking jack socket with the red lever on thicker plates, you can't push it back far enough to get the jack out. It's okay on those Penn elcom plates but not good on custom ones or many rack mount D series panels

Photo of the backplates attached, they’re 38p and will save you a world of pain fiddling with M3 nuts 

 

 

Edited September 3, 2022 by TomHoward

[J Pearce]

9 hours ago, xllx said:

Consider rivets as an option. Much less fiddling about with M3 nuts and washers!

I do this for anything that I know is permanent.

However many of our racks get modified through the year. I have used the backplates but tbh, with a pair of needle nose pliers the nuts aren’t too fiddly and are much cheaper. The backplates may only be 38p each, but that starts to add up. They also often can’t be retrofitted to extant rack tails.

[david.elsbury]

You could always use a 6mm socket/nut driver on the back…

[sunray]

27 minutes ago, david.elsbury said:

You could always use a 6mm socket/nut driver on the back…

It's unusual to have enough clearance between the nut and the body of the XLR to use a nut driver (M3 = 5.5mm)

 

9 hours ago, TomHoward said:

Was that with loose nuts though or with the threaded back plates?

Loose nuts.

12mm is long enough to be able to hold the screw, slip on a star washer, position a nut on the screw, push the nut against the rear surface of the XLR or panel and turn the screw into the nut. Once started hold the side of the nut with a finger and use a screwdriver. rely on the star washer for the final tightening.

I will only start to contemplate the back plate if the XLR is tight against a corner such as in a project box. I may have used ten in the thousands (possibly tens of thousands) of XLRs I've installed.

11 hours ago, xllx said:

Consider rivets as an option. Much less fiddling about with M3 nuts and washers!

Certainly very quick and fine for installed kit but I've found pop rivets tend to get loose if the XLRs are subject to repeated replugging, then it's difficult sorting the problem.

[Simon Lewis]

I think I have tried all of these methods at some point...

Riveting is OK, but can sometimes result in slightly misaligned connectors (and is a pain if you want to re-jig the connectors at any point). As Sunray highlights, they can work loose in some circumstances.
The M3 tapped XLRs are simple and quick to fasten, but it does limit the type of connector you can use.
The tapped backplate is good (but an extra item to purchase).
Using an M3x12mm screw worked well for me, especially with a nut runner. Sometimes it was a bit hard to get it to locate properly, but by the time the nut was nearly tightened, it was easy to jam it against the XLR shell. I've even managed to used Nylock M3s for this.

I think my preference is for M3 nut and bolts.

 

[sunray]

44 minutes ago, Simon Lewis said:

I think I have tried all of these methods at some point...

Riveting is OK, but can sometimes result in slightly misaligned connectors (and is a pain if you want to re-jig the connectors at any point). As Sunray highlights, they can work loose in some circumstances.
The M3 tapped XLRs are simple and quick to fasten, but it does limit the type of connector you can use.
The tapped backplate is good (but an extra item to purchase).
Using an M3x12mm screw worked well for me, especially with a nut runner. Sometimes it was a bit hard to get it to locate properly, but by the time the nut was nearly tightened, it was easy to jam it against the XLR shell. I've even managed to used Nylock M3s for this.

I think my preference is for M3 nut and bolts.

 

One company I worked for, always used Nylock's to front mount the sockets, another used self tapping screws.

I have to say that is my favourite method when drilling plates on site is thread cutting trilobal screws; One I installed in 2007 and ripped out 2017 while moving the kit to another building:

Edited September 3, 2022 by sunray

[dosxuk]

On 9/3/2022 at 9:19 PM, sunray said:

It's unusual to have enough clearance between the nut and the body of the XLR to use a nut driver (M3 = 5.5mm)

 

 

I've attached thousands of D-type connectors using a nut driver and I'm yet to find a connector type where there isn't space.

Using a nut driver and electric screwdriver takes me literally seconds to put them together. Probably spend more time picking the bits than the assembly.